Hey there! It’s Marcus Santer again, sharing another slice of my journey in the fascinating world of couples therapy.
I’ve got a story for you today, one that I hope you can either relate to or learn from.
At university I had a friend with an amazing way of always being upbeat. Let’s call him James. Every time I’d talk about a hurdle in life, James would reply with a cheerful spin on it. And me? Well, I’m a bit of a realist. You can imagine how our conversations went: him playing the sun, and me, the raincloud.
Sounds familiar?
[continue reading…]
Hello there,
It was during an unusually cold winter evening that I first met Jenny and Dave.
They stepped into my office, fingers interlocked, a unified front.
They weren’t my usual couples seeking help for communication or intimacy issues. They were here because they’d faced a traumatic event that rocked their world.
And it’s their story, along with others, that inspired me to write this post.
[continue reading…]
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a couples only counsellor..
..It’s that the beauty of love lies in its complexity.
How many of you have found yourselves grappling with the thought: *”We’re so in sync, so why do our religious differences seem like a huge chasm?”* 🤔
First off, let’s get one thing straight:
[continue reading…]
Today, I want to talk to you about an elephant in the room that many couples face but don’t always address head-on: cultural differences.
We’re living in a globalised world, and love isn’t limited by borders, right?
So, how do we keep these differences from driving a wedge between us?
Glad you asked, let’s consider:
[continue reading…]
Hello there! I’m Marcus Santer, your friendly neighbourhood couples only counsellor.
Today, we’re diving into a subject that can sometimes be, well, a bit tricky to discuss – sexual problems within a relationship.
But hey, guess what?
[continue reading…]
Hi there, it’s Marcus here.
I hope this post finds you in a good place in your life and, if not, that it helps you move towards one.
Today we’re going to be talking about trust – a pretty big word, isn’t it? It’s the foundation of every healthy relationship and, yet, it can be incredibly hard to build, especially when it’s been broken before.
So, how do you build – or even rebuild – trust in a relationship?
[continue reading…]
Conflict.
It’s inevitable in any relationship.
Misunderstandings happen.
Feelings get hurt.
Fights occur.
But just because some conflict is normal, doesn’t mean you should accept a relationship filled with arguing, shouting and resentment.
With good communication skills and a dash of compassion, you can resolve conflicts before they spiral out of control.
In this post, we’ll explore:
- Common causes of conflict
- Keys to resolving disagreements
- Resolving specific conflict triggers
- When to seek help
- Tools for better communication
Let’s get to it!
[continue reading…]
Mental illness.
Those two words are enough to strike fear into the hearts of both the sufferer and their partner.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
With understanding, good communication, and access to professional support, mental illness doesn’t have to mean the end of love.
In this post, you’ll discover:
[continue reading…]
In our journey together, we’ve navigated a myriad of topics, but today, let’s take a moment to delve into a topic that can often be a bit of a tough cookie —dealing with chronic illness as a couple.
Now, we all know life’s no picnic, right?
[continue reading…]
As a couples therapist, I’ve seen partners wrestle with all sorts of challenges, and one of the biggest is retirement. You might think:
“Retirement? That’s the dream! Why would that be a problem?”
Well, it’s a significant life change, and like any change, it can create unexpected friction.
Let’s dive in.
[continue reading…]
