Shows
Blogging with Lesli PetersonThe Shift from Google to Pinterest with Tony HillSend us a textSo grateful that Tony Hill sat with me for this extra-long episode. We discuss the transition from Google SEO to Pinterest SEO...Understanding Pinterest's unique content needs...Realistic expectations....Pinterest for the long-term...And, what I love about PinClicks and what's coming in the future!If you want the FREE PinClicks tool, check it out here: https://www.pinclicks.com/interests.html?ref=lesliAnd if you know you are ready for the full product... I've got a discount code for you. Use th...2025-01-1345 min
Transforming Families with Randy and LesliTransforming Families with Randy and Lesli on HHM Show Sunlight TV networkHear from our Founders Dr Randall Bixby & Lesli Lamb-Bixby as they introduce The Family Reformation Project on the (HHM)- Heavens Harvest Ministries Show on the Sonlight TV Network. Randy and lesli share the vision of The Family Reformation Project - a Global movement to restore the family to God's original design. Hear their story about the genesis of the family work and how Jesus is the hero of their personal story around healing their family. They also share about the new and exciting FRP TRIBE- a community of families who love Jesus an...2024-12-1728 min
Transforming Families with Randy and LesliBest of Season 1 and 2 Series: Introduction to FRP - Our StoryIn this Best of Season 1 and 2 series today we are going - back to the beginning... Get to know Randy and Lesli and hear how Jesus is the HERO of their story. A story of brokeness and pain in their families that God turned into a story of Redemption, Restoration, and the Kindness of God. Hear how God brought them HOPE for their family and the purpose behind the Transforming Families with Randy and Lesli Podcast - To bring you and your family hope along with the tools to help your family heal, grow, and...2024-09-1225 min
Happily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTHow To Get And Keep The Spark in Your Marriage
Do you love your partner but aren’t sure you’re in love with them anymore? Do you wonder where the magic has gone? Do you worry it won’t ever come back? Are you settling for being roommates when you want so much more? If so, then Jeff Forte, executive and PEAK Performance Coach and author of The 90-Minute Marriage Miracle, has the answers. He not only reveals the 8 elements of intimacy but what you need to do to bring it back into your relationship.
Send your comments and questions to Lesli and share the show on Faceboo...2024-02-0635 min
Transforming Families with Randy and LesliTransforming Families with Randy and Lesli Special Guest Jared Laskey Adventures in the SpiritIf you believe in our mission at FRP- Help us restore families to God's design by giving your best financial gift HERE. THANKYOU! Hear Jared Laskey (Adventures in the Spirit Podcast) talk about how to lead your family into the deeper things of the Spirit of God. Learn what He sees as some of the challenges facing families and solutions found in Holy Spirit. You can find Jared and his podcast here at Fireborn Ministries. Follow or Subscribe to Transforming Families with Randy and Lesli today! Rate - Review- and SHARE with your...2023-06-2927 min
Transforming Families with Randy and LesliOur Story Introducing Transforming Families with Randy and LesliIf you believe in our mission at FRP- Help us restore families to God's design by giving your best financial gift HERE. THANKYOU! Get to know Randy and Lesli and hear how Jesus is the HERO of their story. A story of brokeness and pain in their families that God turned into a story of Redemption, Restoration, and the Kindness of God. Hear how God brought them HOPE for their family and the purpose behind the Transforming Families with Randy and Lesli Podcast - To bring you and your family hope along with the tools...2023-06-2724 min
Transforming Families with Randy and LesliTransforming Families with Randy and Lesli Season 1 TrailerDo you want to see your family changed and transformed? We are excited to introduce 'Transforming Families with Randy and Lesli' a podcast that equips you to do family as God designed. We offer practical tools for your family to heal, grow and thrive! Subscribe today and share it with your friends and family. And remember, whoever wins the family, wins the culture in the end. If you believe in our mission at FRP- Help us restore families to God's design by giving your best financial gift HERE. THANKYOU! Go to The Family Reformation Project f...2023-06-2502 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTFinding the Common Denominator in Toxic Relationships
Are you in a toxic relationship or just a bad one? If you’re feeling unsupported, demeaned, dismissed, or misunderstood, does it matter what you call it? Whatever name it goes by, the stress it is causing you needs to stop. If you’re like most of us, you focus on what your partner is doing to make things so bad. But what if that’s the wrong approach? Recovery expert, addiction treatment specialist, speaker and author TJ Woodward reveals what is at the heart of toxic relationships and what you can do to successfully deal with them.
If you...2023-03-1431 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTYes, You Can Inherit Emotions
Maybe you’ve had your ethnicity revealed with one of those at home DNA tests like 23 and Me. But did you know that you don’t just get your eye color or body type from your ancestors? It’s been proven that you may have inherited your emotional patterns as well. These patterns are often at the core of the challenges you have in your marriage. But your DNA doesn’t have to be your destiny. Systemic Executive Coach and author, Judy Wilkens-Smith reveals how you can alter your Emotional Blueprint so you can have healthier, happier relationships.
If your...2022-07-1237 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTDoes Having a Great Relationship Have to be Hard?
One of my least favorite pieces of “advice” is that marriage takes a lot of hard work. No wonder marriage rates are at an all time low. Now this doesn’t mean people aren’t coupling up. And those relationships can be challenging if you don’t know what you’re doing. To be honest, that’s most of us. You will keep making the same mistakes, suffering heartache and wondering if happy, lasting relationships are even possible. The answer is a resounding “yes” according to Intimacy Expert and author Allana Pratt.
If you’re looking to improve your marriage...2022-07-0536 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTThe Power of Deep Listening
Communication is often broken down into two components: speaking and listening. And how you do each of those things will determine not just how well you are understood, but how healthy and happy your relationships will be. Moving from listening to respond to listening to understand is a key relationship skill. This kind of listening, also called Deep Listening, creates connection and real intimacy. Author and speaker Dr. Diana Raab reveals what you can do to get better at it.
If you have challenges with communication, Lesli can help. Please share this powerful show on Facebook, Twitter, and...2022-06-2831 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTAre You Sabotaging Your Sex Life?
You know your health is important. But do you know how your overall health impacts both the quality and quantity of intimacy in your marriage? You probably get the connection between being tired or stressed and intimacy. But what else is playing a role? And what can you do about it? Sexual Performance Coach and author Brian “Uncle B” Ayers reveals what he has learned about what it takes to up your game in the bedroom.
If intimacy issues are hurting your marriage, Lesli can help. Please share the show with those you care about on Facebook, Twitter...2022-06-2130 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTWould Bringing Back Gentlemen (and Ladies) Help Relationships?
Back in the 1960s, the phrase “let it all hang out” gained popularity. It means “to behave freely without being shy or feeling worried about what other people will think of you”. Being your authentic self is good. Having no limits to your behavior is not. But where should you draw the line? The concept of “ladies and gentlemen” may be outdated but there are some positive behaviors defined by these terms that may still be useful. Practicing physician and author Dr. Leonard Sax reveals how teaching young people these behaviors can create the foundation for better relationships and lives.
...2022-06-1434 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTOpen Marriage, Yay or Nay?
Are you unhappy in your marriage? Or maybe just a bit bored? Do you fantasize about what it would be like to have sex with someone not your spouse? Would opening up your marriage save it or destroy it? All great questions. But who do you ask? And what things do you need to consider? Relationship coach Gayle Lynn reveals what she has learned about making this important decision and what you need to take into consideration.If you are intrigued by this option, Lesli can help. Please share this informative episode on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
2022-05-3134 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTMarriage Contract?
Marriage is a contract—a legally binding one. But the terms of that contract? Well, those aren’t clearly specified in the marriage vows. And this frequently leads to confusion, misunderstandings, and, often, unspoken expectations that are rarely met. These are the mine fields that an actual Couples Contract can help you avoid. Patrick Frank, the creator of the Couples Contract explains why he created it and how it is proving useful as a tool to establish a clear relationship framework.
If you want to clarify the terms of your relationship, Lesli can help. Please share the show wi...2021-11-0200 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFT3 Simple Things You Can Do to Have a Better Marriage
It’s commonly accepted that marriage is hard. That it requires work. That’s only because many couples stop doing the things that led to getting married in the first place.
Yes, everyday life happens. Sometimes even bad things happen.
But none of it has to sink your marriage. Author Leah Hefner reveals how three simple behaviors can protect and support your marriage, so it can be your soft place to fall.
Send your comments and suggestions to Lesli and, if you like the show, share it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The po...2021-10-1834 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTHow To Get And Keep The Spark in Your Marriage
Do you love your partner but aren’t sure you’re in love with them anymore? Do you wonder where the magic has gone? Do you worry it won’t ever come back? Are you settling for being roommates when you want so much more? If so, then Jeff Forte, executive and PEAK Performance Coach and author of The 90-Minute Marriage Miracle, has the answers. He not only reveals the 8 elements of intimacy but what you need to do bring it back into your relationship.
Send your comments and questions to Lesli and share the show on Facebook...2021-10-1135 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTHow to Think About Sex and Intimacy in Your Marriage
As humans, we are not meant to live in isolation. Loneliness has real implications for your mental, emotional, and, yes, physical health. Physical touch of all kinds is essential for good health and well-being. So, it’s no surprise that people in relationships where physical interaction is limited feel disconnected and, often, pain. But what if there was a path to better connection and more physical interaction with your partner? Never fear, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Alysha Jeney is here to provide guidance on how to do this.If you want more connection and intimacy in your...2021-10-0430 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTTo Feel or Not to Feel—What is the Answer?
Do you struggle with feeling emotions or expressing them? Do you think all emotions are created equal? Do you only want to feel some of them and not others? Emotions aren’t good or bad, they’re just another form of information. So why do most of us have some difficulty with them? Because they can be both confusing and you’ve probably been taught to suppress them. But knowing how to deal with them—yours as well as the emotions of others—is a critical relationship skill that can be developed. Author Dyanne Brown reveals what makes dealing with emotions s...2021-09-2735 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTAre You Making Any of These Common Marriage Mistakes?
Falling in love is easy. Making a marriage work long term is a bit more complicated. While each marriage is as unique as the two people in it, there are some common challenges that every couple faces. How you handle them will determine if your marriage hits the skids or becomes the “happily ever after” you want it to be. Marriage blogger Keelie Reason provides insight to help you on your journey.
If you would like more active assistance, Lesli can help. Please share the show with those who matter to you on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Th...2021-09-2032 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTThe Damage You Do When You Don’t Keep Your Promises
A good marriage is based on trust. That trust can be disrupted in so many ways, often unintentionally. Once trust is broken, it can be difficult to repair. While not impossible, it is always better not to damage it in the first place.
Clinical psychologist and marriage counselor Dr. Randi Gunther is here to talk about some of the most common ways that people break their promises to each other, and how you can recover if it has happened in your marriage. Send your comments and suggestions to Lesli and share the show on Facebook, Twitter, and Inst...2021-09-1336 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTTrust, Betrayal, and Your Marriage
Trust is a critical component of a healthy marriage. But what does it mean to trust someone? If your trust is violated, does it mean it’s gone forever? These are important questions.
It’s also important to understand how your past relationships and experience with trust in them are impacting your marriage today. Author, coach, and counselor Randall Turner reveals what trust is and how you can make sure that trust is built and maintained in your most important relationship.
If you have issues with trust in your marriage, Lesli can help. Please share this imp...2021-08-3032 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTMarriage Super Power
Marriage seems really scary to a lot of people. Maybe even you. Imagine if you knew that you had the power to make your marriage be however you want it to be. Well, you do! You come equipped with everything you need to live a happy, loving life, including having a great marriage. Rachel Henke, The Fearless Transformation Coach and bestselling author, is here to talk to you about the Superpowers we all have and how you can access them to let go of the fear and take charge of your relationships. Send your suggestions and questions to Lesli. Shar...2021-08-2333 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTI Love My Spouse, I Love Them Not
Do you ever feel like you’re in a “push me/pull you” relationship with your partner? Are you afraid your relationship will end so you either hang on to your partner with everything you’ve got or hold them at arm’s length so it won’t hurt so much when it ends? When things aren’t going great, do you question if your partner is “the one”? Psychotherapist Sarah Murphy explains what is going on and how you can get your relationship on a healthier and happier path.
Looking for help with this? Get in touch with Lesli tod...2021-08-1632 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTYour Feelings Matter to You and Your Marriage
Yes, feelings are messy. They can be uncomfortable. But they are necessary for your survival and the health of your relationships. More than likely your feeling love for your partner is why you got married in the first place. You probably have some concern for your and their happiness—also a feeling. But, in order to feel happiness, you have to be willing to feel some of the harder emotions like hurt, disappointment, and frustration. You can’t selectively shut down feelings. It’s feel them all or feel none of them. Writer, coach, and facilitator Pieter Van Winkle provides a...2021-08-0934 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTMen, Emotions, and Marriage
Dealing with challenging emotions is challenging for many people, but it can be especially difficult for men. It isn’t that they don’t have emotions. It’s just that they often don’t access them as easily as women can. This is a function of both culture and experience. But it has real world consequences for their marriages. It can be easier to let your wife deal with emotions in your relationship but that will prevent intimacy and connection.
Richard Matzkin, author of LOVING PROMISES: The Master Class For Creating Magnificent Relationship and MANifesto: A Call For Men To B...2021-08-0235 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTHow Much Sex is Enough?
Top things married couples fight about: money and sex. Rarely is it because there is an overabundance of either. And both topics are extremely personal.
If one of you is unhappy with how often you are physically intimate, then your relationship has a problem. But how can you talk to your partner about this really important topic? Marriage Counselor Carole Cullen is here to do just that. It’s a show you don’t want to miss.
If you want some help with this challenging issue, Lesli can help. Please share this important show—maybe even with y...2021-07-2632 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTYes, You Need a Relationship 101 Class
What you don’t know about how relationships work is putting yours at risk. Many partners bail when their marriage hits a completely predictable bump in the road. Maybe it’s a disagreement about chores or the realization that you still find people other than your spouse physically attractive.
Maybe it’s the realization that your partner is a flawed human being with characteristics and behaviors you don’t understand. But it doesn’t mean you picked the wrong person, or the relationship won’t work out.
Max Jancar, blogger, entrepreneur, and author of Mastering Your Relations...2021-07-1931 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTBad things can happen – and you can overcome them
Think of your worst day ever. Maybe you lost a loved one. Or a job. Or had a really big fight with your spouse. You didn’t know how you would move on. More than likely, you kept moving forward. It wasn’t easy, but you did it. Maybe the effects are still lingering. If so, you’re not alone. But you can make them less debilitating. Moving through hardship is what Aimmee Kodachian, author of Tears of Hope, has spent a lot her life doing. She reveals what kept her going past just surviving and into thriving and how you c...2021-07-1237 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTBecome the Man and Partner You Want to Be
There’s a common belief that women are more interested in the health of their relationships than men are. The problem: it’s not true. Women have been encouraged, sometimes to their detriment, to be in touch with their emotional side. Men—not so much. But most guys want to be good partners and good parents. They’ve just been trying to do it with one hand tied behind their back. Men are half the population and half of the relationships.
Marriage has evolved as an institution; mostly as a result of women demanding the rules change. This has...2021-07-0537 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTYou Want “For Better”, But You Get “For Worse”
Most couples have no idea what they are actually promising on their wedding day. Most see the future as sunny with limited chance of rain. This leaves them unprepared for the inevitable challenges ahead. Some of those challenges are minor. Others not so much.
And what if you’re not just married, but business partners as well? Those challenges become a lot more critical to manage well. Oscar and Kiya Frazier, co-founders of nDemand Consulting and authors of Confessions: The Truth About Perfect Timing—A Couples Guide to Reaching Everything You Desire in Life, reveal what they have lea...2021-06-2833 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTWhat You Need to Know to Have an Intimately Healthy Marriage
People need touch—a hug, a snuggle, and, yes, sex—to be healthy. What should seem straight forward is often quite complicated. Stress, hormone levels, time and more, all play a role in how healthy and intimate your marriage is. Women’s Intimate Health Expert Dr. Carolyn DeLucia reveals what every couple needs to know to create deep intimacy and lasting connection.
If you want to increase the intimacy in your marriage, Lesli can help. Please share this important show on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The post What You Need to Know to Have an Intimately...2021-06-2136 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTUnderstanding Love is the Key to Making it Last
Falling in love seems easy but it’s actually quite a complicated process. So much of what makes someone irresistible is the result of unseen forces picked up over your lifetime. You’re attracted to this person, not that one. You have a type. The same things go right, and wrong, in your relationships. While it may seem that an invisible hand is at work, there is an explanation.
Ira Rabois, a long-time teacher at the Lehman Alternative School in Ithaca, NY and the author of Compassionate Critical Thinking: How Mindfulness, Creativity, Empathy and Socratic Questioning Can Trans...2021-06-1437 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTWhy Focusing on a Soul Mate Will Limit Your Happiness?
It’s romantic to think that there is one person, one perfect-for-you person, who will bring infinite happiness and lasting love to your life. But is it realistic? A singular match for you out of almost 8 billion people?
Also, if one person were able to meet everyone of your emotional and romantic needs, what would happen to you if something happened to them? Often what sounds good in theory has some less than terrific aspects in reality. News journalist Jim Dalrymple reveals why Soulmate Love may be overrated.
If you question whether you’re married to you...2021-05-3134 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTHonesty is the Best, and Absolutely Necessary, Marriage Policy
It’s hard to be honest. Scary even. If you’re honest, you will say and do things your partner won’t like. And many people don’t know how to handle this, maybe even you. They’ve never learned how to be honest in a healthy, productive way. But not being honest does great damage to your marriage. It breeds resentment and erodes trust. It can lead to crazy-making behaviors. None of which is good for you or your relationship. Dr. Rhoberta Shaler, aka The Relationship Help Doctor, reveals some problematic behavior that will put your marriage at risk.
2021-05-2433 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTRelationship in a Rut? You Can Rekindle It!
Nothing thrives on neglect and your marriage is no different. And far too many relationships have fallen prey to the day-to-day grind. Maybe even yours. It can be challenging to keep things steamy when there is laundry to do and kitchens to clean. But, if the health of your marriage is important, there are some simple things you can do to keep the spark alive. Suzannah Galland, an acclaimed Intuitive, Life Advisor and Relationship Expert, reveals how to do just that in today’s episode.
If you are looking for ways to bring your relationship back to lif...2021-05-1731 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTDo You Know the Signs of a Bad Marriage?
There’s a saying that forewarned is forearmed. This is true when it comes to your marriage as well. Knowing what behaviors are harmful is what is going to keep your relationship out of danger. But that means not only knowing what to look for but also knowing how to respond if any of these signs show up.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Virginia Williamson discloses what she has learned from her many years of working with couples and what you need to know.
If you want to make your marriage the best, Lesli can help...2021-05-1034 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTMinding the Gaps in Your Marriage
The difference between your expectations and what actually happens is a gap. All relationships have gaps because they involve flawed humans. And the tighter you hold to your expectations—what you think should happen or what you want to happen—and get upset about what actually is happening determines how happy your marriage will be. That’s not to say there aren’t valid areas for improvement, but not acknowledging the role your perception plays is what leads to trouble.
Relationship coach and author Matt Frey throws some helpful light on ways to both identify the gaps in your ma...2021-05-0334 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTYou are not alone, no one knows how to do Marriage today!
Marriage used to be about societal and financial stability. It also was about continuing the species. Now it’s about love and personal satisfaction. In the olden days, everyone knew their roles, whether they liked them or not. Today, marriage seems to be a free-for-all and, in some viewpoints, in free-fall. But, it doesn’t have to be as difficult and confusing as it seems to make it work. Dr. Steven Stosny, founder of CompassionPower and the author of several books including Empowered Love, reveals a simple formula for creating a successful marriage that lasts.
Send your comment...2021-04-2633 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTEncore: Love Means Learning to Say, “I’m Sorry”
You might remember this famous line from the book and movie Love Story—“Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” You might even want to believe it because apologizing can be really awkward. And, besides, your partner knows you didn’t mean it and that you really love them. NOPE! When you can’t or don’t apologize it often leaves a rift in your relationship. Over time, and with fewer apologies, this rift can tear your relationship apart. Dr. Scott Haltzman, psychiatrist and author of The Secrets of Happily Married Men and The Secrets of Surviving Infidelity...2021-04-1934 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTLove Never Dies a Natural Death, It Gets Killed
Have you ever heard a couple on the brink of divorce say they never loved each other in the first place? But you were at their wedding and you know that’s not true. Maybe you’ve even found yourself thinking this about your spouse. But that’s memory rewriting itself. This happens because the marriage has been unraveling in predictable ways over the years. But love and your marriage do not have to die. Author and relationship expert Kyle Benson reveals how this happens and what you can do to prevent it.
If you’re questioning whether you...2021-04-1231 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTGood Boundaries Make Great Marriages
I’m reminded of the line from Robert Frost’s Mending Wall—Good fences make good neighbors. A lot of people think of boundaries as walls or fences. They aren’t. They are more like permeable membranes where you choose what comes in or stays out. And they are key to healthy relationships because they set the parameters for what is acceptable and what isn’t. Stuart Motola, men’s relationship coach and author, reveals two important boundaries all successful relationships need.
If you want to make your relationship great, Lesli can help. Please share the show with those who m...2021-04-0531 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTThe Damage You Do When You Don’t Keep Your Promises
A good marriage is based on trust. That trust can be disrupted in so many ways, often unintentionally. Once trust is broken, it can be difficult to repair. While not impossible, it is always better not to damage it in the first place.
Clinical psychologist and marriage counselor Dr. Randi Gunther is here to talk about some of the most common ways that people break their promises to each other, and how you can recover if it has happened in your marriage. Send your comments and suggestions to Lesli and share the show on Facebook, Twitter, and Insta...2021-03-2900 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTIf Your Marriage Isn’t Moving Forward, It’s Dying
Nothing thrives on neglect and your marriage is no different. But far too many of us put everything in front of our marriages because things are “okay”. But when you stop making an effort in your marriage, it will die the death of a thousand cuts. You each get complacent, stop trying, and then focus on what your partner isn’t doing. Nate Bagley, founder of the Growth Marriage Podcast and The Epic Marriage Club, reveals why your marriage ends up on the back burner and how you can bring it back to life.
If you’re ready to...2021-03-2237 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTMarriage, Like Life, Isn’t Fair
When your child complains about things not being fair, how do you react? You probably just explain that life isn’t fair. So why do you think marriage should be? The idea is that it’s a 50/50 proposition and if you do more than your partner, well, you’re just a sucker. This puts the focus on what you think your partner isn’t doing instead of on what you are bringing to your most important relationship. It leads to scorekeeping and resentment. Not ideal for a healthy marriage. So, what is a better way of looking at marriage? Authors...2021-03-1533 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTAre You and Your Marriage Sexually Healthy?
Intimacy is what most of us are looking for in our marriage. It is more than just physical, but how you interact physically is important. The challenge? Sex is everywhere, but good information about healthy sexuality is not. This makes creating real intimacy in your relationship difficult. But it doesn’t have to be. Andrew Bauman, licensed mental health counselor and the Co-Founder and Director of the Christian Counseling Center for Sexual Health and Trauma, takes on this critical topic with truth and compassion.
If physical intimacy is an issue in your marriage, Lesli can help. Please share...2021-03-0831 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTChildren or Marriage – You Don’t Have To Choose
Parenting is not for sissies. It takes time, energy, and attention.But those resources need to come from somewhere and, often, it is fromyour marriage. When there is only twenty-four hours in a day, how doyou make time for both? It’s a little like the process of robbingPeter to pay Paul. But does it have to be? Parenting strategist JaciFinneman shares some ways to make parenting easier so your marriagecan also get some TLC.
If you struggle to find a sustainable balance between parenting and2021-03-0132 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTAn Actual Way to Make Your Marriage Great
Many people think that love is all you need for your marriage to succeed. But most people who divorce loved their spouses once. The truth is that every relationship you had before your marriage ended for one reason or another. So, what makes your marriage any likelier to succeed? Love is a desirable quality but it’s insufficient. What you really need are skills? Business, Life, and Relationship Coach Michael Grebas is here to let you in on an approach to get your marriage on track—quickly.
If you want a healthy, happy marriage, Lesli can help. Please sha...2021-02-2232 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTWhew! My Emotions Can Go Back into Hiding Again
Valentine’s Day just passed and with it the requirement to profess love on demand. But what if that’s not the emotion you’re feeling? What if you don’t know what you feel or whether you even feel at all?
In fact, you may be questioning why there is so much focus on emotions at all since they seem to be irrational and messy. Why not just focus on facts and logic? Psychologist and Harvard lecturer Dr. Holly Parker explains the important role emotions play in our lives and how you can fully embrace them, instead of...2021-02-1538 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTValentine’s Day and Beyond
If Valentine’s Day fills you with dread, you’re not alone. So much pressure on one day. But what if there was a way to create mini-Valentine’s Days all year round. Would you do it? Would you be willing to focus on your relationship and the love you have for each other on a regular basis? If so, then Kristen Manieri, writer, podcast host, and creator of DateNightGuide.com, has the secret to getting your relationship off auto-pilot. She reveals what you need to do to feel connected to your partner now and forever.
If you want...2021-02-0831 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTMarriage—Myth vs. Reality
No, it’s not a monster movie coming soon. We all have ideas and expectations about marriage before we enter into that “blessed” union. The more your ideas are based in myth, the harder time you will have in your marriage. Having a bit of starry-eyed, rose-colored view of your partner is helpful to keep them out of the doghouse. But the more you know about what marriage is truly about and what’s required to make it successful, the better for you, your spouse, and your relationship. Aaron Anderson, Marriage and Family Therapist and the Director of The Marriage...2021-02-0138 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTKnowing What You Feel Matters for Your Marriage
Have you ever been confused by what your feeling? Do you believe that you don’t feel anything? The truth is that everyone has feelings or emotions. In fact, it is the system we are born with. Cognitive learning comes later. So why are feelings and emotions not as valued as analytic thinking? Because they aren’t as black and white. But you can learn how to access and accept yours. The health of your relationships actually depends on it. Author Katherine Chan explains how you can do that.
Want your marriage to be great? Lesli can help. Pl...2021-01-2531 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTHonesty is the Best Policy for Your Marriage
Most people lie, even the ones who say they value truth and honesty. Because anything that isn’t the truth is a lie. Not saying something is a lie of omission. White lies are still lies. Being completely honest doesn’t require being harsh. It does require courage. And your marriage will be the better for it. Author Javier Ortega-Araiza reveals three steps you can take to bring radical transparency to your relationships.
If you hold back your thoughts and feelings to preserve the peace or spare your partner’s feelings, Lesli can help with a more gently hon...2021-01-1834 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTIs Anger Ruining Your Marriage?
Anger is a natural emotion. Sometimes righteous anger can bring about positive change. Mostly, anger does damage. It creates physical and relationship problems if it is allowed unfettered freedom. Getting angry is easy for way too many of us, myself included. But each of us has the power to change that. Psychotherapist and educator Robert Rannigan talks about what it would mean to go anger-less and challenges us to do just that.
If anger is creating problems in your marriage, Lesli can help. Please share this important show with those you care for on Facebook, Twitter, and Inst...2021-01-1133 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTRethinking Your Marriage
I don’t know whether it’s the shorter days with colder weather or the ever-present reminders of the holiday season, but this time of year gets a lot of people wondering about their marriages. Asking questions like, “Are we normal?” “Is this as good as it gets?” “Should I stay or go?” Quite often, these questions are asked silently so they never get answered in a productive or helpful way. Marriage and Family Therapist and author Dr. Marni Feuerman provides answers to these and other questions about what a healthy marriage looks like.
If you have specific ques...2021-01-0428 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTMarriage Isn’t What You Think It Is
Marriage was designed as a means of managing property and building alliances. It’s only been in recent years that love has been involved. It has always had a legal component in addition to any sacred one. Marriage is an ever-evolving institution. That’s both good and bad news. Once the old restrictions have been loosened marriage allows for a better fit for any couple engaging in it. Marriage Therapist and author Susan Pease Gadoua offers an expanded and more intentional view of marriage in today’s world.
If you want to have a more intentional and fulfilli...2020-12-2832 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTDid You Know that Women Initiate Most Divorces?
Per a 2015 study, women initiate two-thirds of divorces. College-educated women initiate about 90% of them. These are statistics that should alarm anyone who is married. It may be that women are unhappier in their marriages then men are. If this is true, is divorce the answer? Could something else be going on? Women’s Empowerment Coach Julie Danielson reveals what she has learned from the women she helps navigate divorce.
If you or your partner want to make your marriage better, Lesli can help. Please share this important show with those you care about on Facebook, Twitter, and Instag...2020-12-2135 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTThe Marriage and Maturity Connection
Marriage is for grownups. This doesn’t mean you are over 18 or some other arbitrary age of majority. It means that you are emotionally ready to commit to creating a life with someone else. Because, while marriage can and should be about love, it’s about so much more. And one of those things is emotional maturity. Pastor and author, Marc Alan Schelske, is here to talk about what this is, why it matters, and, more importantly, how you can develop it in your life and marriage.
If you want your marriage to be more emotionally mature, Lesli ...2020-12-1440 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTHousehold Chores a Source of Friction?
Do you have a Chore War going on in your house?
If you’re like a lot of couples, you do. There are lots of reasons this is happening—unspoken expectations, “traditional” gender roles, the path of least resistance, and more. But whatever the reason, if one of you feels like there is an imbalance, the seeds of resentment and discord are taking root. The end result? An unhappy marriage.
Speaker and writer Mark Greene sheds light on both the underlying cause and possible solutions to this seemingly intractable problem.
If you want a real sol...2020-12-0735 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTAs Parents, Your Marriage Matters More
The best gift you can give your children is to take care of your marriage. But marital satisfaction goes down during the child-rearing years. It’s hard to create a balance that honors you, your marriage, and your children. But it’s not impossible. One way is to create a calm, consistent, and loving household where you’re all working together. Family coach Asia IrgangLaden reveals some proven ways you can do that.
If you struggle to find the balance between your roles, Lesli can help. Please share this important information with those you care about on Facebook, T...2020-11-3034 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTDreading the Holiday Season? You Don’t Have To
For many, this time of year can be really stressful. And that’s even without a pandemic. Instead of feeling joyous and full of good cheer, you may be feeling anxious instead. Oh, you might put a smile on your face and commit to following all the usual traditions, but you’re already exhausted by overwhelm. And overly focusing on making everyone’s holidays happy whether they, or you, like it or not will only make it worse. The fact is we bring most of this stress on ourselves. The good news is that you have the power to make i...2020-11-2337 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTAnger: Does it Live in Your Marriage?
Anger and I are old friends. And if my husband wasn’t the calm, level-headed guy that he is, we wouldn’t still be married. Because anger can be very destructive. Used properly, it can also bring necessary change. It is a powerful emotion and not all anger is created equal. Author and Clinical Psychologist Dr. Kelly Flannagan explains how you can learn to identify unproductive, even harmful anger, and, more importantly, how to get a handle on it so it doesn’t destroy your marriage.
If anger is wreaking havoc on your marriage, Lesli can help. Please sha...2020-11-1632 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTYour Trauma Plus My Trauma Doesn’t Have To Be Our Trauma
Unless you are extremely lucky, you have experienced trauma in your life. So has your spouse. How you each respond to your own experience is impacting your relationship. The first step is to acknowledge your own history—not to compare, minimize, or dismiss it.
The next step is to take charge of it.
Managing and even healing your trauma is possible. In the second of two episodes, nervous system specialist and somatic neuroplasticity expert Irene Lyon reveals how to do this so you can be healthier and happier in life and in your marriage.
If...2020-11-0933 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTHow Your Past Impacts Your Marriage, Even if You Don’t Think So
Most of us think of trauma as big events like war, severe accident, or abuse. But trauma is much more than that. It can be much less dramatic incidents like a childhood surgery or even a small fender bender. So, in reality, you probably have experienced some form of trauma in your life. It’s fairly common to either dismiss these minor events or downplay them because they aren’t as bad as what other people have experienced. But this is a mistake. Both for you and for your marriage. Nervous system specialist and somatic neuroplasticity expert Irene Lyon unpacks...2020-11-0233 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTLove is Not the Same as Magical Thinking
There are two conflicting thoughts about true love. First, that it should solve all of our problems and always be easy. And second, that love is hard. But both can’t be true. The reality is that neither of them are. Love, like most things, changes over time. Accepting that and then consciously taking action to make your relationship what you want it to be is the way to keep love alive and your relationship thriving. Writer Mark Radcliffe reveals how you can do that.
If you would like help bringing this to your marriage, Lesli can help. Pl...2020-10-2634 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTThe Biggest Challenge to Marriage is Balance
Having a successful marriage is a balancing act, much like riding a bicycle. You must develop the ability to even out the pull between keeping yourself separate and disappearing into togetherness. This is the biggest challenge to marriage that there is. But, much like riding a bike, once you get a feel for that balance, maintaining it becomes relatively effortless. The key to finding this equilibrium is to know how and when to ‘give’ and when you need to say ‘no’. Dr. Berit Brogaard, Director of the Brograard Lab for Multisensory Research at the University of Miami and the author o...2020-10-1931 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTWant More Intimacy—There’s an App for That!
Who do you talk to about your sex life? I mean, really talk about it. If you’re like most people, the answer is probably no one. You might not even talk about it with your partner. You might disagree or actually fight about it. Issues around sex and intimacy are one of the two top things couples argue over. It can be really hard to talk calmly and openly about such a personal topic. But now, there is a fun and helpful way to do that. Dan Purcell, creator of the Intimately Us app, reveals how to bring intim...2020-10-1230 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTTo Stay or Go? What You Need to Know
Most people don’t go into marriage thinking it will end. At least, I hope they don’t. But there are a lot of ups and downs even in the best marriages. How do you know if the downs are really a sign that the marriage is unworkable? What are the things that are helpful to think about if you’re considering a divorce? Can you talk to an attorney if you’re still undecided? Ending a marriage can be scary, especially if you have children. Family Law Attorney Elizabeth Stephenson brings her knowledge and experience to the show to answer...2020-10-0535 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTEmotional Communication: The Key to Real Connection
You may think that you and your spouse don’t communicate. But the truth is, you are never not communicating. It might be that you don’t like what the other is expressing. It might be that you are communicating at different levels. It might be that the surface level way you normally communicate leaves you feeling disconnected and unheard. Marriage and Family Therapist Carole Cullen introduces the concept of emotional connection and how you can use it to feel more loved and satisfied in your marriage.
If you’d like help getting better at communication so you feel...2020-09-2832 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTIs Money A Root Of Evil In Your Marriage?
Money makes the world go around but it can be hurting your marriage. Disagreements over finances is one of the top two issues that cause the most problems in marriage. Some even find it harder to talk about than the other top issue—intimacy. So, if dealing with money causes stress for you and your spouse, then Engaged Marriage blogger and author of the 15 Minute Marriage Makeover Dustin Reichmann has some answers for you.
If you want to know how to deal with money in your marriage, Lesli can help. Please share the show with those you care abou...2020-09-2131 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTHow to Get and Keep the Spark in Your Marriage
Do you love your partner but aren’t sure you’re in love with them anymore? Do you wonder where the magic has gone? Do you worry it won’t ever come back? Are you settling for being roommates when you want so much more? If so, then Jeff Forte, executive and PEAK Performance Coach and author of The 90-Minute Marriage Miracle, has the answers. He not only reveals the 8 elements of intimacy but what you need to do to bring it back into your relationship.
Send your comments and questions to Lesli and share the show on Faceboo...2020-09-1435 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTWhat’s the Deal About Sex Anyway?
With all that’s happening in the world right now, are you making time for intimacy? This may seem like a trick question but the amount of sex people are having has been diminishing in recent years. Some of this has to do with more people living alone, but high levels of stress and worry may be making it worse. Sheltering in place, working from home, making sure your children don’t fall behind in school, not being able to go out and socialize, you name it, your energy and attention are being tested like never before. But humans crav...2020-09-0737 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTLove Means Learning to Say, I’m Sorry
You might remember this famous line from the book and movie Love Story—“Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” You might even want to believe it because apologizing can be really awkward. And, besides, your partner knows you didn’t mean it and that you really love them. NOPE! When you can’t or don’t apologize it often leaves a rift in your relationship. Over time, and with fewer apologies, this rift can tear your relationship apart. Dr. Scott Haltzman, psychiatrist and author of The Secrets of Happily Married Men and The Secrets of Surviving Infidelity, explains...2020-08-3134 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTMaking Peace In Your Marriage
All couples disagree but how they disagree determines the overall health and happiness of their relationship. Annoyances, assumptions, and blame are some of the common, but harmful, behaviors couples engage in. Maybe this describes you or your partner. The good news is that disagreements don’t have to turn into arguments. You can learn how to do this. Beth Steffaniak, life coach and author, describes how she developed and uses a sure-fire method to take control of your side of the conversation so you can keep the love and respect in your marriage. Send your comments and suggestions to Lesl...2020-08-2433 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTHow to Talk So Your Partner Will Listen
How to Talk So Your Partner Will Listen
Good communication alone will not ensure a Happily Ever After marriage but, without it, you don’t stand a chance. One of the biggest challenges couples face is learning how to communicate effectively. As with most things, it’s easier to look at where the other person is falling short than to look in the mirror and figure out our part. You’ve been talking since you were little and, on the surface, it seems a pretty easy system. You talk, the other person listens and vice versa. So why do...2020-08-1735 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTNo Matter a Turbo or Long-term Relationship, Here’s How to Make it Great!
Uncertain times, such as living in a pandemic, present challenges for individuals and couples alike. But those challenges aren’t necessarily bad. Sheltering together, whether you’re in a Turbo Relationship or you’ve been together for years, provides an opportunity to get to know each other in a deeper, more authentic way. And no matter what you learn, you and your relationship will be the better for it. Relationship coach, intimacy expert, and author Allana Pratt reveals how to do this so you can have a better, more intimate relationship.
If you’d like help learning how to do t...2020-08-1039 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTYes, Your Beliefs are Impacting Your Marriage
You, like all of us, are a creature of your past. Everything that has happened to you forms who you are in this moment—for good or ill. It isn’t so much the events of your life but the stories you tell yourself about those events that matters the most. And those stories live mostly in your subconscious, silently influencing your behavior, and your relationships. To have a better marriage, it is helpful to bring those stories, your beliefs so to speak, into better focus so you can understand their greater impact. Relationship coach Fawn Gilmore Kraut talks about...2020-08-0335 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTThe “No Excuse” Way to Reconnect with Your Spouse
Nothing thrives on neglect and your marriage is no different. But it’s easy to let things go because “it’s not that bad” or other things take priority—your kids, job, social media. If you have lost touch with each other, being stuck together without your usual outlets may feel like torture. But it doesn’t have to. Couples Coach and Founder of Embodied Breath
Sarah Poet reveals an easy way to get your relationship groove back. It’s easier than you think.
If you are unsure how to do that, Lesli can help. Feel free to shar...2020-07-2633 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTAre You Smart Enough to Have a Successful Marriage?
Most people have a limited definition of intelligence—the kind that is measured by IQ tests. And that kind of intelligence can serve you well in many aspects of your life. The one place where it can be a problem is in your relationships. It can keep you from understanding your spouse and from truly connecting with them. And isn’t what you wanted in your marriage in the first place? Scott Davison, blogger and father, proposes a broader, more relationship friendly aspect of intelligence. One that is only limited by your willingness to develop it.
If you woul...2020-07-2031 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTYou’ll Consider Divorce but Not Counseling, Why?
The statistics are sobering. Couples deal with a serious issue on average for six years before seeking help. Only 19% of divorced couples sought counseling before signing the papers. Yet, counseling is effective for 70% of couples who seek it out. If you had a 70% chance of saving your family, home, and savings, why wouldn’t you take it? Relationship coach and writer Kyle Benson addresses the myths and misconceptions about couples counseling and explains how it really can help your marriage.
If you wonder if you would benefit from outside help, get in touch with Lesli to learn more...2020-07-1335 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTCommunication! Communication! Communication!Good communication is the key to a successful marriage. It is the basis for solving problems, connecting with your spouse on a deep level, and creating a life together that honors you both. But it is one of the biggest challenges for far too many couples. Maybe for you as well. It’s also one of the simplest to resolve. Psychotherapist Melissa Cliffe explores how couples get off track when faced with their inevitable disagreements and provides a path forward for greater success and happiness.
If you’re struggling with communication in your marriage, Lesli can help. Plea...2020-07-0632 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTA Good Husband is a Complete ManMarriage as an institution has evolved over the course of time. The Women’s Movement freed wives to live more completely as people. Ideally, it would have freed husbands too. Unfortunately, society has been slow to let men out of their box. But in order to have equal partnerships most want their marriages to be, men must be allowed to embrace their entire selves. Relationship coach and writer, Harris O’Malley explains how following 5 simple rules men must follow to be healthy and happy.
If you have questions or concerns about your marriage, Lesli can help. Please shar...2020-06-2935 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTLove Needs to Be More Than a Feeling If You Want It to LastAre you in love with being in love? Many are. But this just leads to a never-ending search for a lasting high. Like any addiction, it becomes a diversion that ultimately does harm. To you. To your spouse. And to your marriage. But what if you could value ‘love’ as much as you value being ‘in love’? What if you thought the actual love was the more important of the two? Ryan Breen, Couples Counselor and self-described Clinical Nerd on All Things Relationship and Trauma, explains a better way to think about love. One that can keep your marriage alive an...2020-06-2234 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTStop Accepting the “Status Quo” in Your MarriageDo you believe that marriage takes work? Do you believe that marriage is the place sex goes to die? Do you believe that you need to compromise and sacrifice who you are for your marriage to work? Do you believe that this is the best you’re going to get so just accept it? STOP. NOW. These statements are only true if you choose to continue believing them. You don’t have to settle for a “less than” marriage. Stuart Motola, relationship coach and the author of Fixing You is Killing Me: A Conscious Roadmap to Knowing When to Save and...2020-06-1535 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTWhen Lies and Betrayal are Present the Marriage Must End, Right?Your reflexive reaction might be to say YES! But what if you were wrong. There are all kinds of lies and betrayals—infidelity, money secrets, addiction, omitting pertinent details because they weren’t specifically asked about. None of it is okay and all of it hurts. When you’re in that pain, it may be very difficult to see a way forward that isn’t just out of the relationship.
Certified Sexual Integrity Mentor Jay Pyatt describes a 7 Step process that can bring you back from the brink and start you down the path to rebuilt love and conn...2020-06-0833 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTThe Question isn’t Whether to Change or Not, but How to Do It SuccessfullyYou’ve asked your partner to do something different. Or, maybe, your partner has asked you to. The two of you might even agree that the change will help your relationship. You also agree to make the change and then, …. you find yourself doing the same old thing. No matter how inclined you are to make the change, sticking with it seems impossible. The good news is you’re perfectly normal. Change even desired, agreed to change, is hard for most people. But you don’t have to settle for a less-than marriage or being just an okay spouse. Rick Fort...2020-06-0133 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTSaying ‘No’ to Your Spouse Can Be a Good ThingAre you angry and frustrated with your spouse because they keep doing things that annoy you? You’ve told them it bugs you, but they continue to do it anyway. So who’s to blame? The truth is you both are. This is just one example of the importance of having clear and consistent boundaries. Relationship coach and writer Matt Fray explains why having appropriate boundaries is key to creating a healthy, happy marriage.
If you struggle with boundaries in your marriage, Lesli can help. Please share the show with those you care about on Facebook, Twitter, and...2020-05-2539 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTYou Have the Power to Create a Great MarriageIt’s relatively easy to break a single stick but much harder to break a bundle of them. That’s the concept behind marriage. It’s easier to face things with someone than by yourself. But what if you’re looking at your spouse right now and don’t feel supported? What if you’ve asked them to do something different and nothing changes? You think you’ve tried everything, but you may have been focusing on the wrong person. Psychic Therapist and Spiritual Mentor Vincent Genna shows you how you can create the healthy, loving marriage you want.
If you’d...2020-05-1840 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTIs Intimacy a Priority in Your Marriage?Intimacy makes me think of old math classes about sets. Sex is often a part of intimacy, but intimacy does not always include sex. This may be confusing to many who think they are one and the same. The desire for intimacy—really being known by another person—is why many of us got married. So why is it often so problematic? Dr. Catherine Aponte, clinical psychologist and the author of A Marriage of Equals: How to Achieve Balance in a Committed Relationship, defines intimacy and reveals how you can create it in your marriage.
If you year...2020-05-1100 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTBecome the Man and Partner You Want to BeThere’s a common belief that women are more interested in the health of their relationships than men are. The problem: it’s not true. Women have been encouraged, sometimes to their detriment, to be in touch with their emotional side. Men—not so much. But most guys want to be good partners and good parents. They’ve just been trying to do it with one hand tied behind their back. Men are half the population and half of the relationships.
Marriage has evolved as an institution; mostly as a result of women demanding the rules change. This has...2020-05-0437 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTMarriage Done RightUnder non-pandemic circumstances, it’s not unusual to question whether you married the right person. But after being in close quarters for weeks, this idea may be gaining steam. It’s just the wrong question. A good marriage provides a sense of security and happiness. But too many people don’t know the things to do to have the kind of marriage they really want. It’s never too late to learn. And there is no time like the present to get started. Tod Jacob is the co-founder and Director of the David Robinson Institute for Jewish Heritage and Dr. Pete...2020-04-2739 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTConnecting Conversations in the Time of COVID and QuarantineDo you and your partner have difficulty communicating? Is it harder now you’re stuck together with no end in sight? If you said, “Yes”, you’re not alone. Good communication is a necessary component of a successful relationship. It builds trust and a sense of security between the two of you. Unfortunately, most couples communicate at the surface level. Maybe that’s all you can manage now.
But, if you only talk to each other in five-minute increments or less, then you are probably feeling disconnected. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Dr. Marni Feuerman is going to introduce...2020-04-2032 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTThe Key to a Happy Marriage, Be Emotionally IntelligentAuthor David Augsberger has said that “Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable”. And, he’s right. Most of us want to feel like we are heard and understood by the person we have chosen to share our life with. This is especially true in these trying times when stress and uncertainty are rampant. The best way to increase connection and provide support is to tap into your emotional intelligence. Kyle Benson, the Intentionally Intimate Relationship Coach, discusses what emotional intelligence is, and it’s impact on marital success, and how...2020-04-1333 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTNow is the Time for a Marriage MakeoverYes, the world is a bit crazy right now. It’s said that the Chinese word for crisis is the same as the word for opportunity. Whether that’s really true doesn’t change the sentiment. Most of the things that distracted from focusing on your marriage are on hold so why not take this crisis as an opportunity to make your marriage better? Dustin Riechmann, author of The 15 Minute Marriage Makeover and the creator of EngagedMarriage.com, joins the show for a lively discussion on how you can take back your marriage. Send your comments and suggestions to Lesli and...2020-04-0638 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTDealing with Adversity in Your Marriage and Your LifeAs much as you might not like it, adversity is a part of life. It isn’t something to be feared but something to be managed. The best way to do that is straight on. But it can be scary if you don’t know how. Kimberly Irvine, mom, speaker, and author of Stronger: Becoming My Own Best Advocate and Discovering My Purpose describes how you can take charge when inevitable adversity enters the picture.
If you need some support in these challenging times, Lesli can help. Please share the show with those you care about on Face...2020-03-3029 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTWhat It Takes to Make Love LastAre you in love with being in love or are you wanting to make love last for the long haul? Those are only different questions to a degree. It isn’t necessary to “fall” out of love as much as it is to step through it. That’s because being “in love” is just the first part of the romantic journey. Staying on the path to lasting romantic love is possible. Dr. Aaron Ben Ze’ev, professor of Philosophy and former President of the University of Haifa and author of the new book The Arc of Love: How Our Romantic Lives...2020-03-2332 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTShould Your Marriage Be Equal?It’s commonly said that marriage should be 50/50. In my estimation, it should be 100/100. You each put in as much as you can. But what does that actually mean? I used to tell my kids that I would treat them equivalently, not equally. I think that’s a pretty good approach to marriage, too. And I’m not alone in my thinking. Dr. Glenn Geher, professor of psychology at the State University of New York at New Paltz explains why scorekeeping or only doing things to get something in return is not the best path to a happy marriage.
...2020-03-1635 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTDo You Own Your Spouse’s Happiness?One thing many spouses want more than anything is to make their partner’s happy. It’s a wonderful idea that is impossible to achieve but people keep trying. They turn themselves inside out to not disappoint, annoy, hurt, or otherwise cause distress. They try to please all day every day. Does this sound like you? Not only is it exhausting but it breeds anger and resentment. Not in your partner, but in you. Dr. Bernard Golden, the founder of Anger Management Education, explains how this happens and offers a healthier and more productive path forward.
Please send...2020-03-0931 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTThe Care and Feeding Your Marriage Needs
Do you think there is a difference between marriage and courtship behavior? Many do. The problem—that courtship behavior is the behavior that matters. Far too often, the wedding is seen as the most important moment when it actually is just the beginning. Nothing thrives on neglect and your marriage is no different. Marriage and Family Therapist Hannah Eaton reveals why you need to keep pursuing your partner even if you’ve been married for years.
If things have gotten a bit stale in your marriage, you can change that. Lesli can show you how. Share...2020-03-0231 minHappily Ever After Is Just The Beginning! - Lesli Doares, LMFTAvoiding Conflict is Worse Than Facing ItI’ve long held the position that you can’t really avoid conflict. At best you can postpone it and the longer you put off dealing with it, the worse it will be. Part of the challenge is getting past the idea that conflict is inherently bad. In truth, it is a part of daily life. A better option may be to reframe it into something more positive, say differences. And the best way of managing it is to bring it out into the open. Dr. Marisa Franco, psychologist, friendship expert and a policy fellow at Millenium Challenge Corporation expl...2020-02-2431 min