Donna Resendez Marriage and Family Therapist

Happy couples do not avoid disagreements; they resolve them while remaining respectful of each other, thereby strengthening their relationship. How would you describe a "happy couple" in ONE WORD?

https://blog.prepare-enrich.com//4-ways-support-your-spou/

Why Your Expectations Sneak Up On You November 4, 2020 Ann Malmberg Relationship Basics Expectations are like a measuring stick that we hold our reality up against. If they’re too high, you’re going to feel pretty disappointed in the state of things. Too low, and you might be settling for less than you should....Continue reading

https://youtu.be/-4EDhdAHrOg

I have seen alot of nasty posts in regards to people making "non-essential" trips .. Do you ever think maybe that guy buying a gallon of paint knows he must keep busy because idle hands in the past has caused him to relapse and pick up that case of beer ? So he's using this time to do home improvements, something that keeps his mind busy while feeling a sense of accomplishment, trying to avoid painful triggers while possibly alone ? Or maybe that lady buying bags of soil ...and seeds, has struggled with depression and suicide ? How do you know that planting and watching something beautiful grow during this time of darkness , isn't essential to her and holding on to what little hope she might still have .. We need to remember that it is impossible to know just by looking at a situation from "our" small lens what someone is truly going through or where their mental health is at . Everyone handles chaos and healing through different means. #mentalhealthisessential Copied and pasted. See more

When you finally get the chance to reunite and reconnect with your partner at the end of the day, what do you say? How was your day? There’s definitely nothing wrong with this question! It shows you’re interested in each other’s daily lives and can be a great way to start a more in-depth conversation. But when you both start asking the question mindlessly and responding with one-word answers, it might be time to say hey, we can do better!... Therapists and researchers John Gottman and Bill Doherty both believe that rituals of connection are an important tool in nurturing successful relationships. Create a daily ritual where you intentionally reconnect each evening, whether it’s over dinner or after the kids are in bed. To get you started, here are five questions to ask instead of How was your day? What made you laugh out loud today? This might sound like a silly question, but more than likely it will lead to sharing a story, whether it’s to provide context or explain what happened. Out of this you might learn more about your partner, increasing your connection. If your day was a meal/song/color, what would it be and why? Here’s another question you can have fun with, but that can actually give you insight into the flow of each other’s day What gave you a sense of accomplishment today? Sure, you might find out about a big work project or the third day in a row of hitting their step goal, but the conversation might take a deeper dive as well. Maybe they don’t know how to answer because they’ve been struggling with balancing work and home responsibilities, and that’s okay. The goal is to have a more meaningful conversation or at the very least give yourselves the opportunity for one. How would you like today to end? Maybe their day was so busy they didn’t have a spare moment to catch their breath, and now all they need is some quiet time to relax. Maybe it was a bad day and they just want leave it all behind them and play games with the kids. Either way, it gives them an opportunity to tell you exactly what they need and an opportunity for you to help make it happen. What did you learn today? Sure, this might sound more like something you’d ask your kids after school, but hey, we adults learn new things, too! Maybe it’s an interesting factoid from that new podcast they’re listening to. Or perhaps they learned they shouldn’t stay up so late reading (they were dragging today) or to always make sure the blender cover is on tight. Whatever it is, you can hopefully also learn something new about each other. When we reunite with our partner at the end of a long day, it’s easy to let mundanity creep in. But research shows that intention around creating and engaging in rituals of connection has a profound impact on the quality of your relationship. We think it’s worth the effort. Written by Ann Malmberg from Prepare/Enrich

It's best to seek to understand than to be understood.

The power is all in your hands.

Something to think about...

It is with great pleasure that I introduce to you my Associate, Kira Barlow. She is gaining hours towards her LPCC license. Kira has a great deal of experience working with teens and anxiety, in addition to working with couples and families. She has evening appointments available and works on a sliding scale. If interested, please contact myself or Kira directly.

There is only one you!

Often times Blunt people are seen as mean, bitter, or sometimes jealous. They get this reputation because people can not deal with the truth. When speaking the truth, it needs to be done with kindness and respect.

Not everyone you lose is a loss...Not everyone you lose is a loss...

LOVE IS NOT ABUSIVELOVE IS NOT ABUSIVE

Time to get to work...