Empowering people to make strengthening choices
In the past, I’ve talked about the Gottman labs where couples come and stay for a weekend. Marriage researchers record all of their interactions and then play them back for them and coach them in how to improve their marriages. Well, you would think that these researchers would get a lot of boring communication. But […]
In recent weeks I’ve been talking about ways to develop friendship so that positive feelings override the inevitable ups and downs of your marital relationship. In this article I want to move on to another strategy—that of strengthening your relationship by nurturing admiration. The reason this is so important is that a happy marriage is […]
As I pointed out in my last article, one of the characteristics of successful and satisfying relationships is “positive sentiment override.” This means that you have built up enough positive feelings (friendship) towards each other that you’re able to withstand the inevitable disappointments, conflicts, and just plain hard times in your marriage. One way to […]
The purpose of this article is to talk about friendship in marriage. But first, I need to tell you about the research of John Gottman at the University of Washington in Seattle. Gottman may be the most respected researcher on marriage in the world. For four decades now, John and his wife Julie have studied […]
Two Ways of Being A philosopher by the name of Martin Buber said that we can come from one of two orientations or ways of being in our relationships with others. He called them I-It vs. I-Thou. Whichever orientation we adopt has huge implications in marriage as well as any and all of our relationships. […]
I’ve talked a lot about self-responsibility. In truth, it’s hard to show up in a loving way for another person if you don’t take responsibility for yourself. Otherwise, you’ll be passive and dependent or blaming and controlling, in either case believing that your wellbeing is up to someone else more than you. This mindset will […]
In this article, I talk about differences between men and women. The purpose is to help you develop more understanding and even appreciation of your partner. So much conflict and alienation couples experience comes from misunderstanding our partner’s intent. Much of this can be reduced as we recognize gender differences. Although there are so many […]
In a recent blog post, I talked about the differences between owning versus disowning responsibility for yourself in your relationship with your partner. I shared a story in which I made myself a victim of Judy until I stopped to think about it and was able to alter my reaction. I went from feeling like […]
As a counselor, I found the insights and strategies to be incredibly valuable. The knowledge and skills have not only deepened my understanding of effective parenting but have also enriched my ability to support other families in navigating the challenges they face. I was particularly impressed by your emphasis on fostering open communication and building strong relationships within families. Your strategies for effective communication, active listening, and conflict resolution are not only applicable but also transformative. With utmost enthusiasm, I wholeheartedly recommend this course to fellow counselors, parents, and anyone invested in fostering positive family dynamics
Student Counselor AKES program, and student in Parenting to Raise Responsible, Mature Children
Thank you does not express the emotion I feel when I think of you! You have taught me so much and I live you and thank you for all you have done for me and my family. Thanks for the love and guidance when I thought I was lost. Thanks for validating my feelings and supporting me in my life.
student in Making Things Happen Seminar and a number of online courses
The Hero’s Choice is a very powerful and compelling story. It will make you smile and it will also move you to tears. The writing style and story line reminds me of Og Mandino’s books. If you love his books you will surely love this one
mentor and coach; founder of Teach the Soul and top Amazon reviewer
As a counselor who uses positive psychology, this has been a very enlightening course; not only for use in future sessions, but also on a personal level as I did the exercises. My only regret is coming to the end. Loved the engaging teaching style.”
student in Claiming Your Power to Live a Happy and Abundant Life
The course is short and concise as the author defines a process with actionable steps and guidelines for handling difficult conversations. In the last sections, there are some common scenarios in which you can see how the whole process comes into play and recognize the notions outlined in the first part. Before taking the course, I was clueless on how to even approach such a discussion, but now I feel like I have the notions and the tools to improve my confrontational skills.
student in Performance Management: Confronting Poor Performance
Prior to your training, I had success, but felt trapped in a life that was void of meaning and purpose. But this experience changed my life. It brought about a fresh perspective, a view that I had not seen before. That was four years ago. My journal and workbook are still with me all of the time, and I reflect on the goals that have been accomplished since the retreat. My long-term vision remains, clearly in front of me as I continue to create new goals that are congruent with this vision
consultant and participant in Life Quest Seminar
