Mary Ellen Goggin
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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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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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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Negative emotions don’t exactly exude a welcome invitation to higher learning. They feel crappy, they challenge your very thinking and allotment of energy, and they drain the life force out of you. One of the most negative emotions is jealousy. Within your relationship, it can be destructive. Within yourself, it can be devouring. This is…
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The irony of surviving infidelity is that you have to do now what you should have done then. But now you have to do it consciously, conscientiously, and consistently. And you have to do it under the assault of anger, pain, guilt, shame, regret, fear, sadness, and emotional fatigue. Communication now has make-or-break importance. Talking…
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You’re not asking for anything unreasonable when you expect commitment and trust from your partner. And jealousy is a natural reaction, though it can get out of hand. You just want what belongs to you. And you don’t want anyone else threatening to take the one you love. But it’s important that you understand how…
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Between rom-coms and fairy tales, you may have grown up starry-eyed and heart-thumping with the idea of spending happily-ever-after with The One. No harm, no foul. After all, if people didn’t yearn for connection and commitment, our species would need a miracle to continue. And thank goodness those hormones that drive lust, attraction, and attachment…
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Relationships, as we all know, are complex, complicated, and often teeming with hidden messages about where we’ve been and where we need to go. We “work through our stuff” in the context of relationship, whether we recognize the process or not. If we’re paying attention, we see the signs that can help us navigate our…
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