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Sep
5

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Expectations: Can’t live with them, can’t live without them

Category: Couples Advice, Help & Awareness, Self Care Tags: , , , , , ,

Expectations… we all have them, we all feel the weight of them. In my sessions with clients the theme I see again and again is frustration and pain around unmet expectations. This can be true with our romantic partner, kids, job, friends, the list goes on. We cannot escape having expectations. So why are we so bad at communicating them?

First let’s break down what it means to have expectations. An expectation is “a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future”. Every situation we enter we have a predetermined idea of how we think things are going to go. For example, I have a friend who was excited about going to a pumpkin patch with her husband and children. In her mind they would head out in the morning and have this lovely Fall day among the pumpkins. Maybe sip hot apple cider and treat themselves to those fresh doughnuts those places always seem to have. They’d take adorable pictures of their children in the patch and select their perfect pumpkins before heading home. Once home, the kids would nap and she and her husband could relax on the couch together.

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Aug
15

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Don’t Just Talk, Communicate! Advice for Couples

Category: Couples Advice, Help & Awareness Tags: , , ,

Communication is one of the most important aspects in a romantic relationship. Additionally, it is also one of the most common reasons couples seek out therapy. Communication is about expressing our needs, however, how we hear our partner when they express theirs is equally as important. As a relationship goes on we must constantly evaluate how we communicate with our partner. The absence of meaningful communication within a relationship can lead to miscommunication, fights, and resentment.

How many times have you thought about your partner “they just don’t get it”? The answer may not actually be that simple. It could be that you are not communicating in a way they can easily understand. If this is the case, they will need some help to really grasp what you are trying to express. Successful communication takes practice and does not come easy to many. Couples who are willing to put in the hard work to reach positive and healthy communication will likely thrive together.

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