Marriage Counseling

Help! My Husband is Depressed

By |June 8th, 2023|Depression, Featured, Marriage Counseling, Men’s Issues, Relationship Issues|

It is common for men who are depressed to express frustration with understanding and expressing uncomfortable feelings. Men may be tempted to override depression’s signs, believing they need to seek a doctor to treat physical symptoms such as intestinal distress, headaches, or insomnia. They may experience the previous signs in addition to moods marked by irritability and anger. Practical Strategies to Support Your Depressed Husband Because of the historic stigma attached to mental health, men may experience guilt and shame compounded with the signs and symptoms of begin depressed. Treating and navigating depression requires more than cultural phrases to “man up” or “shake it off,” but we can embrace spiritual truth and practical strategies for help when our husbands may be depressed. Prayer. We can support our spouses with prayer. The principle of prayer appeals to God to act on our husband’s behalf. The practice of prayer submits to God, reaching where words alone don’t do enough. The power of prayer lies not in prayer, itself, but in the One to whom we pray, and inclines his heart to receive outside help in places where he might have rejected it. Overall, the powerful effects of praying to the God of the Bible can help our husbands when they are depressed. Provide a safe space. Provide a listening ear without judgment or defense. Avoid personalizing his experience, as it may have little to nothing to do with you. What he is enduring may indicate unresolved hurt from other people and seasons of life that are now resurfacing and interfering with his daily function. Allow him to broach difficult topics as they come up without cutting him off, criticizing, or emasculating him. Encourage him with appropriate verbal and nonverbal cues that convey your willingness to listen, befriend, and champion his well-being. [...]

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Will I Ever Get Married? Considerations for Navigating Purpose and Partnership

By |January 13th, 2023|Featured, Individual Counseling, Marriage Counseling, Premarital Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Few questions burn a place in the human heart besides knowing the purpose and having meaning in our lives. Discovering our life’s call is one of the most pressing mysteries that our souls seek. Learning how to walk in that purpose unlocks answers as well as more questions. For single believers, connecting with the right partner serves to advance God’s plans for His kingdom and our lives whether they ever get married or not. As we walk with the Lord, the questions of purpose and partner may tug at our consciousness as family and friends’ weddings and dates may have come and gone with no spouse for us. Agitation pokes at our peace, bringing with it a longing for our own match among the millions. There may be legitimate circumstances that have deferred our hope of getting married such as extended schooling, focus on a career, or what seems like a wilderness when it comes to available, eligible partners. When marriage and the milestones we’d hoped for seem to be on a long delivery, it causes us to question if we will ever get married. It’s no surprise that the enemy tries to insert wedges into the cracks of our mental and emotional weariness. During waiting seasons, his suggestions accuse God of withholding good from us and persecuting us for not being further along in our relationship goals. It can be demoralizing when a fizzled or non-existent dating experience leaves us with fewer prospects and less inspiration than when we began. It erodes our esteem, making us feel undesirable. It frustrates us, leaving us anxious that the very thing we desire will continue to elude us. Like Adam and Eve, we may be tempted to take our heart matters into our own hands when we feel as if God [...]

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Three Components of Effective Communication in Your Marriage

By |September 28th, 2022|Couples Counseling, Featured, Marriage Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Effective communication is an important part of any relationship. It helps ensure people are connected and understood. This is even more important in a marriage. But just because it’s important doesn’t mean it’s always easy. There are times in a marriage when communication feels hard. Maybe it’s because you don’t agree on something. Maybe it’s because you need something different from what your spouse is offering. Other times you may not even know why the communication feels off; you just know that you feel disconnected. The good news is that communication is a skill that can be learned and built upon over time. Instead of feeling like you just can’t seem to communicate, you and your spouse can work together to build effective communication that serves both of you and draws you closer to one another. Why effective communication matters On some level, it is clear that communication is important. It’s often one of the most discussed elements of relationships. But knowing it is important won’t help you understand why it’s important. And the why is what helps you work for better communication even when it feels challenging. The way you relate to your spouse affects your relationship and more. Some examples of why communication is important are to: prevent misunderstandings work through misunderstandings build respect increase trust remove the need to guess or assume save time increase self-understanding and respect build satisfaction foster growth learn about your partner and yourself reduce stress and anxiety These benefits of communication help you build a stronger, more loving marriage that is less stressful and more beneficial for you and your partner. Elements of effective communication Communication within your marriage involves more than what you talk about. While talking is a key component, you also need to think beyond the verbal to [...]

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