September 9, 2022, by Ellen Wilson, LPC, NCC, Director of Behavioral Health “Are you okay?” If someone is asking me this, the answer is probably ‘no.’ By the time they notice, chances are that I have not been okay for a while. Some of us put on a brave face as burdens slowly break us down. Some of us tell everyone about our trials, desperately searching for an instant solution. No matter our response, distress loves two things: hopelessness and helplessness. As a therapist, I have seen some of the greatest relief to suffering come through radical acceptance. Acceptance places a healthy distan ..read more

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes waiting for the baby in the baby carriage. ​What is the fruit in waiting? We tend to live for what’s next and miss what the “in the moment” has to offer. For the first three years of our marriage, we painfully struggled with infertility. That doesn’t seem like a long time but in the moment, it felt like an eternity. Research shows that the mental and emotional toll that infertility takes on couples is equivalent to ​that of cancer patients[1]. Infertility is a cross that couples often bear alone and silently. Not only is it devastating to not ..read more

September 27th, 2022 by John Frederick, Marketing & Events Manager Do you hear that? That is the sound of coffee being brewed, espresso shots being pulled, and rich, delicious milk being frothed for your signature latte. But wait, you might be hearing something else, too – that October 1st is International Coffee Day! If you have been looking for an excuse to escape with your spouse to spend alone time together, then look no further. Celebrate International Coffee Day by sneaking out for a morning coffee date! A convenient reality of coffee shops is that most open by 7 or 8am (if not earl ..read more

August 24, 2022 by John Frederick, Marketing & Events Manager Marriage is worth celebrating. After all, it does not happen “by chance”. Choosing to marry is a vocation, or calling, given intentionally by God Himself. One man and one woman entering into a sacramental covenant continues His divine “rescue mission” of humanity. Living out this mission is heroic. Our society celebrates many things through parades, hashtags, yard signs, bumper stickers, etc. How do we celebrate marriage? Maybe we share our love story with grandchildren, mentor an engaged couple, or mention date night to our ha ..read more

August 18th, 2022, by Ellen Wilson, LPC, NCC, Director of Behavioral Health Emotional intimacy can be exhausting. Telling another person your secrets, regrets, fears, and insecurities is not for the faint of heart. And yet, successful therapy depends on it. You share your heart with the therapist, only to return home and suddenly feel tired and exposed, all at once. These emotional hangovers, as I like to call them, are a beautiful part of the therapeutic process. Anytime we make a change in our lives, even a positive change, it comes with a certain level of discomfort and resistance. An emot ..read more

The mundaneness of life can get to all of us and it can creep into a marriage. For a while, I felt like my relationship was on autopilot. Getting out of bed to face the day, I felt so blah. And when you just feel kind of meh, making time for your spouse is not typically at the top of your list. My husband and I had nothing to look forward to amid the daily grind—until we made an easy change. I’m amazed that this one simple thing totally changed our days from mundane to refreshing. Here’s what it is and how it can change your marriage, too. Create a “Peak Moment.” While I folded the (mundane ..read more

In October of 2014, Tommy and I found ourselves sitting in a little Italian restaurant in Lake Charles. We had been dating for six months and were celebrating this fairly significant milestone with delicious pizza and cheesy bread. As always, our conversation was varied and amusing, ranging from an analysis of one of the worst movies we’d ever seen to laughing about different moments from our weekend together. A family walked into the restaurant decked out in Halloween costumes and we began to swap stories about trick-or-treating as kids. As if driven by the Holy Spirit, we were led to a full ..read more

“I am not a mind reader!” If I had a nickel for every time my husband said these words to me, I’d be a very rich wife. Unfortunately, I have a poor habit of assuming that my husband just knows things without my ever clueing him in. Why do I need to tell him I’m upset? I mean, he’s my husband! Shouldn’t he be able to tell what I am feeling? Nope. We may talk with our husbands every day, but are we saying what really matters? Many women want to know how to be more open in a relationship and that starts with telling your husband what you feel instead of making him guess. Here are 5 things your h ..read more

A few weeks ago, my husband and I took advantage of some free babysitting. (Thanks, Mom!) We went out to dinner and while we waited for our meals, we began talking about a recent struggle in our family, one that I’d published articles about but that we’d never actually discussed as a couple. The more we talked, we realized we had a lot to talk about! We found ourselves wondering how we talk every night but still have so much left unsaid. Sure, we talk about our day, about work and school, and briefly outline the day to come. But those are not the topics that solidify a marriage, and couples n ..read more

article was published on June 17, 2015 Begin investing in the future of your relationship by exploring what it means to Make Life Dreams Come True. When constructing any house, you have to start with the foundation. In the Sound Relationship House, the foundation is the relational friendship. A strong foundation creates a positive perspective and makes managing conflict easier. When conflict is managed effectively, you can focus on really building equity in the relationship and turning the house into a home. Statistically, couples who demonstrate mastery in each area of the Sound Relationship ..read more