Save Your Relationship With 4 Easy Steps

Dr. Romance’s four simple steps to create a successful marriage.

1. Talk frequently and honestly to each other.
Share your ideas and issues about sex, about anger, about disappointment, about your appreciation of each other, about the meaning of life, about everything. Regular talks about what’s going on in the relationship mean problems; resentment and frustration don’t get a chance to build. Every member of your family has a right to his or her opinion. Understanding what your child or spouse wants doesn’t mean you agree, but your child should know why you’re overriding his or her preferences. Regular family meetings -- where everyone including the children expresses feelings, negative and positive, and all of you work together to solve problems – help you develop teamwork.

2. Create partnership.
Strive to work together to solve anything that comes up and learn to be a team, a partnership. Don't get stuck on who's right or wrong. Instead, focus on what will solve the problem. If you focus on solutions instead of criticizing, you can have fun coming up with creative ideas. Use your business communication skills when solving problems.

3. Keep your connection going.
Frequent communication, sex, affection, touching, understanding and concern for each other will keep the ‘juice’ flowing in your marriage, and keep it from getting stale. Brief separations will help you remember how important your connection is.

4. Be positive.
Have a sense of humor, give each other the benefit of the doubt, care about each other. Laugh together as much as possible, and don’t forget to appreciate each other. Motivation to stay together comes from appreciation and celebration.

Author's Bio: 

Tina B. Tessina, Ph.D. is a licensed psychotherapist in S. California since 1978 with over 30 years experience in counseling individuals and couples and author of 13 books in 17 languages, including It Ends With You: Grow Up and Out of Dysfunction; The Unofficial Guide to Dating Again; Money, Sex and Kids: Stop Fighting About the Three Things That Can Ruin Your Marriage, The Commuter Marriage, and her newest, Love Styles: How to Celebrate Your Differences. She writes the “Dr. Romance” blog, and the “Happiness Tips from Tina” email newsletter.

Dr. Tessina, is CRO (Chief Romance Officer) for LoveForever.com, a website designed to strengthen relationships and guide couples through the various stages of their relationship with personalized tips, courses, and online couples counseling. Online, she’s known as “Dr. Romance” Dr. Tessina appears frequently on radio, and such TV shows as “Oprah”, “Larry King Live” and ABC News.