June 4, 2020
Couple arguing, conflict, need help.

Contempt: The Deadliest of The Four Horsemen

Gottman’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse According to John Gottman, there are four destructive patterns of communication that can cause serious damage to a relationship. He calls them the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. So far I have covered Criticism, Defensiveness and Stonewalling.  Each of these patterns is capable of […]
December 11, 2019
Eight Dates for a lifetime of love.

Date 8: A Lifetime of Love . . . . Dreams

I couldn’t help but belt out Dream On by Aerosmith as we headed out on Date #8 from Eight Dates:  Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love. The topic of conversation for this last date was dreams. Singing is not my strong suit, but he was very patient as I screeched out the […]
March 28, 2019
Eight Dates for a lifetime of love.

Date #4: The Cost of Love: Work and Money

Eight Dates:  Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love, the newest book by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, guides readers to have important conversations while on a date. For Date #4 the topic is work and money and how each partner brings value to the relationship. It also includes a discussion […]
November 28, 2018
Christmas Holiday.

You’re not the Grinch: You Don’t Hate the Holidays, You Hate the Work

“I think there must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming, but I’m not happy. I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel.”  Charlie Brown and the Grinch have something in common, the lost meaning of Holidays. For the Grinch, being mean transfers his lack of joy on […]
November 1, 2018
How to Sail Through Certification in Gottman Method Couples Therapy

How to Sail Through Certification in Gottman Method Couples Therapy

Reposting a blog I wrote that appeared on The Gottman Relationship Blog In October 2012, my business partner Alysha Roll and I travelled to Seattle for Level 3 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. We were so excited to learn from the Gottmans in person and the experience did not […]
November 1, 2018
Intimate Partner Violence and the #MeToo Movement

Intimate Partner Violence and the #MeToo Movement

Reposting a blog I wrote that appeared on The Gottman Relationship Blog  Trigger warning: This article discusses sexual assault and violence. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Over the years, the term domestic violence has been broadened to the more accurate term, intimate partner violence, acknowledging that abuse can occur […]