Of all your relationships, the one you have with your romantic partner likely requires more work. To stay happily together long term, you need to put effort into things like attunement and managing conflict—and that’s in addition to handling outside stressors like work and finances as a team. With so much going in the world,…
Has this happened to you? You’re enjoying takeout from your favorite place and remark, “This restaurant food is good, isn’t it?” Your partner replies, “You have never appreciated my cooking.” Or you express your opinion like, “We need a vacation. It’s been long since we went out together” and it is met with “What should…
There is an urge to make individual changes during this time of year. Part of this urge is natural and other parts are thrust upon us by society. How does this affect romantic relationships? As you start to make resolutions and/or goals for the new year, when and HOW do you include your partner? Let’s…
Here at The Gottman Institute, we are proud of the content and resources we provide to help you have a better relationship with your partner and your loved ones. This year millions of you came to The Gottman Relationship Blog to learn more about conflict management, staying connected, having better sex, and looking for the…
The wonders of the holidays feel special for those who are newly engaged or celebrating for the first time as newlyweds. Couples can feel happy and potentially anxious about how to use them as a springboard to make meaningful memories and celebrate them in a way that uniquely defines them as a couple. Traditions: Past,…
The holiday season is said to be “the most wonderful time of the year.” But often, it can become the most stressful time, marked by a larger than usual to-do list and a full calendar of events. The rare week off that many finally allow themselves is often consumed with so much activity that people…
Here is my speed tour through the bottom floors of the Sound Relationship House. Continuously learn who your partner is. Show them that you know who they are. Tell them, often and with specificity, why you like and appreciate them. To make a relationship thrive, you need to be continuously working through these levels. I…
Dr. John Gottman conceptualized relationships by creating The Sound Relationship House, which is a blueprint to romantic relationships. The first three levels of the house are called the friendship system. They are the foundation of the house and the relationship. Love Maps Most couples start strong in this area. In the beginning, they spend hours…
“My sobriety isn’t a limitation. Sobriety isn’t even a ‘have to’—it’s a superpower.” Brené Brown I couldn’t agree more. I’m not an addiction specialist nor am I here to judge. I’m a registered psychotherapist, conscious parent, and someone who’s benefited tremendously from sharing a substance-free relationship for several years. For some, it’s a slippery slope…
Excerpted from I WANT THIS TO WORK: An Inclusive Guide to Navigating the Most Difficult Relationship Issues We Face in the Modern Age by Elizabeth Earnshaw, LMFT, CGT. Sounds True, November 2021. Reprinted with permission. Love honors me, and love honors you. From “I Want This to Work” Now, to explore the foundation of love,…
