Theravive Home

The unity of marriage not only brings two individuals together, but it also blends families. While you and your spouse may have worked through the challenges of getting to know each other and how to coexist, your families may still be trying to figure out how to interact and be a part of your new chapter in life. There are plenty of marriages out there where one spouse and their in-laws are polar opposites, making it difficult for them to get along. It's also not uncommon for cohabitating couples to have to deal with their parents' dishing out wisdom from their years of marriage. [More]

With marriage comes the thick and thin. Having your parents move in with you is most certainly in the “thick” category. Rather than stress yourself out and damage your marriage, follow some of these tips to keep the love alive. Once mom and dad are back on their feet, you can mark this down as another challenge you conquered together as a team. [More]

The first year of your marriage is likely the most challenging (though some will disagree). As time goes by, the blissfully "in love" feelings fade and you’re left with reality. Learning to live with and cope with another individual on a day to day basis takes time, practice, and cooperation on both sides. A lot of mistakes will be made along the way, but it is how you recover and learn from those mistakes that will make all the difference. [More]

Jealousy is one of those feelings that’s very complicated, yet natural. We can be jealous of the way someone’s body looks or jealous of someone else’s relationship. There might be times we become jealous and don’t know why. Getting past jealousy means taking the proper steps in your relationship to reassure your loved one that you’re on their team and no one else’s. [More]

When you first got married, the thrill and anticipation of learning about someone new kept the flame alive. There were so many new experiences for the two of you to delve into as a couple that boredom or mundane routine was the last thing on your mind. Fast-forward a few years and what was once an exciting experience has now come close to being an “obligated responsibility”. Your life is routine, and it seems that you have learned everything there is to know about your spouse. [More]

As much as you adore your children, since their arrival it seems that you get less and less time with your significant other. Your day to day living has become a tiring routine that includes getting up, getting the kids ready, preparing meals, getting out of the house to get to work and school on time, picking up the kids, taking them to extracurricular activities, preparing dinner, and finally going to bed. While you are grateful for the life you have with a family you love, getting just a few moments to take a deep breath and focus on your spouse seems like a near-impossible feat. The good news is that it is possible to find a bit of time for yourselves without disrupting your routine or breaking the bank. [More]

The first thing you need to realize is that you are human and it is completely natural for human beings to be emotionally or physically attracted to each other. Just because you’re exclusive or have said “I do” does not turn off your hormones, or blind your eyes to people that you find attractive, amusing or flirtatious. So, if you’re beating yourself up about this attraction, you can stop. [More]

Many people counting down to retirement think of having no alarm clock and no "written-in-stone" schedule, but they fail to consider one thing. Their spouse. Their spouse who retired earlier. [More]

Alone time is therapeutic; however, if you wait to ask for some space until you get sick or completely exhausted, your marriage may suffer. Taking care of yourself (sometimes referred to as self-care) is necessary to your health and sanity, as well as to your relationships. Nobody wins if the individuals of a couple don't take care of themselves and fulfill their needs for alone time. [More]

As the years go by, you may feel like your spouse or partner no longer feels that you are attractive or significant. In fact, you may feel like just about everything and everybody else is far more appealing than you are in your spouse's or partner's world. These other things can include work, hobbies, friends, and coworkers, to name a few. If you are feeling a lack of connection with your spouse or partner, there are things you can do to catch their attention and make yourself more available. [More]