I started dating my husband when I was 19 and he was 36. I came from a broken home where there was extreme violence and alcohol abuse, so I did not want to have anything to do with alcohol. He told me that he was only a...
Category - Relationship Problems
Does Your Relationship Have a Strong Negativity Bias?
A common thread in my couples therapy practice with those who struggle to make change is a strong negativity bias. The needle on the “Geiger counter” of their relationship is bouncing up and down in the red...
The Emotional Crisis of an Affair and How to Heal
Dr. Richard Nicastro, PhD, explores the challenging work of post-affair recovery. The trust and hope required for healing to occur in the aftermath can be challenging to find in the transitional period for both...
Removing Yourself from the Victim, Rescuer, Persecutor Triangle
Linda Graham, MFT and author of Bouncing Back: Rewiring Your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-Being, looks at the dysfunctional social dynamic of the victim, rescuer and persecutor triangle. Stephen Karpman, M.D...
The Under the Radar Relationship Killer
Researchers are doing a great job raising awareness about harmful things couples say and do in a relationship. For example, we now know from the work of Dr. John Gottman that there are four communication patterns which...
Got Resentment in Your Relationship? Learn to Let it Go
Claire Hatch, LCSW looks at resentment in relationships and ways to begin the process of sweeping it away by seeing interactions with your partner differently. “He thinks I’m stupid and he has to school me!” Lena said...
Give Your Marriage the Gift of Reconnection Over the Holidays
Happy Holidays from LoveAndLifeToolbox.com! It’s no secret that a happy marriage or long term relationship can be the cornerstone of your life, the foundation in which you build a family, aspire to your goals and...
Deconstructing Bickering in Relationships
Richard Nicastro, PhD examines why couples fight and proposes that bickering isn’t always the way it seems. Might bickering in relationships sometimes be…fun? “You missed the exit.” “Did not.” “Did too.”...
The Emotional Disconnection of Not Allowing Your Partner In
Richard Nicastro, PhD offers his wisdom around why people often don’t invite help from their partners and how this communication breakdown can lead to misunderstandings in relationships. He challenges you to...
Relationship Reconnection and the Benefit of the Doubt
You feel distance in your relationship. You aren’t communicating well or much at all. You’re passing ships in the night. What does it take to bridge a gap that’s developed between you and your...