The Gift of a Lifetime
Building a Marriage That Lasts (Revised Edition)
by
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No one is perfect, so therefore no relationship will be perfect. When couples begin to find themselves in troubled waters, counseling might help them get back on track. Counseling is also helpful for the healthy marriage that endures life’s daily challenges, to keep the focus positive.
In a recent counseling session, a woman was talking about the changes she seemed to be making in her marriage. She said that things were improving and she was a lot happier with her husband. When I asked her to pinpoint the cause she called it just “relationship maintenance.” I asked for further explanation and she said, “I’m doing the little things that I know are important to my husband and getting good results.” She summed it up by saying “I am focusing on what I do have and not on what is missing.”
I started to think about the word maintenance, and how it impacts peoples’ lives. I wondered if other people believed that their relationships needed maintaining or that they could just take care of themselves. Could many relationship problems be a result of low to zero maintenance from the involved parties?
Maintenance is a household word, but when it comes to relationships where do we stand? Do we have a regular scheduled maintenance plan designed to prevent problems from occurring? While it may not be as simple as a regular scheduled oil change, neglecting it could have similar consequences. Becoming more attentive to your relationship will contribute to its happiness and longevity. A simple suggestion might be to have a talk with your spouse or partner to find out his/her thoughts on this idea. Then begin to discuss your own individualized maintenance plan. By taking an inventory of what is and isn’t working can help to get a jump start on resolving some issues before they turn into unsolvable ones. A counselor could assist and provide input in this process.
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About the Book
When was the last time you performed a little maintenance on your marriage? Once many couples say “I do” and return home from the honeymoon, they kick back and put their marriages on autopilot. Then when they hit those bumps in the road, they wonder why their unions are on shaky ground.
Marriage maintenance really isn’t any different from anything that needs routine attention. It’s pretty logical, really. If you take care of something, it’s apt to last a lot longer. Peters introduces her formula for building, growing and keeping a marriage healthy and long-lasting. She calls it F.A.C.T.S., a powerful acronym that can strengthen a marriage: F is for Forgiveness, A is for Acceptance, C is for Compassion, T is for Trust and S is for Spirituality.
Ideal for:
· People who are getting married or engaged.
· Already married and renewing vows.
· Already married and just need to improve what they already have.
· Anyone in a committed relationship who wants it to work for the long haul.
About the Author
Barbara Peters is a Registered Nurse and a Licensed Professional Counselor. Barbara has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, a Bachelor of Sciences in Counseling. She has worked in diverse mental health settings, and has been in private practice counseling couples and individuals for the past 15 years. Barbara is originally from Long Island, New York, but has lived in Georgia since 1986, and recently has re-located to Charlotte NC. Her main passion is working with couples, and seeing them develop a better relationship. In addition to her counseling couples, her recent work as a relationship coach helps people gain trust in their ability to make decisions leading to a better lifestyle.
She also spends much of her time giving back to the community with her therapy dog, Britan.
Please visit her website at www. barbarajpeters.com