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Six simple ways to rebuild friendship in your relationship, along with questions to help you get to know each other again. There was probably a time when you couldn't wait to spend time together. You'd talk about everything and nothing, laugh at silly things, make plans for the weekend and genuinely enjoy each other's company. You didn't necessarily need to be doing anything exciting because simply being together was enough. But somewhere along the way, things changed, and pe

Why showing up to counselling isn't the same as committing to change. I'm going to say something that might make a few people uncomfortable. And I'm saying it from a place of genuine care. Counselling doesn't change your relationship. What you do with counselling does. There. I've said it. I work with couples who genuinely want things to improve. They want better communication, more connection, greater intimacy and less conflict. They want to rebuild trust and stop having the

A few days ago, I decided I wanted to try something new with Craig: a Yes Day. The idea actually came from my sister and brother-in-law, who had been doing Yes Days with their kids. I loved the concept, but as I was listening to them talk about it, I found myself thinking, why should this only be something we do with children? What would happen if couples did it too? So yesterday morning I said to Craig, “I think we should trial a Yes Day.” I hadn’t planned what we were going

Is Your Relationship Keeping You Stressed? We all get stressed in our relationships. We argue, we misunderstand each other, someone says something badly and occasionally we get so worked up that we can't have a productive conversation anymore. In Gottman Method Couples Therapy, we call this flooding. It's that point where your heart might be racing, your body feels tense and you're technically still having a conversation, but you're not really listening anymore. You're de

Have you ever finished an argument with your partner and thought, Were we even in the same conversation? You remember the words clearly. Your partner insists those words were never said—or that you said something first, used a particular tone, or left out an important part. Before long, the original disagreement has been replaced by a second argument about whose version is correct. I see this often in my work with couples. We are not usually trying to deceive each other. We a

I was talking with one of my clients recently about something most of us do in relationships. We have a conversation with our partner that doesn’t go particularly well, and afterwards we replay it. We think about what they said, what we said, what we should have said and what we wish they had said differently. Sometimes we replay it so many times that we can almost have the entire conversation again without our partner even being there. And we’re not just replaying the words.

One of the first questions I ask clients in our sessions is normally, "How are you feeling?" The answers are often surprisingly similar. "Good." "Bad." "Okay." And that's about where it ends. The problem is that "good," "bad," and "okay" don't tell us very much. Imagine going to a doctor and saying, "My body feels bad." The doctor would need much more information before they could help you. Are you tired? Sore? Nauseous? Dizzy? In pain? Our emotions work the same way. When we

For years, I thought Craig and I had a communication problem. We would start talking about something difficult and somehow end up further apart than when we started. The more I tried to explain myself, the less understood I felt. The more frustrated I became, the quieter Craig became. And the quieter he became, the harder I pushed. I thought we needed better communication skills. So, be cause I like solutions, I went to communication courses, I studied Interpersonal Skills. I

One of the most humbling things I've learned about myself is that the more emotionally flooded I become, the less thoughtful I become. As a relationship coach, I teach empathy, but as a wife, there are times I completely forget to use it. The interesting thing is that I genuinely consider myself to be an empathetic person. Most of the time, I can see another person's perspective. I can understand where they're coming from. I can appreciate that their experience of a situation

One of the most common things I hear from couples is, "We've talked about this so many times!" Most often, they're referring to a recurring issue that they just can't seem to resolve. By the time I meet them, they're exhausted. They've had the conversation over dinner, in the car, in the bedroom, while walking the dog, and sometimes in the middle of a family gathering. They've approached it calmly. They've argued about it. They've cried about it. They've made promises to do t

Building strong professional relationships is essential for success in any field. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a freelancer, or an employee, the ability to connect with others can open doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and growth. In this blog post, we will explore practical strategies to enhance your professional relationships, backed by expert guidance and real-world examples. Understanding the Importance of Professional Relationships Professional relationship

In today's fast-paced world, the quality of our relationships can often take a backseat to our busy lives. Whether it's with family, friends, or romantic partners, maintaining healthy connections is crucial for our overall well-being. Relationship coaching offers a pathway to transform these connections, providing tools and insights that can lead to more fulfilling interactions. This blog post will explore the numerous benefits of relationship coaching, how it works, and why

Building and maintaining strong personal relationships can be challenging. Whether with family, friends, or romantic partners, effective communication and understanding are essential. Coaching techniques can provide valuable tools to enhance these relationships, fostering deeper connections and resolving conflicts. This blog post explores various coaching techniques that can help you improve your personal relationships, offering practical examples and insights. Understanding