communication

If you had all the necessary tools to improve your relationship, would you use them?

Imagine you were asked to fix a leaky shower. Now, maybe you have all the proper tools and equipment but how could you possibly use them successfully if you don’t have the knowledge or the skills to actually do so? What you might not realize is that you do, in fact, possess the necessary tools to improve your relationship but you just need to hone the skills required.

One of the biggest relationship blunders many couples encounter is the inability to communicate effectively with each other. When communication and interaction become issues within a relationship, most of the time, the partners have a hard time expressing their individual needs clearly to the other. And when negative communication interactions and patterns develop over time, couples may begin to feel a sense of hopelessness or loss. While it might seem a little challenging at times, there are skills you can develop and work on to improve your relationship.

Today’s guest is licensed professional counselor Dr. KaRae Carey from Cary, NC. She helps couples and families gain an understanding of the importance of communication while providing tips and tools to begin improvement. According to KaRae, with 5 simple skills, your relationship can also improve and start to thrive.

To find out more about KaRae and her practice, visit her website or call (919) 454-7857 to schedule an appointment.

Do you have what it takes to create and maintain a passionate relationship?

In the midst of keeping up with the demands of modern life like paying bills, maintaining a household and career and raising a family, it’s easy for a couple to let go and lose sight of their once intense and deeply satisfying connection. When that goes on for too long though, it becomes harder for the couple to stay in it for the long haul. And when the spark goes out, which it is bound to do at some point, many couples settle into a functioning relationship instead of working to create and maintain a passionate relationship.

In the beginning, couples make long-term commitments to each other in hopes of experiencing deeper levels of connection and passionate engagement. What they often forget, and sometimes ignore, however, is the importance of nurturing the relationship and keeping the passion alive on a daily basis and for the remainder of their lives.

Today our guest is Dr. David Aspenson, a licensed psychologist who practices in Chapel Hill, NC. David is a big believer in creating and maintaining an enduring passionate relationship, and he’s here to discuss some of the challenges that are associated with preserving the passion. While it seems like a no-brainer, David says it certainly is not for the faint of heart because it takes much effort. Sound intimidating? Worry not. It is, in fact, possible for all of us.

To find out more about David and his practice, visit his website or call (919) 402-9212 to schedule an appointment.

It’s that time of year again… What are your New Year’s Resolutions? What about your relationship resolutions?

At the start of a new year, many people try to set goals for themselves, their relationships, and their families. With the highest of hopes, they plan for the best and most positive possible outcomes. The problem, however, is that some people sometimes set their expectations a little too high and then become frustrated and overwhelmed when they don’t accomplish everything exactly as they had planned. And then some things, like relationship resolutions, are given up on altogether.

The reality is that couples and families can sometimes be overcome with all of the little things life has in store- work, kids, taking care of other family members, and other pesky responsibilities. In many cases, couples don’t cherish and nurture their relationship and end up taking it for granted. They don’t realize it’s an entity that needs cultivating and developing just like anything else.

Today, our guest, Dr. Susan Orenstein of Orenstein Solutions in Cary, NC will be discussing how couples can use the New Year as a way to motivate themselves to set goals as a team. As a licensed psychologist and the director of Orenstein Solutions, Susan says it’s the perfect time for couples to take stock of their relationships, clarify their goals as a pair, and come up with a good action plan for 2013.

To find out more about Susan and her practice, visit her website or call (919) 428-2766 to schedule an appointment.

Check out Susan’s Pairs Workshops here, and be sure to find out more about the PAIRS App for your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad.