Category: Couples - Manhattan Marriage and Family Therapy, PLLC

Creating a Meaningful Wedding

6/7/2018

By Angie Sadhu, MSMFT

Couples often struggle with keeping the meaning of their wedding in the forefront and not getting lost in the shuffle of all the stress. Here are some tips on creating a meaningful wedding ritual that will set the tone for your wonerful journey and that you will remember forever!

How to Write a Love Letter

2/13/2017

By Amanda Craig, PhD, LMFT

My husband inspired this blog. For our anniversary he must have gotten me something, probably an expensive outfit from my favorite store or a delicious dinner at a farm-to-table restaurant, but I don’t remember. What I do remember is the beautiful letter he wrote to me. I know he worked on it for a while and it brought me to tears.

I put it away somewhere safe, where I will pull it out and read it again over the years. I hope to share it one day with my children to show them what a love letter looks like.

Great First Holiday Together: A Guide to Creating Conflict-free Joyful Celebrations

11/21/2016

Great First Holiday Together: A Guide to Creating Conflict-free Joyful Celebrations www.ManhattanMFT.com

Download our Printable Worksheet!

By Kimberly Kuskovsky, M.A., MFT

The holidays can be a challenging time of year for couples, especially those celebrating together for the first time or as newlyweds.

Conflict can arise between partners when we aren’t mindful of our own expectations and hopes, when our expectations are in conflict with our partner’s, and when pressure (from yourself and others) results in anxiety and worry.

Here is what you can do to ensure a smooth joining of holiday traditions, conflict and stress-free celebration of the season, and a joy-filled time with your love.

Co-parenting After Divorce: Age-appropriate Ways To Help Your Children Cope.

3/10/2016

Co-parenting After Divorce: Age-appropriate Ways To Help Your Children Cope. www.ManhattanMFT.com

By Amanda Craig, PhD

Divorces are difficult under any circumstances, but they can be especially painful and challenging when there are children involved. The transition usually takes over a year and requires for all family members to find their new ‘normal’.

For parents, figuring out how to ensure that the kids are secure and least impacted during the transition is usually a major source of anxiety and fear.

Here is what you can expect from children of different ages during divorce, and how you as parents can support them through this difficult experience.

Has Your Monogamous Relationship Become Monotonous?

2/11/2016

Has your monogamous relationship become monotonous? www.ManhattanMFT.com

By Rita Garcia, LMFT

Do you remember what your relationship was like in the beginning? No doubt it felt euphoric, you felt moonstruck, and both of you experienced exciting sexual passion.

This is common for many relationships when they begin, and it’s referred to as the Romantic Stage.

Unfortunately, when this stage ends, usually after 3 to 6 months, many couples are left feeling the magic is gone. A relationship that once seemed so intense now seems mundane. But established monogamy may still provide a feeling of comfort and security, and partners may believe it is normal to exchange that spark for stability. A type of joint complacency.

How To Love Your Partner Best: "The Five Love Languages" Way

11/11/2015

By Emily Eyerman, MA, LMFT

When I sit with a couple that’s experiencing a disconnect, what I often see is a discrepancy in how they are showing and receiving love, which can be interpreted as a LACK of love.

Our perception of love influences our ability to recognize and therefore experience it, as if it was a special lenses. Gary Chapman, the author of “The Five Love Languages” *** calls these lenses “languages”.

How EFT can help you to stop fighting.

5/26/2015

How EFT can hlep you to stop fighting.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a technique often used with couples who are in conflict and are having trouble communicating effectively. What often happens is the couple has lost their closeness and are protesting the loss of connection, which is expressed in fighting and bickering. Both want to be close again but are not effectively letting their partner know “I miss you, I want to connect”.

Want To Grow Closer as a Couple? Do this…

5/20/2015

Want to grow closer as a couple? Do this...

This is the time of year when we plant a garden, clean out a closet, swap sweaters for tank tops, and get children ready for summer programs. We get busy gearing up for great things ahead: going to the beach for lunch, riding bikes, spending time outdoors, and enjoying longer days.

After a long cold winter, the end of the school year may come with exhaustion, impatience, and overwhelm with the million tasks that come with the change of seasons. Amidst all this busyness it’s easy to forget that our primary relationship needs a little extra TLC now and again. It may be hard to commit to a time dedicated solely to nurturing the love that makes all else make sense.

Could your relationship use a little spring cleaning? A little airing out?

25 Ways To Show Love That Beat Flowers and Chocolate (and possibly jewelry!)

2/9/2015

25 Simple Ways to Show Love That Beat Flowers and Chocolate (and even jewelry!)

25 WAYS TO CELEBRATE YOUR LOVE THIS VALENTINE’S DAY AND EVERY DAY!

If your relationship could use a little boost (and what relationship doesn't need it, right?), then ideas on this list will put more money in your relationship bank than simply going to the store and getting a gift.

Personally, I'd trade #21 for flowers any day!