Not every couple will struggle with glitchy Skype connections during months apart, the U.S. Government interrupting dinner, or the strain Top Secret secrets place on two people in love. Military relationships are subject to a laundry list of struggles—and joys—that others don’t have. But at the heart of military relationship challenges are the same human issues that every couple navigates.

These seven tips for strengthening a military relationship are based on the principles of Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Hopefully they will help with deployment, reunion and the everyday challenges of [...]

We have been duped! “Happily ever after” has been made out to be something that happens magically when you’re in love. People don’t tell you how much work it takes to understand one another in everyday life.

Love is a choice and one that isn't always easy. It can be difficult to set aside your own opinions and truly hear your partner’s opposing views.

No one prepares you with the necessary skills, such as how to express emotions without hurting your partner or how to calm your emotions so they don’t distort reality and blind you when communicating with your partner.

Estimated reading time: 3 [...]

Most of us (especially parents) know what to do if our clothes catch fire: STOP, DROP, and ROLL. But do we know what to do if our relationship catches fire?

Our relationship may function smoothly and harmoniously most of the time. But when a conflict does arise, we may find out that we just don’t know how to resolve it. Many times, the problem lies in our lack of communication skills.

We all want to feel heard and understood. If we don’t know how to establish real connection through effective communication in our love relationship, we may find ourselves competing within the relationship for [...]

It sounds impossible, right? After all, it takes two to tango. How can one person transform a relationship without the other one on board?Well, it does take two to tango, but if one dancer knows exactly what they're doing and practices often, he/she can teach their partner how to be a better dancer without them even knowing it. It may sound a little sly and tricky, but in some cases, it's just what a couple needs to make the shift from bitterness to bliss.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

You can almost feel it in the air—just a little extra tension to go along with the holiday spirit. Or maybe more than a little. It’s tempting to focus on just getting things done, but if you do that, a couple of weeks from now you may notice your relationship with your spouse becoming a bit frazzled.

Even under the best of circumstances, living your love actively for your spouse every day can be challenging. There’s so much competing for your attention: work, family, chores, errands, and shopping . . . on and on the list goes! It can be hard to hang on to that special love that brought you [...]

Complaining is one way the brain lets off steam, but when done too frequently as a couple, it is disheartening and can become a pattern that diminishes the vitality of a relationship. A couple’s complaints can eclipse their love, corrode joy, and make married couples begin to doubt why they even married each other. If that's you, you're likely feeling unfulfilled in marriage or in a relationship, so keep reading.

In today's hectic world, if we aren’t mindful, it doesn't take long for two people in a loving relationship to unknowingly let outer pressures override quality time together. It’s easy to get caught up in daily demands so much that we can even begin to feel that our partner is the problem, or at least they’re a hassle. And just as easy, is to "fall out of love."

A client once said to me, “I feel like I’m bleeding to death from a million tiny cuts.”

As a couple, we can fall into an antagonistic relationship habit without even realizing it, such as continually digging up the past or neglecting to dedicate quality time to the relationship. We begin doing the very things that damage a strong and healthy relationship. Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Relationships are perhaps the most difficult yoga there is. Even though love connects us together, the stresses of our busy lives work against us. Add to this stress the multitude of differences, getting along in marriage can be challenging.

We might even begin to wonder why we're in the relationship at all. Have you ever said, "My messy husband is driving me crazy!"? Or "The fighting is driving me crazy!" when you're referring to a daily argument? Or "Why is relationship so hard!?"

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Last week I saw an advertisement that said: "Compromise is for marriage, but never for wine!" It made me think about how in our culture, we accept that relationships require compromise. In one article I read, the author said, "Compromise—no matter how difficult—is a necessary part of any successful, enduring marriage."

The idea was that once we say "for better or for worse," we need to get used to making concessions to the other person when settling our conflicts. So what if afterward, we're resentful, discouraged, disappointed, frustrated, and disillusioned? Get over it—compromise is just [...]