Building a Better Marriage
If you have been struggling with your marital relationship, or if you would like to improve the quality of your relationship, you are not alone. Just as Jenny and Michael want to strengthen their marria
Effective Communication Skills: Resolving Conflicts
Even the happiest of relationships experience conflicts and problems (Markman, Stanley, Blumberg, Jenkins & Whiteley, 2004). If handled well, issues provide opportunities for personal and relationship growth.
Effective Communication Skills: “I” Messages and Beyond
Communication is something we do on a regular basis. As young children we initially learn ways to communicate as we observe our parent, sibling, and family interactions. Throughout our lives our communication patterns evolve and are reinforced by our expe
Effects of p*rnography on Relationships
p*rnography is not a new issue in relationships; however, the expansion of the Internet appears to have increased p*rnography viewing and exacerbated pre-existing tendencies (Cooper, Boies, Maheu & Greenfield, 1999; Young, 2008). One key factor in this in
From Time to Quality Time: Making Every Moment Count
Couples and families often look for ways to find more time together and to make better use of that time. Most people struggle to find enough time in their day for everything. In fact, according to Dr. William Doherty (2001), those that care about each oth
Have Fun! The Importance of Play in Couple Relationships
Boring, drab, lifeless, stale, dull, tedious. These are probably not the words you hope to use to describe your relationships. How about well planned, frugal, precise, productive, serious, busy? Though these can be characteristics of a strong, healthy rel
Healthy Conflict Management
Conflicts are a natural part of human interaction. Whenever two or more people are in the same environment for a long enough period of time, it is inevitable that conflict will occur. However, the conflict itself is not the problem, but rather how they ch
Honey, I’m Home: Strengthening Your Marriage Ten Minutes at a Time
Strengthen your marriage relationship by making the first ten minutes of your interactions together a positive experience. Learn how to have stress-reducing conversation, emotionally support each other, and sooth self and partner in positive communication
Keys for Strong Commitment in Marriage
Having commitment means being dedicated to a cause. Commitment comes in all different shapes and sizes, but the most important type of commitment, for many, is a commitment to your marriage. Often couples start their marriage with commitment, but they don
Making Media Work for Your Marriage
Increased options for instant connection can have positive and negative impacts on relationships. While online resources can help us stay connected to those we love and increase relationship satisfaction Pettigrew, 2009; Sidelinger, Avash, Godorhazy, & T
Making the Most of Marriage Therapy
All relationships experience change over time (Larson, 2003). Even the strongest relationships can often benefit from a skilled a marriage counselor to help to smooth over the rough patches in their relationship. While the needs of relationships vary, som
Marriage Principles from a National Extension Model
Through this fact sheet, you will learn about these seven principles—Choose, Care for Self, Know, Care, Share, Manage, and Connect—and how to apply them in your life.
Supporting Others Coping with Infertility
It is likely that you know an individual or couple who is impacted by infertility. The natural human response is to want to comfort them, but it can be difficult to know what to say or do, especially if you have not experienced infertility yourself.
Technology Tips and Traps in Your Relationship
This fact sheet will help you be aware of some of the positive and negative effects of technology and how to protect your marriage from being swamped by it.
Tips to Strengthen Relationships Today
Research conducted by Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky shows that happier people tend to have larger circles of friends, experience strong social support, and are more likely to be a support for others. But this research also shows that the connection between happin