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Mindfulness in Marriage Nov 04, 2013

Show notes

Do you have what it takes to be in a relationship?

When we’re unhappy, unsatisfied, or unfulfilled in a relationship it’s the never-ending fight. Like a game of tag, the blame keeps getting thrown back and forth from one spouse to the other. Angry outbursts are sparked by seemingly unrelated events. The topic of debate is slightly altered with each passing round, but the core issue of conflict never seems to get resolved.

As children we learned how to tie our shoes, as teenagers we learned how to drive a car, but as adults, who teaches us how to be in a relationship? There is no class in school that teaches us how to behave or what to do to make a relationship successful. When it comes to acting on feelings of the heart, how do we know what we’re doing is right? If divorce rates are any indicator of our relationship proficiency, it may be fair to say that we could all use a little helpful guidance in the love department.

Taking preventative measures to teach couples how to develop a mindful attitude and lifestyle; Dr. Nina Solanki created The Mindful Relationship and Lifestyle Program, a mindfulness-based relationship enhancement program for couples. Earning her Doctoral and Master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology Dr. Nina Solanki has and expansive background in the healthcare profession ranging from private practice to crisis centers and everything in between. These days, Dr. Solanki is a therapist with Lepage Associates in Durham, North Carolina incorporating her work and knowledge of mindfulness and its benefits in relationships into both individual and couples therapy.

To find out more about Dr. Nina Solanki or her program, The Mindful Relationship and Lifestyle Program, you can visit Lepage Associates online at or call (919) 572-0000 for an appointment.

Successful Second Marriages Oct 28, 2013

Show notes

How do you let go of the baggage from your past to make your second marriage a success?

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Love isn’t always something that happens at “first sight”. The hopeless romantics of the world often have to take two, three and even four glances before they find their Mr. or Ms. Right. Once you’ve found the one that you’re ready to take that second walk down the aisle with, how can you ensure that the baggage and pitfalls that unravelled your previous relationship aren’t lingering and waiting to attack your second marriage?

Is it possible for couples to ensure the success of their union when far more challenges stand in their way? How do you successfully integrate children and exes into this modern day nuclear family?

Author of Successful Second Marriages, Patricia Bubash has worked with couples from all over the U.S. to educate them on how to make their marriage the one that lasts. With a Masters Degree in Education with an emphasis on counselling, Patricia is a licensed professional counsellor in Missouri. It’s hard to imagine how Patricia found the time to write a book when you discover her active involvement in not only her volunteer work, but in St. Louis marriage counselling community. Having been remarried before, Patricia says “third time is the charm!” as she celebrates twenty five blissful years with her husband.

To find out more about Patricia Bubash, or order your copy of her book, Successful Second Marriages, you can visit her online. Be sure to keep an eye out for Patricia’s upcoming release, Marriage Blisters: Spousal Behaviors that Rub you Wrong (or Raw).

The Quest for Quality Time Oct 21, 2013

Show notes

How can you make quality time for your relationship when you can’t even make time for yourself?

“I wish there were more hours in the day.” Every single one of us has uttered this phrase at least once in our lives. Between family, work and children competing for our attention and time, it’s easy to see how we often are unable to carve out time for ourselves, let alone our better half. All too often our relationships get pushed to the side while we focus on what’s directly in front of us. But how long can a relationship sit waiting in the sidelines before it runs out of gas completely?

When a night on the town or a movie date on the couch have become distant memories it’s time to take a hard look at your priorities as a couple and take back the quality time.

Dr. Gabriella Johr is a licensed clinical psychologist with Orenstein Solutions in Cary, NC. Over the last 10 years Gabriella has found herself working with people in various hospital, school and private practice settings. Specializing in child and family therapy, Gabriella has had a great deal of experience working with couples to manage their family and priorities while still finding time for their marriage.

To find out more about Dr. Gabriella Johr and Orenstein Solutions, you can visit them online at or call 919-428-2766 for an appointment.

Long Distance Love Oct 14, 2013

Show notes

Does absence really make the heart grow fonder?

The modern day world of employment is a far more competitive place then it was only a decade ago. The 9-to-5 workday has seemingly disappeared, and with it the typical business commute. Today, it’s not uncommon to see married couples engrossed in the demanding nature of their jobs and saying “goodnight”, or perhaps it’s “good morning”, to each other from opposite ends of the globe, trying to keep their long distance love afloat.

Planes, trains and automobiles make the world a much smaller place; a beneficial feature that many companies take advantage of. With the physical distance between spouses growing, how can a relationship survive the absence? Exactly how distance is too much? When does absence stop making the heart grow fonder and start tearing apart a relationship?

Earning her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Regent University, Dr. Janet Savia has an expansive background in the healthcare profession. She’s worked in medical laboratories, as a high school teacher, in a Fortune 50 corporation’s health care division, and as a health care consultant. These days, Dr. Savia is a therapist working with individuals and couples at Sage Psychology Group in Durham, North Carolina.

To find out more about Dr. Janet Savia and her practice, Sage Psychology Group, you can visit them online at Sage Psychology Group or call 919-472-0637 for an appointment.

A One Way Fight for Love Oct 07, 2013

Show notes

Can you try to make them stay, when “bye” is what they really want to say?

What do you do when your other half wants to leave but you can’t believe that it’s over? Perhaps the romance is waning or it could be that the fights are escalating. Is there anything that can be done to help save your relationship when your spouse wants out?   With the growing rate of divorce in North America and the ease with which we see people using the term “separate”, it can sometimes feel like a battle to try and stay together amongst a crowd of those who don’t. Can a couple really save the life that they have built together when an issue as threatening of this looms overhead?

Liam Naden is the director of Growing in Love for Life, a New Zealand based practice which provides 21st century tools and coaching methods to assist individuals and couples in saving their marriages and improving their relationship. With 25 books and counting, Liam is author of the Amazon Kindle bestsellers, “The Sexless Marriage Cure: How to Get Your Spouse (or You) Interested in Sex Again”, as well as “Stay or Go: How to Know if Your Marriage is the Right One for You”. Liam is the host of his own fortnightly relationship podcast series, “Growing in Love for Life: Save and Strengthen Your Marriage.”

To find out more about Liam Naden and his practice you can visit Growing in Love for Life online. You can also download a copy of Liam’s Amazon Kindle bestseller, “How to Save Your Marriage When Your Spouse Doesn’t Want to.”

Interrogation v. Conversation Sep 30, 2013

Show notes

When tensions are high, do you get to the source or avoid the conversation altogether?

It’s not called the art of conversation for nothing. Some things in life come easily, but conversation isn’t always one of them. When issues arise, communication tends to take a backseat in an attempt to avoid a potential debate match. A life spent employing your best avoidance tactics can make it difficult to tackle tough issues and topics with your partner.

Avoiding topics because they are difficult to discuss can have a poisonous effect on a relationship. How do you get to the root of an issue when it’s such a fine line to navigate the road between interrogation and conversation?

Our guest today is here to help us answer that very question. Specializing in couples and relationship issues for the past 15 years Dr. Susan Orenstein is the director of Orenstein Solutions in Cary, NC. Receiving her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Temple University, she has pursued advanced training in couples counselling and family mediation. Susan has been happily married (to the same man) for the past 24 years.

To find out more about Susan Orenstein and her practice, Orenstein Solutions, you can visit their website or call 919-428-2766 for an appointment.

Sibling Strife Aug 26, 2013

Show notes

Does long-standing sibling rivalry really have an impact on a marriage?

So where does sibling rivalry start in the first place? According to academic professionals at the University of Michigan Health System, the most fundamental effect and characteristic of sibling rivalry is jealousy. Constant arguments between siblings create a strong feeling of tension in the household that’s felt by everyone.

It’s also been suggested that rivalry between siblings has negative effects on the marriage of the parents, as the problems experienced between the siblings begin to make the parents more likely to disagree about who is right and who is wrong in different situations. So what is the best way to ease the tension and quell the rivalries?

Today’s guest is Dr. Kristen Wynns, a child psychologist and parenting, testing and custody specialist and the owner of Wynns Family Psychology. With extensive experience in child and parenting issues, Kristen has seen her fair share of family tension derived from sibling rivalry. According to her, spouses can reduce the negative effects of the rivalry by communicating with each other and presenting a unified front to the children.

The Wynns Family Psychology ‘Sibling Strife’ workshop will be held September 23, 2013 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

To find out more about Kristen and her practice, visit their website or call (919) 467-7777 to schedule an appointment.

The Sound Relationship House Aug 19, 2013

Show notes

Do you and your partner have what it takes to build a sound relationship house?

The Sound Relationship House theory was developed by relationship expert Dr. John Gottman and follows the notion that it’s essential for couples to cultivate and build a fundamental process for the success of the relationship. The theory includes areas such as trust, commitment, knowing your partner’s world, sharing fondness and admiration towards one another, having a positive perspective about your marriage, managing conflict, making life dreams come true, and creating a shared meaning for your marriage.

When couples get stuck in repetitive argument patterns it can be difficult to reach agreement, but what many don’t realize is that it might be more important for them to work on having more fun in their marriage rather than just focusing on reducing the conflict.

Our guest today is Dr. Katrina Kuzyszyn-Jones, a licensed psychologist and the owner of KKJ Forensic and Psychological Services in Durham, NC. Katrina is here to discuss Gottman’s Sound Relationship House theory and to give couples some solid tips on how they can follow and use the theory throughout their marriages.

To find out more about Katrina and her practice, visit their website or call (919) 493-1957 to schedule an appointment.

Family Woes Aug 12, 2013

Show notes

Despite the fact that they’re family… What do you do when you just can’t stand to be around your in-laws?

Although you love your spouse, you might not always love his or her parents or siblings. So how do you make peace with them when there has always been tension? How do you reach a compromise that everyone in the family is okay with? Naturally, the goal is to develop a comfortable role for yourself with realistic expectations for what your in-laws can offer to you and what you can offer to them. It’s not always that simple though. And sometimes it can be even more difficult because it’s family.

When there’s a lack of support from the in-laws, it can put a lot of stress on a marriage and both partners individually. Sometimes couples don’t really know how to set healthy boundaries and limits, and they ultimately get caught up in never-ending family drama and turmoil.

Today’s guest is Dr. Susan Orenstein, the director of Orenstein Solutions in Cary, NC. Susan has worked with many couples who have faced these very issues, and she’s here to discuss a way to fix the problems. According to her, it is possible for couples to get to a place where they feel comfort and happiness with their in-laws… even after many years of struggle.

To find out more about Susan and her practice, visit their website or call (919) 428-2766 to schedule an appointment.

Dealing With Change in Your Marriage Aug 05, 2013

Show notes

How can you and your partner manage change throughout your marriage? Do you both have what it takes to face the challenges change can bring?

Change is as inevitable as death and taxes, yet when people marry they don’t think very much about all of the ways their partner might change over time. Changes can come in many shapes and sizes and at various points throughout life and marriage. Changing career paths, changing religions, changing whether or not you want children or how you choose to spend or save money… The list goes on and on.

Sometimes dealing with change can be very difficult and confusing and can also put much stress on a marriage and both partners individually. If couples aren’t on the same page about how to manage different transformations throughout life, then they could very well argue a lot more which can lead to a build up of tension and resentment.

There are solutions, however, and today’s guest has some helpful pointers and tips for couples on how to manage big changes within their marriages and personal lives. Dr. Tina Lepage is the founder of Lepage Associates in Durham, NC. Among others, a specialty of hers is personal and professional relationships and with more than 15 years of experience serving clients, Tina has helped her fair share of couples dealing with many different issues.

To find out more about Tina and her practice, you can visit their website or call (919) 572-0000 to schedule an appointment.

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Do you have what it takes to be in a relationship?

How do you let go of the baggage from your past to make your second marriage a success?

How can you make quality time for your relationship when you can’t even make time for yourself?

Does absence really make the heart grow fonder?

Can you try to make them stay, when “bye” is what they really want to say?

When tensions are high, do you get to the source or avoid the conversation altogether?

Does long-standing sibling rivalry really have an impact on a marriage?

Do you and your partner have what it takes to build a sound relationship house?

Despite the fact that they’re family… What do you do when you just can’t stand to be around your in-laws?

How can you and your partner manage change throughout your marriage? Do you both have what it takes to face the challenges change can bring?

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