Creating Shared Meaning in Marriage
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

Creating Shared Meaning in Marriage

Marriage is a major milestone for many people. It marks the beginning of a lifelong partnership with the person they love most in the world. However, maintaining a healthy and happy relationship takes effort, patience, and dedication. In his book, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, John Gottman shares techniques that can help couples build stronger, more meaningful marriages. One of the most significant techniques he explores is the creation of shared meaning. In this blog post, we will delve into the details of this technique and explore ways in which you can create shared meaning in your own marriage.

Read More
Overcoming Gridlock: Tips for those in a Committed Relationship
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

Overcoming Gridlock: Tips for those in a Committed Relationship

Being in a committed relationship is not always sunshine and rainbows. Even the happiest of couples can encounter conflict and disagreement from time to time. But what happens when these disagreements turn into gridlock? When both partners feel emotionally stuck, unable to resolve a particular issue? In this blog post, we will dive into this principle and provide tips for women in a committed relationship for dealing with gridlock.

Read More
How to Solve the Solvable Problems in Your Marriage
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

How to Solve the Solvable Problems in Your Marriage

Marriage is not always a bed of roses, but it is a journey worth taking. It’s quite normal for couples to face conflicts in their marriage, be it small or big. However, it’s essential to address these issues before they become irreparable. The good news is that most marriage problems are solvable. You just need to know the right steps to take. In this blog, we’ll dive into the seven principals for making a marriage work by John Gottman and provide you with practical ways to solve the solvable problems in your marriage.

Read More
Why Letting Your Partner Influence You Can Save Your Relationship
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

Why Letting Your Partner Influence You Can Save Your Relationship

Marriage is a beautiful and fulfilling journey when two people share their lives with each other. But it’s not always perfect, and it comes with its own set of challenges. One of the biggest challenges in a marriage is compromise. Sometimes it’s hard to accept others' opinions, especially when they are different from our own. However, there is a simple yet powerful solution that can significantly improve your relationship with your partner, and that is letting your partner influence you. In this blog post, we’ll explore why it is essential to let your partner influence you, as suggested by John Gottman's Seven Principals for Making Marriage Work.

Read More
Building a Stronger Relationship: Turning Towards
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

Building a Stronger Relationship: Turning Towards

Relationships are a journey, and like any journey, they have bumps along the way. However, committed relationships can be one of the most rewarding experiences in our lives, and the glue that binds the relationships is turning towards each other. In John Gottman's book, "The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work," he emphasizes the importance of turning towards as one of the keys to building stronger relationships. This post is dedicated to women in committed relationships who want to strengthen their romantic relationships using Gottman's turning towards technique.

Read More
How to Nurture Fondness and Admiration in Your Relationship for a Long-Lasting Love
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

How to Nurture Fondness and Admiration in Your Relationship for a Long-Lasting Love

Relationships require work, and for them to last a lifetime, couples must find ways to nurture their love and commitment. Marriage is a beautiful journey with its ups and downs, its moments of pure bliss and its moments of struggle. However, to make marriage work, it takes more than love and commitment. One of the key factors in a successful relationship is to nurture fondness and admiration.

Read More
How to Increase Love Maps in Your Relationship
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

How to Increase Love Maps in Your Relationship

Every couple wants to have a happy and healthy relationship. But maintaining a strong connection with your partner takes more than just love and affection. One important factor that can make or break a relationship is something called love maps. Love maps are mental maps that couples have about each other's interests, values, and life experiences. Knowing your partner's love maps is the key to building a deep and meaningful connection with them. In this blog post, we will be discussing how to increase love maps using the seven principles for making marriage work by John Gottman.

Read More
How to Use the Gottman Method for a Successful State of the Union Talk
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

How to Use the Gottman Method for a Successful State of the Union Talk

If you are in a committed relationship, it can be challenging to bring up tricky topics that bother us without causing conflict. Most of us have very little communication training and often can end up getting angry, shutting down, or worse, erupting in a full-blown fight. But that's where the Gottman Method comes to our rescue! This world-renowned relationship counseling approach teaches us how to communicate with our significant other successfully, resulting in deeper connection, clarity, and conflict resolution. In this blog post, we'll share the steps to hold a State of the Union talk, a vital tool for clear communication in any committed relationship, using Gottman's framework.

Read More
Seven Principals for Making Marriage Work: A Must-Know for anyone in a Committed Relationship
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

Seven Principals for Making Marriage Work: A Must-Know for anyone in a Committed Relationship

Marriage is one of the most beautiful relationships in the world. It brings two souls together, shared joys and sorrows, and the creation of a lifetime bond. But as much as marriage is beautiful, it can be equally challenging at times. It requires hard work, commitment, and diligence from both partners. Fortunately, John Gottman understands marriages and what it takes to make them work. His book, Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, is a tried and tested guide that has helped thousands of couples to have a successful marriage. In this blog post, we will discuss the seven principles outlined in Gottman's book that you need to know.

Read More
5 Benefits of Couples Therapy
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

5 Benefits of Couples Therapy

In the fast-paced modern world, couples therapy is no longer a stigma. It's a widely accepted way to overcome relationship issues and improve the overall quality of your life. While many other therapy methods are available, the Gottman Method remains one of the most trusted ways for couples to build a healthy and loving relationship. As two humans share an intimate relationship where they agree to stick to each other under all circumstances, couples therapy using the Gottman Method ensures they stay connected, respect, and understand each other.

Read More
Recognizing Bids of Connection in Your Relationship
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

Recognizing Bids of Connection in Your Relationship

Occasionally, we sometimes find ourselves feeling dismissed or disregarded by our partners, even though they may not intend to hurt us. Sometimes, we may not even recognize what's at the root of our frustration and disconnection. At times like these, it's essential to learn how to recognize and respond to "bids of connection," a concept coined by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, internationally recognized experts on relationships. In this post, we'll take a closer look at what bids of connection are, how to recognize them, and how to respond in ways that nurture and strengthen your relationship.

Read More
How to Use Perspective Taking to Improve Your Relationship
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

How to Use Perspective Taking to Improve Your Relationship

Relationships can be difficult even on the best of days. You're not always going to agree on everything, and sometimes, your partner may say or do something that upsets you. These moments aren't always easy, but they are a natural part of any relationship. If you're looking for a way to improve your communication and relationship, perspective taking could be the answer you're looking for. Here's how to use perspective taking using the Gottman Method to improve your relationship.

Read More
How to Communicate When Your Needs Are Not Being Met
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

How to Communicate When Your Needs Are Not Being Met

Communication is essential in every relationship, especially when it comes to expressing our needs. However, there are times when we feel like our partner doesn't listen or understand what we are trying to say, leaving us feeling unheard and unimportant. This is where the Gottman Method can be helpful. The Gottman Method is a scientifically-backed approach to couples therapy that focuses on building emotional connection, which involves learning how to communicate in a more effective way. In this article, we will show you how to use the Gottman Method to communicate your unmet needs to your partner in a way that promotes understanding and closeness.

Read More
It’s Ok to Have ‘Me’ Time in a Relationship: Why Self-Care Matters
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

It’s Ok to Have ‘Me’ Time in a Relationship: Why Self-Care Matters

In a committed relationship, it’s easy to lose sight of ourselves as we prioritize our partner’s needs, wants, and desires above our own. However, neglecting our own self-care can lead to burnout, stress, and unfulfillment in the long run. That’s why it’s incredibly important to embrace the concept of ‘me’ time and prioritize self-care in their lives. In this blog, we’ll explore why self-care is crucial in the following areas: physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational, and discuss actionable tips to help prioritize self-care in daily life.

Read More
How to Deal with Conflict in a Relationship
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

How to Deal with Conflict in a Relationship

When you're in a relationship, there will be times when you and your partner disagree or have conflict. It's inevitable. How you handle that conflict can make or break your relationship. There are ways to deal with conflict that will help you maintain your relationship and keep the peace. Here are some tips on how to deal with conflict in a relationship.

Read More
5 tips for a successful long distance relationship
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

5 tips for a successful long distance relationship

Are you in a long-distance relationship? If so, you're not alone! According to recent studies, as many as one in five couples are now in a long-distance relationship. And while there are certainly challenges that come with being apart, there are also things you can do to make your long-distance relationship successful. Here are five tips to help you maintain your relationship when you're miles apart!

Read More
The Responsibilities of Marriage
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

The Responsibilities of Marriage

When you get married, you are making a commitment to be with that person for the rest of your life. You are agreeing to take on certain responsibilities, both big and small. While it's certainly not an easy task, marriage can be incredibly rewarding if you're both willing to put in the effort. Here are just a few of the most important responsibilities of marriage.

Read More
Why it's worth fighting for your relationship
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

Why it's worth fighting for your relationship

It's not always easy to fight for your relationship. You might feel like you're the only one putting in effort, or that your partner just doesn't care. But it's worth it to fight for the person you love. Because with effort and patience, you can make things work. And when things are good, they're really good. So don't give up on your relationship without a fight - it could be the best decision you ever make.

Read More
How to know if you're ready for a committed relationship
Matthew Benavidez, LMFT Matthew Benavidez, LMFT

How to know if you're ready for a committed relationship

There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to deciding if you're ready for a committed relationship. But there are some things to consider that can help make the decision easier. If you're wondering if you're ready, take a look at these tips to see if they resonate with you. If they do, chances are good that a committed relationship might be something worth exploring further. If not, that's okay, too — there's no rush! There's plenty of time for love and relationships when the time is right for you.

Read More