houston relationship therapy - Relationship Advice

Featured on IRNA: Marriage Myths and Realities: 12 Common Misconceptions Debunked

Damian — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 18:35:26 +0000

Imago Relationships North America is featuring a post I wrote debunking marriage myths. Take a look! And if you need to talk to a professional, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

The post Featured on IRNA: Marriage Myths and Realities: 12 Common Misconceptions Debunked appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Why It’s So Important to Share Your Feelings In Writing

Damian Duplechain — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 13:09:16 +0000

Communication is key in relationships – you know that. But let’s talk about how you are communicating with your spouse. You probably talk to them at home or send them quick messages throughout the day. These things aren’t necessarily bad ideas, but they can get mundane. And if you’re not thinking, you might even communicate […]

The post Why It’s So Important to Share Your Feelings In Writing appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Create a Relationship Vision Together to Get on the Same Page

Damian Duplechain — Wed, 11 May 2022 20:37:56 +0000

As a Houston marriage counselor, I frequently hear couples say things like: “It feels like my partner and I want different things out of our relationship.” It’s true that we enter relationships with preconceptions. Our desires and experiences form these ideas even before the first “Hello.” Couples feel the shock of that unpleasant surprise when […]

The post Create a Relationship Vision Together to Get on the Same Page appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

“It’s the Next Logical Step” and Other Wrong Reasons to Get Married

Damian Duplechain — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 15:30:08 +0000

People get married for lots of reasons. And just because your reasons differ from someone else, that doesn’t mean they are the wrong reasons to get married. In fact, it’s fair to say that every single person has reasons that are unique to them. That being said, this is one of the biggest decisions of […]

The post “It’s the Next Logical Step” and Other Wrong Reasons to Get Married appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Did You Know That Your People-Pleasing May Be Hurting Your Relationship?

Damian Duplechain — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:12:19 +0000

The post Did You Know That Your People-Pleasing May Be Hurting Your Relationship? appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Are You Arguing Over Minor Details? Stop “Right Fighting”

Damian — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 18:09:22 +0000

Do you have to be right all the time? Or maybe the culprit is your partner. Or both of you. Right fighting in relationships can cause a lot of frustration and heartache. What is it? Let’s look at an example. What Is “Right Fighting” in Relationships? A couple is getting ready to go to the […]

The post Are You Arguing Over Minor Details? Stop “Right Fighting” appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Minimize Holiday Stress on Your Relationship

Damian — Sat, 13 Nov 2021 14:00:44 +0000

Even in a normal year, I know all too well from my clients that holidays and stress go hand-in-hand. Things like deciding whose family to visit, how much to spend, and last minute changes to plans can lead to eruptions. Add pandemic concerns on top of that and the season is a powder keg. You […]

The post Minimize Holiday Stress on Your Relationship appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Giving Your Relationship a Clean Slate

Damian Duplechain — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 17:59:32 +0000

When you have fallen into a pattern of negative habits and feelings of resentment toward each other, it’s easy to forget that you always have a choice – either keep working at it or walk away. In either scenario, however, you’re going to have to let the ill will go. You have to start with […]

The post Giving Your Relationship a Clean Slate appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Fighting with Love… or How to Fight Fair – Part 2

Damian — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 15:30:41 +0000

In Part 1 of this post, we offered marriage help by talking about becoming aware of how you deal with conflict. Doing this informs what kind of ground rules and boundaries you should set up to make your arguments with your partner fairer. However, even without those specifics, there are four general concepts that everyone […]

The post Fighting with Love… or How to Fight Fair – Part 2 appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Parenting Issues in Houston During COVID? Conscious Parenting Makes a Difference

Damian Duplechain — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 13:00:50 +0000

If you have or have ever had kids in your home, you probably already know the joys of seeing your child learn and grow. But you also know there are moments where you want to scream in frustration. All of the changes associated with the pandemic amplify those negative moments. So it’s no surprise that, […]

The post Parenting Issues in Houston During COVID? Conscious Parenting Makes a Difference appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Featured on IRNA: Questions to Ask When You’re Worried Your Marriage Is Over

Damian — Tue, 18 May 2021 16:17:09 +0000

Is your marriage over? How can you be sure? Recently I had a great experience working with the folks at Imago Relationships North America. We shared insights and advice on tackling the tough questions in a marriage as a couple, and came up with some important questions people should ask when they’re feeling like they’re […]

The post Featured on IRNA: Questions to Ask When You’re Worried Your Marriage Is Over appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

After an Affair: Is Houston Couples Counseling Right for You?

Damian — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 13:00:18 +0000

After an affair, you may want to consider marriage counseling. But finding the right counselor can be a challenge. Houston is full of choices for couples counseling. First, check credentials. What’s their education? Continuing education? How about availability? Do they offer online services? Are they HIPAA-compliant? But you should also consider much more. And consider […]

The post After an Affair: Is Houston Couples Counseling Right for You? appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Marriage During a Crisis! 6 Tips to Divorce-Proof Today

Damian — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 06:30:43 +0000

We are all living a new normal these days, experiencing so much uncertainty and grief in our collective consciousness. What we do know is that it’s hard to be alone right now. Unfortunately, we also know that it can be difficult being in the same space for 24 hours with the same person. When that […]

The post Marriage During a Crisis! 6 Tips to Divorce-Proof Today appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Fighting with Love… or How to “Fight Fair”- Part 1

Damian Duplechain — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 17:27:28 +0000

If we asked whether you and your spouse “fight fair,” what would you say? What would they say? What actions and reactions make for a fair fight in your opinion? Like everything else that ensures positive growth in a committed relationship – every couple’s answers to those questions are slightly different. Every couple fights, it’s […]

The post Fighting with Love… or How to “Fight Fair”- Part 1 appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Keep Your Marriage Fresh: Trying New Things Keeps the Spark Alive

Damian Duplechain — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 19:27:35 +0000

Finding someone who makes you happy is wonderful. It only makes sense that you’d want that happiness to last forever. The problem is that it’s all too easy to grow complacent and lose sight of what made you enjoy being with each other to begin with. Research shows that strong, long-lasting relationships are fed through […]

The post Keep Your Marriage Fresh: Trying New Things Keeps the Spark Alive appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

New Year’s Resolutions for Your Relationship

Damian Duplechain — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 18:47:59 +0000

January 1, 2020 isn’t just the start of a new year. It’s the start of a new decade! This exciting milestone is the perfect time to start fresh, commit to healthy habits, and make goals for upcoming weeks, months, and even years. We all know the most common New Year’s Resolutions: lose weight, quit smoking, […]

The post New Year’s Resolutions for Your Relationship appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Why A Couples Retreat Is the Best Way to Focus on Your Marriage

Damian Duplechain — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 15:00:21 +0000

There have been countless funny movies and television episodes made about couples workshops and retreats. Usually, the frustrated couple heads to a luxurious destination with a kooky therapist. Even though both partners are hesitant at first, their relationship grows stronger in the end. Real couples retreats typically have quite a few differences. They don’t have […]

The post Why A Couples Retreat Is the Best Way to Focus on Your Marriage appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

Why You Should Focus on Solvable Issues First

Damian Duplechain — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 13:00:26 +0000

According to a study recently published in Family Process, it is the way we argue that makes a difference in whether we believe ourselves to be happy in our relationships. Essentially, couples who tend to maintain a solution-oriented approach when facing conflict are happier than those who don’t. This study also found that the longer […]

The post Why You Should Focus on Solvable Issues First appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

How Telling Your Partner When You’re Mad Can Actually Help Your Relationship

Damian Duplechain — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 19:05:14 +0000

Part of a life-partnership is accepting all of the emotions that come with it… yours and your spouse’s. However, in a culture that espouses kindness, empathy, and unfaltering regard, of course, it’s often a reflex to deny any negative feelings. No, you don’t feel like ripping his head off for losing the keys… again. Why […]

The post How Telling Your Partner When You’re Mad Can Actually Help Your Relationship appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.

What You and Your Partner Can Do to Move Past Sore Points

Damian Duplechain — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 14:00:34 +0000

Sometimes it’s hard to separate yourself from an emotionally-charged situation. Simple spats can spin out of control before we even realize what’s happening. This is particularly true when personal triggers are involved. We all have personal triggers – things that immediately put us on the defensive when we encounter them. Maybe your partner’s interest in […]

The post What You and Your Partner Can Do to Move Past Sore Points appeared first on The Center for Marriage and Family Relationships, Houston, TX.