Serve and Return: Connection Through Bids
Pickleball made “serve and return” part of everyday conversation. But in relationships, serve and return means something deeper. Emotional connection is often built in moments that are easy to overlook. A child asks you to …
Navigating the Aftermath of Betrayal
Betrayal and Its Aftermath “What now?” The question comes from a deep place of pain and confusion. It summarizes the angst and fear that arises after betrayal or abandonment—or both. Strategies are needed to navigate …
Relationship Work: The Hidden Burden of Understanding
The Relationship Work No One Talks About A therapist’s reflection on hermeneutic labor, emotional exhaustion, and the hidden burden of understanding. There is a particular kind of exhaustion that does not come from work, parenting, …
Everyday Conflicts: Why You’re (Still) Fighting About the Dishes
Everyday Conflicts: Why You’re (Still) Fighting About the Dishes You’re in the kitchen. One of you sighs loudly while loading the dishwasher. The other snaps, “If it bothers you that much, just say something.” And …
“What’s More Romantic than Being Understood?”
“What’s more romantic than being understood?” This tagline came from one of my favorite games called “We’re Not Really Strangers.” This card game includes a range of questions, from lighthearted and fun to deep and intimate, …
Ask / Offer / Do: 3 Steps To Meet Each Other’s Needs
Ask / Offer / Do: 3 Steps To Meet Each Other’s Needs Learning how to meet each other’s needs–sounds pretty basic, right? It’s probably common sense that anyone in a relationship, even a pretty darn …
