Protect Your Marriage

I promise this will not be a long post (mostly because I have a 3 month old who is staring me down as I work, and I'm sure tears over the binky are imminent).  But, I wanted to make sure that I share this brief, but poignant message, "Protect Your Marriage."  

Protecting your marriage requires that both partners are willing to prioritize the needs of the relationship over the selfish needs of the individual.   There are some basic needs that must be met for a marriage thrive:  

• Quality time
• Healthy communication
• An enjoyable sex life (if both partners are healthy and physically/mentally able)
• A spiritual connection (what this means varies from relationship to relationship)
• Trust
• A sense of emotional and physical safety
• Shared goals
• Financial security 

 This list is by no means exhaustive.  But, it is a good foundation for any marriage.    

The majority of the couples that I have worked with who entered counseling contemplating divorce, were typically struggling with a marriage that was vulnerable in one of the above areas.  

Protecting your marriage requires consistent effort over time.  This consistent effort must be paired with the constant presence of love, compassion, and empathetic understanding.  If this sounds like it can be hard from time to time, then you have a clear understanding of the effort that it takes to protect your marriage.  But, 17 years of marriage has taught me that it gets easier and sweeter over time.    

If you find that you need a bit of help protecting your marriage, please do not hesitate to pick up the phone (314-744-9027) and give us a call.  We are more than happy to help you build a marriage worth fighting for.