Category: Couples
Why your partner’s perspective doesn’t have to match yours to matter In the Imago Dialogue, every conversation begins with an invitation: I’d like to invite you to come into my world. Are you available? When the receiver says yes, they’re agreeing to cross a bridge, to step away from their own familiar landscape of needs, […]
READ ARTICLEThe power of lightness, laughter, and shared joy in your relationship We often focus on the hard work of relationships: the communication tools, the healing, the self-awareness, the deep conversations. And all of that matters of course. But fun matters too. Sometimes, what your relationship really needs is a little more laughter, a little more […]
READ ARTICLEThree tiny habits that might be hurting connection without you realizing it We all want to be good communicators — thoughtful, loving, and clear. But sometimes, especially when we’re stressed or triggered, we fall into habits that quietly sabotage the very connection we’re trying to build. Here are three sneaky patterns many couples struggle with, […]
READ ARTICLEWhat if the pattern is the real problem? Ever have the same fight over and over? The one that starts about the dishwasher… or a tone of voice… or the way they looked at you? Here’s the thing: most of the time, the fight isn’t actually about what it seems. It’s about the pattern underneath. […]
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Love’s Twists and Turns Love rarely unfolds in a tidy or predictable way. The path takes unexpected turns, twisting and dipping through both joyful highs and uncomfortable lows. If you’ve ever fallen in love, you know this feeling: romance starts off like a wild ride, but true closeness grows when you both learn how to […]
READ ARTICLEPeople often ask: How do you stay married to the same person for over 30 years? Well, here’s the honest answer: You don’t. The person I married 31 years ago is not the same person I live with today. And I’m certainly not the same either. We’ve both changed—sometimes in sync, sometimes not. Somehow, we’ve […]
READ ARTICLEThere’s a poem by Jayne Gumpel that always stops me in my tracks. It’s called Goddamn It, Just Ask Me. It speaks to a part of me that has, for much of my life, been quiet—maybe even invisible: the part of me that has needs. For years, I saw myself as a giver. I was […]
READ ARTICLEA recent Washington Post article by Yael Schonbrun, “Typecasting others and self as villain or victim can hurt relationships”, explores how we often fall into moral typecasting—assigning rigid roles of villain and victim in our relationships. When we feel hurt or frustrated, it’s natural to see ourselves as the wronged party and our partner as […]
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Imagine you hear a loud thud coming from outside. What thoughts come to mind? Maybe “That’s concerning…” or “Oh, they were doing road work nearby today…” or “That’s that package I ordered…” Any of those might fit with what has really happened; any one may well be reality. Or none of those might fit. What […]
READ ARTICLEI speak three languages — French, English, and Spanish — and I can tell you from experience: understanding the words doesn’t mean you fully understand the culture. You can know how to order un café con leche in Spanish and still feel totally out of place at a family table in Barcelona. You can understand […]
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