When tensions are high, do you get to the source or avoid the conversation altogether?
It’s not called the art of conversation for nothing. Some things in life come easily, but conversation isn’t always one of them. When issues arise, communication tends to take a backseat in an attempt to avoid a potential debate match. A life spent employing your best avoidance tactics can make it difficult to tackle tough issues and topics with your partner.
Avoiding topics because they are difficult to discuss can have a poisonous effect on a relationship. How do you get to the root of an issue when it’s such a fine line to navigate the road between interrogation and conversation?
Our guest today is here to help us answer that very question. Specializing in couples and relationship issues for the past 15 years Dr. Susan Orenstein is the director of Orenstein Solutions in Cary, NC. Receiving her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Temple University, she has pursued advanced training in couples counselling and family mediation. Susan has been happily married (to the same man) for the past 24 years.
To find out more about Susan Orenstein and her practice, Orenstein Solutions, you can visit their website or call 919-428-2766 for an appointment.
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Does long-standing sibling rivalry really have an impact on a marriage?
So where does sibling rivalry start in the first place? According to academic professionals at the University of Michigan Health System, the most fundamental effect and characteristic of sibling rivalry is jealousy. Constant arguments between siblings create a strong feeling of tension in the household that’s felt by everyone.
It’s also been suggested that rivalry between siblings has negative effects on the marriage of the parents, as the problems experienced between the siblings begin to make the parents more likely to disagree about who is right and who is wrong in different situations. So what is the best way to ease the tension and quell the rivalries?
Today’s guest is Dr. Kristen Wynns, a child psychologist and parenting, testing and custody specialist and the owner of Wynns Family Psychology. With extensive experience in child and parenting issues, Kristen has seen her fair share of family tension derived from sibling rivalry. According to her, spouses can reduce the negative effects of the rivalry by communicating with each other and presenting a unified front to the children.
The Wynns Family Psychology ‘Sibling Strife’ workshop will be held September 23, 2013 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.
To find out more about Kristen and her practice, visit their website or call (919) 467-7777 to schedule an appointment.
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Do you and your partner have what it takes to build a sound relationship house?
The Sound Relationship House theory was developed by relationship expert Dr. John Gottman and follows the notion that it’s essential for couples to cultivate and build a fundamental process for the success of the relationship. The theory includes areas such as trust, commitment, knowing your partner’s world, sharing fondness and admiration towards one another, having a positive perspective about your marriage, managing conflict, making life dreams come true, and creating a shared meaning for your marriage.
When couples get stuck in repetitive argument patterns it can be difficult to reach agreement, but what many don’t realize is that it might be more important for them to work on having more fun in their marriage rather than just focusing on reducing the conflict.
Our guest today is Dr. Katrina Kuzyszyn-Jones, a licensed psychologist and the owner of KKJ Forensic and Psychological Services in Durham, NC. Katrina is here to discuss Gottman’s Sound Relationship House theory and to give couples some solid tips on how they can follow and use the theory throughout their marriages.
To find out more about Katrina and her practice, visit their website or call (919) 493-1957 to schedule an appointment.
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