By Terry Gaspard, MSW, LICSW When a romantic relationship or marriage ends, it’s natural to experience feelings of rejection, anger, sadness, guilt, or regret. Self-defeating thoughts can grab hold because you’re vulnerable and trying to make sense of things. However, it’s important to realize that this is a normal part of grieving and letting go […] The post  5 Ways to Heal From Your Breakup appeared first on Moving Past Divorce | Counseling, Consulting & Seminars (RI & MA ..read more

By Terry Gaspard, MSW, LICSW In a recent article for The Gottman Institute’s website, couples therapist Kyle Benson tackles an all-too-common source of conflict for couples. The article, “Head vs. Heart: Solving Meta-Emotion Mismatches for a Stronger Bond,” unpacks the rocky road that partners often travel when they approach an emotional situation from two different […] The post How to Validate Your Partner’s Feelings During Conflict appeared first on Moving Past Divorce | Counseling, Consulting & Seminars (RI & MA ..read more

By Terry Gaspard, MSW, LICSW Being able to trust your partner is the bedrock of an amazing relationship and couples who are are able to achieve secure attachment and stay emotionally connected can risk being vulnerable. As a result, they enjoy sensuality and passion that goes along with intimacy. For instance, Julia and Rick sought […] The post How Trust and Vulnerability Can Lead to Intimacy appeared first on Moving Past Divorce | Counseling, Consulting & Seminars (RI & MA ..read more

For many of the people that seek counseling with me for ruptures in relationships, being able to apologize to a partner or ex-spouse is one of their biggest challenges. While there aren’t any simple solutions to a good apology, there are many ways that you can ruin one that can be avoided. For some, giving […] The post 4 Ways to Avoid Ineffective Apologies in Relationships appeared first on Moving Past Divorce | Counseling, Consulting & Seminars (RI & MA ..read more

By Darlene Lancer Pursuer-distancer relationships cause a lot of heartache, especially for a pursuer. Learn about the mind of a distancer to understand your own or your partner’s behavior so you won’t take it personally. As codependants, we usually gravitate toward insecure relationships where we’re a distancer or a pursuer. We may be a distancer […] The post Distancer Behavior and Attachment Styles in Relationships appeared first on Moving Past Divorce | Counseling, Consulting & Seminars (RI & MA ..read more

By Terry Gaspard, MSW, LICSW A good romantic and sexual relationship is built on a foundation of emotional intimacy and closeness. Many couples struggle to maintain sexual intimacy because they don’t believe they have time for date nights and they have difficulty making their marriage a priority when they work long hours and/or have children. […] The post Tips for Keeping Romance Alive in Your Marriage All Year Round appeared first on Moving Past Divorce | Counseling, Consulting & Seminars (RI & MA ..read more

By Terry Gaspard, MSW, LICSW Elena, 48, and Jason, 52, have been married fifteen years and came to counseling to improve their communication and to stop bickering. Like many couples who I counsel, I asked them both what worked in their marriage and what areas need to be “worked on.” Elena put it like this, […] The post 5 Ways to Make Small Gestures Count in Your Marriage appeared first on Moving Past Divorce | Counseling, Consulting & Seminars (RI & MA ..read more

By Terry Gaspard, MSW, LICSW We’ve all been there: embroiled in an argument with our partner, caught up in emotion, and perhaps most crucially, unsure of how something seemingly small escalated. The touchy topic of who’s “right” and who’s “wrong” in a conflict between partners often misses the point and prevents them from moving beyond […] The post How to Repair from Arguments and Have a Happy Marriage appeared first on Moving Past Divorce | Counseling, Consulting & Seminars (RI & MA ..read more

By Terry Gaspard Trust and intimacy form the foundation of a lasting marriage. When couples bring baggage such as infidelity or trauma from the past, it can set the stage for mistrust. That’s why it’s crucial that you allow yourself to be vulnerable and discuss breaches of trust when they occur. If you can listen […] The post How Mistrust Can Destroy a Marriage and What to Do About It appeared first on Moving Past Divorce | Counseling, Consulting & Seminars (RI & MA ..read more

Emotional intimacy is the bedrock of an amazing marriage or relationship. Couples who are able to achieve secure attachment and stay emotionally connected are able to risk being vulnerable. Erik, 42, and Amanda, 40, a couple who I counseled recently came to my office looking to deepen their connection due a experiencing stress following the […] The post Surefire Ways to Deepen Emotional Intimacy with Your Partner appeared first on Moving Past Divorce | Counseling, Consulting & Seminars (RI & MA ..read more