Every Relationship will eventually be tested. It could be a disloyal friend, an untrustworthy spouse, or bad business partner. What do we do when those turbulent times hit? It can be tempting to “jump ship” but if you stick to certain core principles, your relationship will be stronger than ever.

We all feel our share of worries and anxiety. These emotions can have a tendency to effect relationships. Dr. Matt Townsend shares 5 questions we can use to assess if there is anxiety manifesting itself within relationships we have. Are they deep feelers and sensitive? Are they more moody and easily irritated? Are they demanding […]

Communication with our partner can be incredibly difficult, but also incredibly rewarding. Dr. Matt Townsend says that when we focus first on finding the right spirit in the conversation, we will be able to find the right words. Examples of finding the right spirit can be outlined through these 4 comparisons: Inviting vs. Interrogating Understanding […]

Recognizing the Raw Spots That Drive Your Reactivity Think of a time you have been in a conversation with someone where they say something that makes you feel angry or insecure . . . so much so that you can’t continue the conversation normally.  You are probably experiencing what Dr. Sue Johnson, the creator of […]

Resilient is a word we’re hearing a lot these days and one that we all want to be able to use to describe our families, especially with everything going on in the world now. Dr. Matt Townsend shares three conversations that families can have that will build resilience as we deal with life’s ups and […]

Being in the middle of a pandemic can take a toll on our mental state and can leave us all feeling a little or even a lot unsettled. In hard times, there are some strategies that can help ease the strain on our minds and bring us more peace. Dr. Matt Townsend shares four things […]

Research shows that human beings really can only meaningfully focus on one thing at time. But instead we tend to get lost focusing on two or three things in our marriages and about 15 things in our lives. So many times my clients feel so alone in their marriages and so deeply want to feel […]

In an address at the Vatican recently, Pope Francis spoke out strongly against what he called the “terrorism of gossip”. The Pope compared talking negatively about others to “tossing a gossip bomb and walking away.” He stated that gossiping distances communities and does not bring us together. So despite the latest research that shows that […]

Disagreements in our relationships are very common, and yet there are some arguments it seems like almost all couples are having. Here are 4 fights that you and your spouse may have and some of the research behind why we might be so offended when they happen. “I Just Want It All To be “Fair” […]

What do the most influential men in our lives all have in common? Here are 4 examples from my life of those influential leaders and the qualities they emulate. Bart Summerhays- (Youth Leader) “To Believe In Myself!” The Lesson- Bart taught me to believe in myself. He always found time to be with me and around […]