Quick Summary: Men who go quiet in relationships aren't usually unfeeling. Most were raised without the language for vulnerable emotion, a pattern therapists call Normative Male Alexithymia. It shows up as withdrawal, irritability, or deflection, not disinterest. Below: how to recognize it, how to respond to it, and when it's time for him to get individual support in addition to whatever you're working on together. Marriage and long-term relationships are often described as o

Quick Answer: Affair recovery is a structured but nonlinear process that typically spans one to three years, depending on the depth of the betrayal, both partners' commitment to the work, and the quality of professional support. It moves through four overlapping phases — crisis, stabilization, rebuilding, and integration — and requires active, sustained participation from both the betrayed and the unfaithful partner. With the right therapeutic support, research shows that mos

By Christina Neri, LCSW | Maverick Marriage Therapy | Marietta, GA Quick answer: Faith-based marriage counseling and secular therapy use many of the same clinical tools, but they differ in how they understand the purpose of marriage, how they handle forgiveness, and how much your values shape the treatment itself. For couples who want their spiritual identity to be part of the healing rather than set aside for it, the difference is real and meaningful. If you've been shopping

By Christina Neri, LCSW | Maverick Marriage Therapy | Marietta, GA Quick Answers: What Most Couples Want to Know First What is faith-based marriage counseling? Faith-based marriage counseling is professional, licensed therapy that brings your spiritual beliefs into the room alongside evidence-based clinical techniques. It isn't prayer instead of therapy. It's counseling that treats your faith as part of who you are rather than something to set aside when the session starts. I

By Christina Neri, LCSW | Certified Level 3 Gottman Therapist | Maverick Marriage Therapy, Marietta, GA Quick Answer: Discernment counseling is a short-term, structured process — typically 1 to 5 sessions — designed for couples where one partner is considering divorce and the other wants to save the marriage. It doesn't try to fix the relationship. Its only goal is to help both partners arrive at clarity and confidence about which direction to go next. It was developed by Dr

The Gottman Method is a research-validated approach to couples therapy built on 40+ years of observational science.

By Christina Neri, LCSW | Reviewed for Clinical Accuracy on March 4, 2026 You’ve suggested therapy, and his response was likely a heavy sigh or a defensive wall. Perhaps he agreed, but you can see the mounting hyper-vigilance in his eyes. He expects to walk into a clinical deposition where he is the only defendant. The Bottom Line: Relational Life Therapy (RLT) is a directive, high-accountability model of couples counseling designed to break chronic cycles of conflict. By id

You know the feeling: the heavy pit in your stomach as you pull into the driveway after work, wondering which version of your partner you will encounter tonight.

When you are in the middle of a marriage crisis, the world feels smaller. The walls of your home, once a sanctuary, may now feel like the epicenter of a storm. You might be checking your phone for lawyers, or perhaps you are simply sitting in silence, wondering if one more night under the same roof will lead to a permanent separation.

Marriage counseling isn’t about fixing what’s broken—Here's how the right approach, grounded in experience and empathy, can make counseling a lasting path forward.

Why Your Marriage Feels More Like Parenting Than Partnership Let’s talk about something real. You love your partner, but lately, being...

La historia de Andrea y Emilio ya no es rara. Lucharon mucho para estar juntos. Ciudades distintas. Llamadas a distancia. Horas en...

Andrea and Emilio fought hard to be together. Different cities. Long-distance calls. Hours on trains just to spend a weekend in the same room. When they finally closed the distance (married, a baby on the way, same zip code), Andrea expected to feel close. Instead, she felt lonelier than she ever had during the long-distance years. Emilio was right there on the couch. His phone had his full attention. Marcus and Diane had a different version of the same story. No phone proble

These are six tips and tricks to keep in mind when bringing up couples therapy/ therapy with loved ones

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but when it seeps into your marriage, it can feel like a widening gulf between you and your partner.

Addiction has taken control of your relationship and after riding the ups and downs of each episode you realize your partnership is in...

Let’s face it. Unless you grew up in an emotionally healthy family system it’s highly likely you never learned how to be emotionally...

Your phone screen doesn’t lie, but the sudden, violent shift in your reality feels impossible to process. Seconds ago, you had a marriage. Now, you have a crime scene. Your heart is hammering against your ribs. Your stomach has completely dropped out. Your brain is firing a million frantic questions at once. Most people in this exact millisecond make three critical mistakes that accidentally burn their relationship to the ground before they even know if they want to save it.