Tag Archive for ‘relationship tips’
Men, Why Empathy in Relationships Matters and How you Can Step it Up
A recent article in ScienceDaily.com is titled, “Women Happier in Relationships Where Men Feel Their Pain.” Those of us in the field of relationship therapy have known that empathy is a cornerstone of a healthy, connected relationship. However, men and women actually want different emotional payoffs from each other. The study by the American Psychological Association [...]
20 Relationship Tips: Give Your Relationship the Attention it Deserves by Richard Nicastro, PhD
Let’s face it: there is a staggering volume of marriage/relationship help advice out there. Any Internet search on the topic will give you page after page of relationship “How to’s” and “What not to do’s.” Depending on your perspective, this can be either good news (the easy availability of helpful information) or bad news (trying [...]
5 Ways to Stay Cool in the Face of Another’s Emotional Reactivity
I had a recent experience that tested my patience and challenged me to remain calm in the face of aggressive, critical words. My initial instinct (my primal lizard brain in activation) was to fight back, defend and point out the ways in which this person had totally missed the mark. But I didn’t. This choice [...]
Valentines Day: 8 Simple Ways to Make Your Partner Feel Cared For
With Valentines Day approaching, many couples are considering ways to demonstrate their love and affection for each other. What meaning do you attach to Valentines Day? What are your expectations? I subscribe to the notion that it’s less about “quantity” and more about “quality.” It’s about putting a smile on your sweetie’s face, about making them [...]
Practicing Empathy with your Partner in an Argument
Most simply stated, empathy is the ability to put oneself in another’s shoes – and also the willingness to respond to the person’s needs. I believe it’s one of the most important components of a happy, healthy relationship. Lack of empathy is a very common problem with couples. Many people never learned how to be [...]
How to Stop Being a “Fixer”
Are you constantly trying to “fix” people or your relationships? Do you over-commit to solving other people’s problems at your own cost? This issue is fairly common in my therapy practice – and there are some things you can start thinking about around to how to stop the behavior. Here are 4 things to think about if you’re a “fixer” [...]
Warning! 4 Relationship Red Flags not to Ignore
If your gut is telling you something just isn’t right in your relationship – then something is probably not right. But how many of us have at one time or another ignored the “red flags” waving furiously in front of our faces? Probably a good many of us. Some “red flags” are more serious than [...]
Setting Boundaries for Yourself by Saying “No”
People who struggle with setting boundaries for themselves often struggle with saying “no.” Using that word can literally bring up discomfort for them. For this reason, they over commit, don’t end up with any time for themselves and can even be taken advantage of by others. Their friends, family, partners and coworkers can develop unfair [...]
The Impact of Depression on Relationships
Most of us are aware about the havoc that depression can wreak on somebody. The symptoms can be almost paralyzing; a sensation that a dark cloud stalks them or a pit lingers in their stomach every waking moment. It can be easy to forget the impact of depression on intimate relationships. Unless you’ve been depressed [...]
Couples in Conflict: Learn to Fight Fair in Your Relationship
Conflict is a part of life – and often time relationships. The question is how you manage conflict with your partner - and whether you’re successful at finding peaceful resolutions – or you do more damage. Resentment is toxic to relationships and unhealthy conflict resolution skills can create a mountain of it. Here are 5 signs [...]
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