Rebounding, rebellion, escape, loneliness, obligation, sex, or pressure are not likely predictors of a happy second marriage. A successful second marriage is motivated not out of a deficit, but out of *companionship*. To love and be loved by another person is perhaps the single most satisfying ex...

Every difficult marriage is plagued by misconceptions about what marriage should be. Some of the most harmful myths include, *we enter marriage expecting the same things*, *everything good will get better, everything bad will disappear,* *my spouse should make me whole,* and *adjustment to marri...

Love is fluid—it is comprised of three components that change in their balance and priority over time. **Passion** is the *physical* component of love. **Intimacy** is the *emotional* component of love. And **Commitment** is the *willful* ingredient of love. You will define love in your own terms...

How do you typically respond when unexpected circumstances interrupt your plans? The one habit that can make or break your relationship is the capacity to adjust to things beyond your control. The most important quality of a marriageable person is the habit of happiness. The toxins that threaten ...

There are some basic skills for communicating effectively with your spouse. First, **clarify content** to keep from jumping to conclusions. Men and women use different types of talking: Men use *report* talk, women use *rapport* talk. Second, **reflect feelings** to make your spouse feel understo...

Everybody knows that men and women are different. But what most newlywed couples don't realize, until they cross the proverbial threshold, is just how pronounced that difference is. There is a difference in the way we **solve problems:** men want to *solve* them, women want to *explore* them. In ...

Conflict is inevitable. Now matter how "in love" a couple is, friction eventually emerges. But the savvy couple knows how to use this conflict to their advantage. Negative feelings that get buried have a high rate of resurrection. Healthy conflict avoids criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and st...

Stepfamily secondary family, blended family, combined family, extended family, expanded family, nontraditional family—whatever your situation with children in your new marriage, this session gives you tools for building a marriage—and a family—that withstands the predictable jostles and jolts you...

You can do everything right in marriage and still wake up one morning and wonder, "Is this it?" You will continually be looking for depth and meaning in your relationship until you explore your spiritual nature—how the two of you walk together with God. And did you know? ...Couples who pray toget...