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Couples with Kathleen
Heart-centred content to help you live a beautiful and fulfilling life.
Reflecting on the Year: 10 Questions to Wrap Up 2024
Reflection is a powerful tool for growth—it helps us celebrate our wins, acknowledge our challenges, and set intentions for the future.
Why Relationships Struggle During the Holidays (and How to Strengthen Yours)
The holiday season carries a promise of joy and togetherness, yet for many couples, it can be a time of heightened tension and disconnection.
Gratitude: Why It’s a Game Changer
The idea of gratitude can feel a bit cliché, especially when life feels overwhelming. But if there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s that gratitude has the power to transform even the darkest seasons of our lives into something brighter.
Book Review: Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay
As a couples therapist, I’m often asked to help individuals and couples understand whether staying in a relationship is right for them, and it’s a question that carries immense emotional weight.
Deciding Whether to Stay or Go: Part 2 – Reflecting on What Comes Next
This month, let’s go a step further into the heart of the question by reflecting on some core insights that can help clarify your path forward.
Understanding Your Window of Tolerance
The “window of tolerance” is a useful concept to understand how we respond to stress and to help us learn ways to expand our capacity to manage life’s challenges effectively.
Should I stay, or should I go? Part 1
Deciding to leave a relationship can be one of the most heart-wrenching decisions you’ll ever face. It often involves conflicting feelings, hopes for change, and the fear of the unknown.
How I Learned to Meditate: My Journey to Mindfulness
When I was growing up, my dad had a book on his bookshelf called Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Although I didn't practice meditation back then, those moments were my first introduction to the idea of mindfulness.
Understanding Emotional Regulation
In this article, we’ll explore what emotional regulation is, why it’s important, and how understanding the "window of tolerance" can help you stay grounded and balanced, even in the most difficult moments.
Book Review: The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris
One book that I highly recommend is The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris. This book is a valuable resource for managing challenging emotions.
Navigating Anxiety: Finding Balance and Calm in Everyday Life
In this post, we’ll explore how to recognize when anxiety is out of balance and offer practical strategies for managing it, so you can bring calm and clarity back into your life.
The Power of Active Listening in Relationships
In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s easy to hear our partners without truly listening to them. But active listening is more than just letting words wash over us—it’s a powerful tool that can deepen connection and strengthen relationships.
Mental Health and Your Home: My Experience with BLLIS
Creating a harmonious living and working environment is more crucial to our mental health than we often realize. Spaces influence our mood, productivity, and overall well-being.
Book Review: The New Rules of Marriage by Terry Real
In The New Rules of Marriage, Terry Real offers a groundbreaking guide for couples seeking to deepen their connection and navigate the complexities of modern relationships.
Managing Emotions and Reactivity in Relationships
In the rollercoaster of relationships, emotions can sometimes get the best of us. A small misunderstanding can trigger a big reaction, leaving both partners feeling hurt and confused.
Understanding Rumination: How to Break Free
Rumination is when you get stuck thinking about the same thoughts over and over again, usually negative ones.
Reconnecting After Parenthood: Strengthening Your Relationship
Becoming parents is a monumental milestone, one that brings immense joy and fulfillment. However, this transition can also challenge the dynamics of your relationship.
Embracing Self-Compassion: Why It's Essential for Your Well-Being
In our fast-paced, often demanding world, we tend to be our own harshest critics. We set high expectations for ourselves, and when we fall short, we're quick to judge and berate ourselves.
Understanding and Addressing "Kitchen Sinking" in Relationship Conflict
As a relationship therapist, I've seen countless couples struggle with a communication pattern known as "kitchen sinking." This term describes the tendency for partners to bring up a litany of past grievances and unrelated issues during an argument.
Book Review: Homecoming by Thema Bryant
Thema Bryant's Homecoming is a compelling invitation to readers who are on a journey toward self-discovery and healing. This book is wonderfully accessible to anyone interested in personal growth.