Have you “friended” an old flame on Facebook without telling your spouse?Once you marry, is it OK to have close friends of the opposite sex?If asked to choose between going out with your friends or staying home with your spouse, which would you prefer?Do you discuss details about your marriage relationship with your parents?How you answer these questions can have a dramatic impact on your current or future marriage relationship.Most people are excited about spending the rest of their…

Keys to Effective Communication in Marriage

Improving your skills is great for your relationship!

Research on what makes marriage work indicates that happy and healthy couples demonstrate a ratio of 5:1 positive to negative behaviors in their relationship.This means there are five times as many positive interactions between happy couples (i.e. listening, validating the other person, using soft words, expressing appreciation, affirmation, physical affection, compliments, etc.) as there are negative (i.e. raising one’s voice, stating a complaint, or expressing one’s anger).Tips for improving t…

No one wants to suffer the heartache of a broken relationship, whether it is a divorce or the dissolution of a cohabiting situation. While living together may have short-term advantages, it comes at a high long-term cost.MYTH: Living together is an easy way to "try out" the relationship before committing to marriage.Truth: While the idea of "test driving" a car before you buy it is a good idea, it doesn't apply to marriage. Couples who live together often have attitudes l…