by Dave Thornsen, PsyD | published Apr 25, 2017 | Couples
The financial cost of divorce keeps going up and the emotional cost remains consistently as high as ever. When children are involved, the difficulties of the relationship sometimes don’t end but continue right through the divorce into the post-marital relationship. An...
by Dave Thornsen, PsyD | published Aug 27, 2015 | Couples, Families, Infidelity
I heard on the radio that there were more people in Grand Rapids who signed up for an account on the Ashley Madison website than voted in our last Mayoral election. That thought stuck with me. As a Licensed Psychologist who specializes in couples work in Grand Rapids...
by Dave Thornsen, PsyD | published Mar 12, 2015 | Communication, Couples, Families, Stress Management
The truth about conflict avoidance is that it is not honest. In order to avoid conflict a person must essentially lie. They say “Yes” when they really mean “No.” They say “No” when they really mean “Yes.” They leave something out of what they are saying because they...
by Dave Thornsen, PsyD | published Feb 27, 2015 | Communication, Couples, Families, Stress Management
We all know that disagreements between partners are common. Whether they are big issues or little issues the potential for disagreement is a common part of any couple trying to work together or get along. When a potential disagreement arises we always have a choice to...
by Dave Thornsen, PsyD | published Feb 12, 2015 | Communication, Couples, Families, Stress Management
Most couples coming into therapy identify “communication” as the main issue that caused them to call. We’re so used to the word that we forget what a complicated and fragile thing communication is. Because so many factors create communication, there are just as many...
by Dave Thornsen, PsyD | published Feb 6, 2015 | Couples
O+I=R This simple equation explains what we need to experience a thriving, dynamic relationship. O stands for OBSERVATION Observation is a crucial aspect of any partner’s effectiveness in a relationship. Observation is how we know what’s going on. Without observation...
by Dave Thornsen, PsyD | published Nov 19, 2014 | Communication, Couples, Families
People often seem shocked when I tell them that all couples can benefit from counseling. I think that response comes from the idea that marriage counseling is only for helping couples get through a crisis. It’s not. The research has shown us that couples tend to make...
by Rosalyn Baker | published Dec 16, 2013 | Communication, Couples, Families, Mental Health
When many of us commit to another we truly believe we have found our Prince Charming or Darling Princess. Why else would we want to be with them if not because we believe we’re going to live happily ever after with our mate? Your other half will make you happy,...
by Rosalyn Baker | published Sep 16, 2013 | Couples, Mental Health, Parenting
The day after the wedding of Jenny’s father and myself, I overheard her playmate ask, “Is she a wicked stepmother?” It then occurred to me that I may struggle in my new role – not only with being a stepparent, but also with Step Parenting Myths. I was...
