Author name: Emily Altman, MA, LPC

What Happens During Conflict? When people talk to me about wanting to work on their “conflict resolution“, I always think about “conflict management” instead. Conflict resolution can be an unrealistic goal. Conflict is normal in relationships. Even happy, healthy couples have conflict! These couples just know how to manage that conflict and still feel connected […]

Holidays can be a challenge. While most people look forward to the holidays, they likely still experience higher levels of stress, disappointment surrounding their expectations, required extra work/preparation, and more. To get through the holidays this year, consider making time for the following: Time Alone When your battery is feeling run down and you cannot

It is that time of year when people are focused on their goals and assessing who they want to become. #NewYearNewMe is trending, so what are you reflecting on to change? What is a piece that is missing from your plan? For a lot of you, I’m guessing a missing piece to your resolution is

Is your partner stuck on that one thing and just can’t seem to get over it? If so, I am guessing you try to focus on other aspects of their life to inspire them to see the positive side. Sure, a co-worker sucks, but what about your family, friends, fun vacation, health, how far you’ve

Typically in therapy, the techniques discussed may take time for them to be fully implemented. You know the behaviors you are working to change and yet those behaviors still happen! This is what I call the couples therapy curve ball. You know the new techniques and the old behaviors are still there. How can you

It is important to have an arsenal of relaxation techniques that you can rely on when you are experiencing higher levels of stress. Some techniques may work for one situation and not in another; therefore, having a few go-to exercises can be helpful in handling whatever situation comes your way. This is another breathing exercise

How do you talk about sex? Couples often bring up differences in their sexual preferences and sometimes this is often a point of conflict for them. Whether this conversation is about a specific position or the frequency of sex, it can be challenging to discuss. You want to get your point across and also be

Everyone accomplishes goals in their unique way. At the same time, people often struggle to accomplish some goals even when they are solid in other areas, but why? If you kick ass in achieving goals tied to fitness but then struggle to accomplish goals in your relationship, I may have a solution for you to

In couples therapy, I talk about building solutions in order to move forward in your relationship. These tools are critical to rebuild connection in your relationship. At the same time, there are foundational pieces that are also important in your relationship. Sometimes this means we must start by creating the building blocks for that connection. 

Clients often come to sessions upset about a disagreement they had over the past week. It sounds something similar to “this happened” and then “that happened”. I then hear a response of “I’m sorry”, and it does not work. At least one partner is apologizing and yet the argument continues – but why? The goal of any