Episode 5: Conversations with Couples

Does Your Spouse Annoy You?

"Our love grows far more secure when we accept the things about our spouses that make them who they are. How are you doing in this area? Do you see your spouse’s uniqueness and strengths as something to me marginalized or applauded?".....

https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/marriage-challenges/understanding-differences/does-your-spouse-annoy-you/

Leftovers

3 Ways Your Childhood Impacts Your Relationship

"The fact is, what we experience in our family of origin (which is the people who raise us and who we spend most of our childhood with) often does show up in your couple relationship in one way or another".....

https://blog.prepare-enrich.com/2020/06/3-ways-your-childhood-impacts-your-relationship/

7 Safe Spaces Your Spouse Needs

"But safety is not just an issue for women. Men need a sense of safety and security, too. So here are 7 safe spaces you should work to create for your spouse every day of your marriage".....

http://www.markmerrill.com/7-safe-spaces-your-spouse-needs/

5 Tips for Investing in Your Wife

"Your wife needs your creative energies if she is to become all that God created her to be. To help you in this area, here are some of the best tips I know for giving both of you a rich return on your investment".....

https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/staying-married/husbands/5-tips-for-investing-in-your-wife/

Episode 4: Conversations with Couples

Your Spouse Doesn't Need Your Unconditional Support

"No, you may not be able to encourage your spouse to do whatever he or she wants. But in the end, they will be able to do so much more because you were willing to love them by speaking up and holding them to account".....

https://www.christianitytoday.com/women/2017/november/spouse-doesnt-need-unconditional-support-cheng-tozun.html

Gridlock

3 Truths About Anger Everyone Should Know

"Anger is a natural part of being human, but it can also become destructive when uncontrolled. Likewise, anger is a natural part of conflict. It’s important that we understand how to manage anger so that we can effectively manage conflicts in our marriages and other interpersonal relationships".....

https://www.symbis.com/blog/3-truths-about-anger-everyone-should-know/

9 Steps to Defeat Isolation in Your Marriage

"Isolation is a disease that afflicts every marriage at some point. A husband and wife slowly drift apart in ways they don’t even recognize at first. Signs of isolation include the following".....

https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/marriage-challenges/drifting-apart/9-steps-to-defeat-isolation-in-your-marriage/

Neutrality is Invalidation

"In the Gottman research on couples, (the Sound Relationship House model) we’ve learned that sustainability in a relationship depends upon the stabilizing walls of trust and commitment.  Betrayals, like invalidation, will weaken these stabilizing forces, and sometimes stressors will reveal that trust and commitment were undefined or even absent from the beginning".....

https://www.gottman.com/blog/neutrality-is-invalidation/

Conversation with Couples

Be a B.E.A.R.

How to Build Trust in Your Relationship

"The reality is that trust is built slowly over time. Dr. Gottman has said that the basis of trust is really the idea of attunement".....

https://www.gottman.com/blog/trust/

How We Used the Aftermath of a Fight to Repair Our Relationship

"As John Gottman’s research has shown, it’s not what you fight about that matters, but how you repair when your inevitable differences in personality, perspective, and needs collide. If you don’t process these conflicts, then you may both find yourselves feeling disrespected, lonely, and neglected—drifting away from each other like two ships without anchors".....

https://www.gottman.com/blog/how-we-used-the-aftermath-of-a-fight-to-repair-our-relationship/

10 Ideas for Helping Your Marriage Last a Lifetime

"The following ten ideas, shared by couples married for 50 years or more, will help your marriage last a lifetime".....

https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/staying-married/commitment/10-ideas-helping-your-marriage-last-a-lifetime/

Episode 2: Conversation with Couples

Laid Off: moving forward after job loss

Each failure chipped away at my confidence and fed the seeds of self-doubt. Eventually, even a simple 'How’s the job hunt going?' from my wife felt like scathing criticism.I knew she was trying to be supportive, but after a long day of failures, it felt like she was screaming, 'You’re letting us all down! You need to do more!'".....

https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/marriage/marriage-challenges/finances/laid-off-moving-forward-after-job-loss/

Its Not About You

Your "Emotional Energy" Spending Habits

"The world is heavy. We feel it. It’s hard to escape. And the weight of it all might be seeping into your relationship. It’s not a question of how to build a fortress to prevent the events of your community or society from penetrating your relationship; it’s a question of what amount of energy you devote to feeling those feelings, and at what cost".....

https://blog.prepare-enrich.com/2020/06/your-emotional-energy-spending-habits/

How Facts v Feelings Influence Your Spouse

"In marriage, spouses influence one another significantly–both consciously and unconsciously. Knowing whether your spouse is more influenced by facts or by feelings can add a great deal of productivity to your conversations".....

https://www.symbis.com/blog/how-facts-vs-feelings-influence-your-spouse/

How to Listen Without Getting Defensive

"Understanding your partner requires the capacity to listen. Really listen. Couples are advised to hear each other’s complaints without feeling attacked, and as great as this sounds, it’s often unrealistic".....

https://www.gottman.com/blog/listen-without-getting-defensive/