Think about the aftermath of the last fight you had with your partner. Remember the queasiness in your stomach or the tightness in your chest? You wanted that feeling to end, but how? You try to bring it up again, but you get in another fight. Or you try to ignore it, sweeping the feelings… Read More
In our culture, punishment and discipline are often used interchangeably. However, the purposes of punishment and discipline are very different. Check out the chart below. In short, punishment is discouraging, painful, and leaves a person feeling bad. Discipline opens a path to grow and move forward, leading to encouragement. When my kids do things that… Read More
A Quick Guide to Apology Even among the most loving and secure relationships, sometimes we hurt our partners. I promise that I have hurt my wife plenty of times in our relationship, and she has hurt me. It is never intentional (usually), but it happens. I always thought it would be cute and endearing to… Read More
In the new year, we often set goals or resolutions for ourselves, whether that be deciding to eat healthier, finally getting that gym membership, working towards a new career path, or saving up enough money to buy a home; we use the fresh start of the new year to improve ourselves and our circumstances but… Read More
Dealing with Attention-Seeking Kids Do your kids get on your nerves with all of their attention-seeking behavior? Yep, mine do too. Bear with me on this post because I want to be direct in addressing this issue. I have worked with children and adolescents for over a decade, and I have heard many parents, teachers,… Read More
Disclaimer: This post may be triggering if you have been hurt emotionally by your partner. Getting hurt emotionally by a partner creates distance in intimacy. If you have been in a committed relationship with a partner for long at all, I bet that at some point you have gotten hurt. Please hang with me on… Read More
I hope this post finds you well. We had a nice Christmas with my parents and brother, even with having to wear masks the whole time. Now we are getting ready for New Year’s at the Maisen house. 2020 brought a lot of challenges with it. However, one positive thing it did for us was… Read More
How do you define vulnerability? What connotation does this word carry for you? You may be interested to know that the word vulnerability finds its origin in Latin. Vulneratus means to be wounded. For some this is a very scary concept. However, true intimacy cannot be found without true vulnerability. Disclaimer: This post may open… Read More
Hey everyone! I want to shift focus a little this week and give you all a free resource. Curiosity plays an important role in feeling attached to your partner. When you are continuously curious about each other and willing to dig into the deep conversations, connection tends to grow. This is an activity to do… Read More
Have you ever taken the Myers-Briggs Personality Test? There are many personality indicators involved, but I want to focus on Thinkers (T) and Feelers (F). These indicators give insight on how you experience life. All people certainly think and feel, but we tend to lean towards one of these more than the other. My daughter… Read More
Kids will be kids and learning to be respectful comes with maturity as they grow and develop. Our kids have to have a strong example if we want them to learn effectively. Our Attitude Sets the Tone: Building a culture of respect requires us as parents to treat the people we come in contact with… Read More
Have you ever experienced a moment when you asked someone how they were doing, and they were honest? I mean the moment when they get real in sharing personal pain points. I want to tell you about a time that went I out for breakfast, and I asked the cashier how he was doing. I… Read More