Shoring Up Stepfamilies

By Mike McManus Perhaps half of all marriages involve one partner who was previously married. If children are involved, 70% of stepfamilies will divorce, putting everyone through another trauma. However, four of five of these marriages can be saved. Why do so many of these marriages fail? “Putting together or integrating a stepfamily is one […]

Is “Married At First Sight” A Recipe for Happily Ever After?

By Seth Eisenberg The new American television series “Married At First Sight” follows six people as they discover if married at first sight can last. Personally, I know love at first sight can last. A lasting, happy marriage, however, is about much more than the feelings that come up at the first sight of a potential partner for life. My […]

“Beta Marriage” Isn’t a Better Marriage

By Greg Griffin I’m intrigued by the recent article in Time Magazine suggesting that millennials try out a “beta marriage” model instead of marriage as we have understood it through the ages. Like many of us, millennials too see life as a series of multiple choice options, all within their control. Frankly, they also view […]

Conscious Uncoupling: Another View

By Seth Eisenberg I have to admit, I became “consciously uncoupled” long before Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin created a national conversation about the phrase. My parents became consciously uncoupled before my fourth birthday. I admit this as someone proud to consider myself among the most passionate proponents of marriage. When TIME Magazine interviewed me a few years ago about […]

Why Not Conscious Re-coupling?

I find it sad when any couple splits, especially couples with children.  I feel the same way about Gwyneth Paltrow and her soon-to-be ex-husband. When there’s some sort of abuse, it’s equally sad, but it’s also understandable when a spouse calls it quits.  That’s not the case here.  And I’m more than a bit annoyed […]

How to Help Your Friend’s Marriage

By Lori Lowe Did you know that according to a USA Today survey of 1,000 adults aged 25 to 70, almost three-fourths of adults have been marriage confidants?  Indeed, 78% of women and 69% of men have had a friend or family member confide in them about their marriage or long-term relationship struggles. In fact, most people (64%) would […]

Preventing Divorce Through Compassion, Humility and Positivity

 By Krsnanandini Devi Dasi & Tariq Saleem Ziyad The following is based on the true story of a couple headed toward divorce.  After the narrative, we give two scenarios that were possible, given the challenges the couple experienced.  We ask you, the reader, to choose the scenario that would give the best hope for the […]

Facilitating Forever

By Alan J. Hawkins, Ph.D Recently our attention has been riveted on the important debate about who can legally marry. Even with the recent Supreme Court rulings, the debate and legal struggles will continue for some time. As important as the debate over same-sex marriage is, however, I hope it won’t overwhelm an even more […]

The ABCs of Marriage and Relationship Education

Written by Seth Eisenberg Nearly 30 years ago Virginia Satir, called the “Mother of Family Therapy,” encouraged psychotherapists to shift focus from therapy to education as their primary strategy for helping repair relationships. Fifteen years later, Dr. Marty Sullivan of Duke University’s renowned Integrative Medicine Program began integrating relationship skills training into a holistic approach […]