relationships

Conflict is a part of life; do you and your spouse know how to handle the stress?

Stress is all around us, all the time. Family responsibilities, hectic schedules, and a never-ending to-do list make it difficult for couples to slow down and take a breath. When stressful situations arise how do you keep your cool?

When we add stress on top of stress it compounds and festers until it’s dealt with. Couples often lose sight of themselves and focus on the various distractions and priorities that consume their lives. When we can’t take time out for ourselves and we can’t dedicate time to our relationship, our mental health suffers. Go ahead, put yourself and your relationship first and de-stress from the chaos in life with these five simple steps.

Founder of Cognitive Psychiatry of Chapel Hill, Dr. Jennie Byrne is a board-certified psychiatrist specializing in adult cognitive issues like dementia, attention deficit and anxiety disorders. Dr. Byrne works with individuals and couples to optimize mood and thinking patterns that promote self-improvement and goal achievement. Earning her doctorate in neurophysiology from NYU’s School of Medicine, Dr. Byrne completed her residency at the prestigious Mt. Sinai School of Medicine.

To find out more about Dr. Jennie Byrne and her practice,you can visit their website  Cognitive Psychiatry of Chapel Hill,  or call (919) 636-5240 for an appointment.

How can you and your partner manage change throughout your marriage? Do you both have what it takes to face the challenges change can bring?

Change is as inevitable as death and taxes, yet when people marry they don’t think very much about all of the ways their partner might change over time. Changes can come in many shapes and sizes and at various points throughout life and marriage. Changing career paths, changing religions, changing whether or not you want children or how you choose to spend or save money… The list goes on and on.

Sometimes dealing with change can be very difficult and confusing and can also put much stress on a marriage and both partners individually. If couples aren’t on the same page about how to manage different transformations throughout life, then they could very well argue a lot more which can lead to a build up of tension and resentment.

There are solutions, however, and today’s guest has some helpful pointers and tips for couples on how to manage big changes within their marriages and personal lives. Dr. Tina Lepage is the founder of Lepage Associates in Durham, NC. Among others, a specialty of hers is personal and professional relationships and with more than 15 years of experience serving clients, Tina has helped her fair share of couples dealing with many different issues.

To find out more about Tina and her practice, you can visit their website or call (919) 572-0000 to schedule an appointment.

How can couples pick good friends that are healthy for their relationship?

Sometimes, in the beginning stages of a marriage, couples are more focused on starting and raising a family rather than making a lot of friends… They can become more centered around parenting issues– how to raise the kids, where to have family vacations, who will pick the kids up from school and take them to various practices– things of that nature. When the kids get older and more independent, however, there’s more time for a couple to build a social life with friends that revolves around things other than play dates and kids’ birthday parties.

But what if a couple ends up facing conflict as a result of their social life? How can they navigate it together so that both partners are happy and comfortable? At times, couples might have to take a closer look at their friendships and determine what the root of the problem is– because sometimes it’s not necessarily the friends.

Today’s guest is Dr. Susan Orenstein, the director of Orenstein Solutions in Cary, NC. Susan has worked with many couples who have faced these very issues, and she’s here to discuss a way to fix the problems. According to her, when a couple is in a place where they can trust and respect each other, she can guide them to be more creative with their problem-solving techniques.

To find out more about Susan and her practice, visit their website or call (919) 428-2766