We may have hard heads but we don’t have rock-solid hearts—our hearts are soft and vulnerable. In committed relationships, we need a lot of understanding to build bridges, especially when our needs collide with our partner’s.

Do you know how to advocate for your needs without getting into an argument?

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Empathy for relationships?

Yes, I can confidently vouch for empathy—it transformed my marriage! And it may be THE most important quality of every long-lasting relationship.

Do you want to improve communication with your partner, deepen understanding, and sweeten your love? Here's how.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

People-pleasers often secretly view their congeniality, kind nature, and generosity as a badge of honor. However, relationships where both partners share these traits can be problematic.

While every relationship has its unique challenges, being in a relationship with two people-pleasers can feel a bit like Bill Murray felt in Groundhog Day. Life feels surprisingly familiar and unsettling, but there's a ton of guesswork.

Estimated reading: 4 minutes

One of the biggest triggers in a relationship or marriage is personalizing your partner's behavior. This one relationship tendency causes a multitude of misunderstandings, verbal disagreements, and arguments. When we are offended by our spouse's snarky remarks or disrespect, our defenses rise and we position ourselves for a comeback, or a cold war!

How do we hold the line for respect while refraining from hurtful behavior ourselves?

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

After decades of a happy marriage (learning the hard knocks way) and coaching couples for almost as long, I’ve learned that every couple needs a few indispensable relationship skills. If you master them, they set the foundation for a healthy and happy relationship. Drop one of these skills, and all the rest will be affected.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

As a parent coach, I see all kinds of parenting styles. I’ve seen firsthand how challenging it can be when parents disagree on how their children should be raised and disciplined. These differences can be a source of continual arguments in nuclear and blended families alike.

Are you ready for a new perspective and strategy to co-parent harmoniously?

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Conflict. Power Struggles. Arguments. They are relational challenges—and opportunities—for closeness and understanding in a romantic relationship. There's a catch: we need to know how to resolve our differences and deal with a power struggle in a relationship.

A previous client reminded me just how powerful it can be when we identify the roots of our relationship issues. We hadn’t worked together for years, but when I ran into her, she told me that a one-liner I gave her from a coaching session had totally changed her life. Maybe the insight will help you, too.

Estimated reading time: 4 [...]

In the first few years of my marriage, resentment was a frequent companion. It bubbled up so often that one day, I committed to explore why and set a goal to reach ZERO resentment. Ambitious, I know.

Fast forward to today. As a veteran in teaching emotional intelligence and having coached hundreds of couples over the years, I’ve discovered why relationship resentment is such a common splinter. However, what most people don’t recognize is the personal responsibility that is required to live resentment-free.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Navigating the ebb and flow of relationships isn't always smooth sailing, is it!? It's like we're on the ocean in a tiny vessel; sometimes the sea is calm, and at other times, storms hit, rocking our boat. And occasionally, our "relationship boat" fills with water as it careens from side to side in the storm. It can even feel like the relationship is sinking.

Conflicts can be the most daunting for a couple, yet, they also hold the potential for major growth AND to bring us closer. That is if we have the tools and EQ skills to weather the storms.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes.