If you're around children—or even adults—for any length of time, you will eventually hear "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it" or "I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention to hurt you." And then the child or person goes along their merry way like nothing ever happened.But if we didn't mean it, why did we do it? Why do we so easily dismiss our behavior with a casual comment?

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Maintaining a healthy marriage requires continual investment. And most couples experience challenges they must face in marriage and love. But when done intentionally, navigating them together can also be among the most rewarding. It’s completely natural for couples to experience ups and downs, yet it takes daily loving acts to keep our relationship thriving. And when it gets to the point of make-or-break, something needs to change.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

In a Wall Street Journal article, columnist Elizabeth Bernstein writes about the challenge of marriage between an ardent planner and a partner who prefers to be spontaneous. Perhaps you’ve known people in a marriage like that—or maybe you’re one of them. In my work with couples, I have heard many a planner name-call their spouse passive-aggressive, or the spontaneous one refer to their spouse as a control freak. Regardless of what differences, marriage conflict is inevitable!

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

When I coach couples, something that I hear a lot is how hard conflict is. They wonder why their relationship or marriage isn't easier or more fun. Or they ask if they are just falling out of love.

Do you find yourself in small rifts with your partner every day or big, blowout fights regularly? You're not alone. Couples struggle with conflict in relationships and recurring arguments are more common than you might think.

What can you do when your love relationship meant to replenish and support you, exhausts and depletes you instead?

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Long-distance relationships can be challenging and frustrating at times. They take a lot of effort to maintain genuine connections, especially with the hurdles being apart brings. However, making the relationship work is possible if both you and your partner are willing to work at it and let go of expectations.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Whether you are married or in a committed relationship, you probably want to show your partner how much you love them. But sometimes, we feel like our gestures of love or affection are unappreciated or misunderstood. You just might be speaking a different “love language” than your partner.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

“Relationships are about give-and-take.” You've probably heard this saying before; it's one of the most common relationship pieces of advice. But is it true? Well, that's a more complicated question requiring a longer answer. While it is true that relationships are about a natural flow between two people of giving and receiving, some people interpret this factor to mean that relationships should be fifty-fifty. And since that's rarely the reality, one person starts keeping score in an attempt to match up.

This article will dive deeper into this phenomenon and explain precisely why keeping [...]

Let’s face it. When you’re head over heels in love, there are way more interesting things to talk about than money. Your dreams. Your common interests. The joy that fills your heart when you look at the one you love. If you even notice any differences in how you and your partner approach finances, who cares? Love conquers all, right?

Except research shows that it doesn’t.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

As a couple, have you ever wondered, "Why does a relationship has to be so hard?" Do you feel sometimes like you're raising another child instead of having an equal partner? Are you exhausted from all the talking about change, yet nothing changes? Is your spouse expecting things you don't think are fair? Do you feel guilty when you take care of yourself because you "should" be...?

If you answered "yes" to even one of these questions, keep reading to get off of the cul-de-sac of human drama.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes