Communication Problems

Introvert/Extrovert Couples in Close Quarters: Some Coronavirus Tips The pandemic has been a time of extended isolation for everyone while we wait for vaccines, herd immunity, and some ... Read More

By Dr. Jeffrey Chernin, PhD, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist 10 Communication Traps and How to Avoid Them Since I started practicing therapy over 25 years ago, the majority of couples ... Read More

Emotional manipulation can undermine close relationships and leave the manipulation victim feeling powerless, confused, and frustrated. Yet all people manipulate others from time to time—often ... Read More

Over my years as a therapist, I have enjoyed helping premarital couples as they prepare for marriage. One of the books I frequently recommend is John Gottman’s 2015 book, The Seven Principles ... Read More

As a clinician who enjoys working with couples, there’s a sweet satisfaction that comes from hearing partners, possibly for the first time, communicate with openness, vulnerability, ... Read More

As a therapist working with neurodiverse couples in which one is autistic and the other neurotypical, I often encounter pairings in which one partner believes the other might be on the ... Read More

In any relationship, there may be struggles with communication, expectations, and unmet needs. For relationships in which at least one of the partners has attention-deficit hyperactivity, ... Read More

So, you’re in therapy, and it’s going well. You’ve established a good therapeutic relationship. You trust your therapist. You feel some symptom relief. You feel heard. Maybe you don’t ... Read More

Contempt is, by definition, a way of communicating superiority and disrespect. According to research by Dr. John Gottman, it is the best predictor of relationship demise (Gottman & ... Read More

Clear communication is considered foundational in good relationships, but in relationships with close emotional ties, the ability to communicate with vulnerability is what creates intimacy ... Read More

Many of us are aware of the importance of validating other people’s feelings. We know recognizing and acknowledging feelings helps others to feel understood, valued, cared about, and ... Read More

Over the past 20 years, social media have taken the world by storm. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and text messaging are just a few of the many ways we now stay in touch with one another ... Read More