Stay Happily Married

Is your overprotective parenting hurting your child and damaging your marriage? Before we had government agencies in place to advise us on what was good or dangerous for us, we only had one way of finding out this information…through first hand experience. Bumps, scrapes and broken hearts were all part of the novelty that is childhood. However, like anything else, with enough information this has gone away. It seems like parents today want to protect their children from the ails of the world and prevent them from experiencing any of it. This “over parenting” could be harming your child more than helping them. Does your marriage have what it takes to overcome this? Edie Raether, a self-proclaimed “Change Strategist” is an international keynote speaker, relationship and parenting coach, as well as a bestselling author of several books, including Sex for the Soul and Stop Bullying Now. Focusing on a child’s role in a family unit became a passion of Edie’s. So much so that she developed a character building program from children called “I Believe I can Fly!” As a behavioral psychology expert, Edie has been a psychotherapist, hypnotherapist and marriage and family counselor for 30 years and has addressed all relationship, behavioral, health and healing issues. To find out more about Edie Raether you can visit their website or call 704-658-8997 for an appointment. For information about child entitlement and bullying, visit her Stop Bullying Now website.

How important are chemistry and connection in a relationship? When we met that special someone we felt the chemistry to keep it going. It was new. It was exciting. When we fell in love we built a connection that made us feel invincible and as if we could conquer anything as a team. When that connection dwindles in a marriage the effects become apparent in all aspects of the relationship. Is there a way to keep the marriage going when the connection is gone? Dr. Barry Rand joins us today to help us answer this question. Dr. Rand received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and completed the Advanced Marriage Therapy Training program with Dr.’s John & Julie Gottman of the Gottman Institute in Seattle. Barry has been a NC Licensed Psychologist for 14 years and currently has a private practice in Asheville, NC called Asheville Marriage Therapy. To find out more about Dr. Barry Rand or his practice, Asheville Marriage Therapy, you can visit their website call 828-216-0018 for an appointment.

Could a week long couples cruise be the key to saving your marriage? Gilligan had it all wrong; it takes more than a 3-hour tour. In fact, it takes 7 days. A simple, relaxing 7 days on the water could be the solution you’ve been searching for to save your drowning marriage from ending up like the Titanic. When a marriage is in danger, most couples attend couples counseling as a possible solution. But what if there was an option that would allow for deeper discovery and understanding without the constrictions of a one-hour time limit? In addition to being an experienced sailor, Dr. Bryce Kaye received his Bachelor’s in psychology from Columbia University, and his Masters and Doctorate in psychology form the University of Illinois. Bryce has published a book on marriage improvement called The Marriage First Aid Kit and is currently working on his new book, When Love & Anger Got Married: Human Paradox & Spiritual Growth. Bryce now has two private practices, the Cary Counseling Center in Cary, NC and the Oriental Counseling Center in New Bern, NC. From the nearby town of Oriental, NC, Bryce and his wife, Helen, run a company called Love Odyssey Charters in which they take one couple at a time on a week-long cruise to different ports of call along the rivers and sounds of North Carolina. While cruising with each couple, Bryce and Helen intensely coach the couple on how to save their troubled marriage. To find out more about Bryce Kaye and Love Odyssey Charters you can visit their website or call 919-460-2516 for more information or to make your reservation.

Is your marriage getting the help and attention it needs to defeat the divorce odds? It seems that divorce is the new “big thing”. With the divorce rate hovering around 50% there have been entire industries and communities built to help the people going through this transition. This year there is even a divorce expo in New York City. What about the expos promoting marriage and making your relationship work, even through the difficult times? Dr. Don Azevedo left graduate school with a strong desire to strengthen marriages and families. He received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Tennessee. Don’s work has taken him to a variety of locations from warzones in Desert Storm, corporate settings, hospitals and finally private practice. Don is the Director of 3-C Family Services in Cary, North Carolina where he provides help to individuals, couples and families. To find out more about Dr. Don Azevedo and 3-C Family Services you can visit their website or call 919-677-0101 for an appointment.

Can a parent’s advice save your marriage? We’ve feared this day! We thought our chances of escaping this doomed fate were better than average. BUT…it’s finally happened. We’ve finally realized that we have turned into our parents! Leslie Petruk, author of the website OMG! I Sound Just Like My Mother, joins us this week to give us insight on how a parent's habits or advice can hinder your marriage. Leslie is a licensed counselor who has been in practice for 15 years. She has specialized training in both marriage and family therapy. She is currently the founder and owner of SteppingStones Counseling & Consulting, a private practice counseling center in Charlotte, NC. With a team of 5 therapists, Leslie and her practice work to provide collaborative counseling services for children, teens, adults, couples and families. SteppingStones is even hosting a women’s self-discovery group on May 3rd. To find out more about Leslie Petruk and Stepping Stones Counseling & Consulting you can visit their website or call 704-335-6100 for an appointment. For more insight on how your parents habits can have an effect on your relationship, visit OMG! I Sound Just Like My Mother!

Does your spouse’s mid-life crisis mean the end of your marriage? A motorcycle, a bright red convertible, or maybe a new young girlfriend; all of these just scream mid-life crisis. We seem to be able to recognize the obvious signs of a mid-life crisis but how do we handle a situation like this? In a marriage, a mid-life crisis is never a stage that affects only one person. Dr. Dave Aspenson holds a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from UNC Chapel Hill. His natural gift for guiding others led to a position as a Clinical Assistant  Professor of Behavioral Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill. After practicing and training in a variety of counseling, medical, and psychiatric settings, Dave opened his own office in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1999 and is now available for private consultation and counseling. To find out more about Dr. Dave Aspenson you can visit his website or call 919-402-9212 for an appointment. To get more information on how to survive a mid-life crisis you can visit Dave’s Mid-Life Crisis website.

Are you still hung up on something that you spouse did in the past? So you fell in love, got married, had kids…then what? To the happy honeymooners it’s not always apparent that marriage is something you have to work on to maintain. After a major marriage changing event a lot of couples go to couples counseling to “repair” their marriage, but then what? What happens after couples counseling if couples aren’t happy or nothing has been resolved? Dr. Katrina Kuzyszyn-Jones is owner of KKJ Forensic and Psychological Services in Durham, North Carolina. Katrina has worked with many families during the separation and divorce process and understands the many challenges facing committed couples. She has worked with individuals and couples dealing with issues of infidelity, retirement, and even becoming new parents. Dr. Jones understands that different couples need different approaches to work through their situations at their own pace. To find out more about Dr. Katrina Kuzyszyn-Jones and KKJ Forensic and Psychological Services you can visit their website or call 919-493-1975 for an appointment.

Do you have what it takes to be an involved father figure? Only in the most recent decades has the idea of the typical family structure shifted. Where it used to be that women would stay home and raise the children, we now see mother’s going back to work. With the roles and responsibilities of every family changing, the parents must change with it. Father’s are stepping up to the plate and taking a more involved role in their children’s life. From preparing meals and helping with chores to taking the children out for an afternoon, fathers are getting more involved in their children’s lives. The question is, do you have what it takes? Tony Delmedico is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a private practice in  Raleigh, North Carolina. Tony works with individuals, couples, children and families to alleviate psychological suffering and improve relationships. Tony is currently working on a manuscript entitled “The Journey Toward Deep Fatherhood”. It’s easy to see that Tony’s passion in life is being a father. Tony has been a traditional, stay-at-home, single, and blended family dad for the last 15 years. He really has seen and done it all. To find out more about Tony Delmedico you can visit his website or call 919-623-8118 for an appointment. To hear more about Tony’s thoughts on fathers you can visit his online blog.

Is your spouse having an affair with their co-worker? They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but does it really? It seems that the more time we spend with someone the more bonded with them we become. We find common interests, form jokes, and grow attachments. In most circumstances this is a good thing, however, when you and your spouse are working long hours this can be very troublesome for any relationship. The time spent apart and in the company of co-workers could drive your spouse right into someone else's arms. Dr. Katy Sampson joins us today to discuss how your spouses work schedule can affect your love life in more ways than you could have imagined. Dr. Katy Sampson is a psychologist with Lepage Associates in Durham, NC. Katy works with adults, children, couples and families with a wide range of issues. She has assisted couples and families in improving their communication, managing conflict, and dealing with major life transitions. Katy’s a born adventurer who enjoys biking, hiking and experimenting new and exotic foods. To find out more about Dr. Katy Sampson you can visit the Lepage Associates website or call 919-572-0000 for an appointment.

Is your relationship lacking the necessary spice to keep you going? We all hit a plateau in our relationships. Maybe we’re sick of our routine. Maybe the sex has gotten boring and stale. Whatever the cause, we have the solution. Our guest today, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, has all the answers you need to spice up your relationship and make sex exciting again. Dr. Judy Kuriansky is a woman of many accomplishments in the field of Clinical Psychology. Dr. Judy works as a certified sex therapist, couples counselor, marriage counselor, writer and professor. Dr. Judy  is an internationally respected psychology who teaches at Columbia University Teachers College and is an honorary professor at China’s Beijing Medical School. Dr. Judy has been featured on many radio and television shows, including Oprah, Larry King Live, and CNN. She runs workshops and seminars for public and professional groups worldwide on dating, love and interpersonal relations. Dr. Judy is also the author or many relationship-focused books, including: Generation Sex, The Complete Idiots Guide to a Healthy Relationship, The Complete Idiots Guide to Dating, as well as The Complete Idiots Guide to Tantric Sex. In her free time Dr. Judy is humanitarian and peace activist. Her band has played for the Dalai Lama and as an NGO representative for the United Nations she has helped educate others on HIV prevention. To find out more about Dr. Judy Kuriansky you can visit her website or call 212-307-6771 for an appointment.

Do your marital fights psychologically damage your children? It is impossible not to fight with your spouse at some point in your marriage. It’s life. But have you ever stopped to consider what the effects are for the people who have the infortune to overhear the bickering, such as your children? Our guest, Bethlyn Johnson, says the effects of fighting can forever change your children’s personal well-being and social interactions. Bethlyn Johnson is a counselor at Believe in Therapy of Raleigh, NC. New to North Carolina, Bethlyn recently moved from Illinois, where she received her Bachelor’s in Sociology and Psychology, as well as a Master’s in Clinical Psychology. Bethlyn has worked with individuals and couples of all sorts using her approach of cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as mindfulness and biofeedback. To find out more about Bethlyn Johnson you can visit the Believe in Therapy website or call 919-755-0545 for an appointment.