Mary Ellen Goggin

6 Reasons You Should Seriously Consider A Private Couples Marriage Retreat

By Mary Ellen Goggin / December 2, 2020
Couple holding hands in a forest as they discuss attending a private couples marriage retreat.

You wouldn’t think twice about getting extra training to make you better at your job. Some things you just have to do when you have priorities. But what are the chances you would attend a couples marriage retreat to make you better at your marriage? Again, priorities. If you’ve never attended a couples marriage retreat,…

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How To Communicate With Your Angry Spouse Without Inflaming The Situation

By Mary Ellen Goggin / November 19, 2020
Man who doesn't know how to communicate with his angry spouse screaming into the phone.

Anger is a difficult bedfellow, both in oneself and in one’s closest relationships. And nowhere is it more potent than in a marriage. Knowing how to communicate with your angry spouse, let alone without making things worse, can be frustrating and even frightening. Anger is a natural emotion. We all experience it and know the…

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6 Things Couples Need To Know About Surviving Repeated Infidelity

By Mary Ellen Goggin / November 2, 2020
Martini glasses placed on a luxurious bar.

The idea of surviving repeated infidelity within your marriage probably never pinged your blissful connubial radar. But here you are. There was a time when even one indiscretion would have been a death blow to your trust and marriage. A one-night stand, a long-term scandal – it wouldn’t have mattered. A bubble busted is a…

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8 Things To Consider If You’ve Been In An Unhappy Marriage For Years

By Mary Ellen Goggin / October 21, 2020
Profile of an unhappy woman.

You’re enough of a realist to expect some down days, occasional heated arguments, and I’ll-lose-my-mind-if-I-don’t-get-some-alone-time pinings for a solo vacay. None would be on your favorites list, but none would qualify your marriage as “unhappy,” either. Being in an unhappy marriage, let alone an unhappy marriage for years, takes a different toll. Believe it or…

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How To Talk To Your Spouse About Debt Without Blaming Them

By Mary Ellen Goggin / September 23, 2020
Brick wall with the words "Until Debt Tear Us Apart" written on it.

It’s one of the ugly must-do’s of marriage: figuring out how to talk to your spouse about debt. Whether it got dragged down the aisle like a ball and chain or snowballed after the nuptials, debt is a tough topic. Between student loans, a ginormous, she-can’t-say-no-now engagement ring, and that Pnina Tornai wedding gown, you…

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Surviving Affairs And Infidelity: Why Some Couples Make It And Others Don’t

By Mary Ellen Goggin / August 18, 2020
Couple sitting outside at a cafe discussing surviving affairs and infidelity.

The work of surviving affairs and infidelity can seem insurmountable. And, for many couples whose relationships have been unearthed by cheating, the outcome is proof of the seeming impossibility. But the truth is, like anything else in life, there are always those who will defy the odds. Somewhere along the line they decide that they…

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How To Get Out Of An Unhappy Marriage Without Getting Divorced

By Mary Ellen Goggin / July 22, 2020
If you're considering how to get out of an unhappy marriage, you're facing a fork in the road like this one in a forest.

Knowing how to get out of an unhappy marriage isn’t as simple as doing a web search for divorce lawyers. It’s not even necessarily about getting divorced. There are two components to an “unhappy marriage”: unhappy and marriage. And when your disappointment, sadness, or downright despair starts making you eye the front door, one or…

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8 Steps To Improve Communication For A Red-Hot Sex Life

By Mary Ellen Goggin / July 8, 2020
Partially clothed couple embracing.

Sex. It can be a hot and heavy wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am, or even a distant memory. But one thing sex is not is “talked about.” At least not easily or frequently enough. And yet, when couples improve communication about sex in marriage and long-term relationships, satisfaction skyrockets in the bedroom. Your overall relationship also improves along with your sex life.…

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