Practical tips and insights for your relationships

Marriage, Couples/Relationships, Communication Skills Dr. David Marine Mabry Marriage, Couples/Relationships, Communication Skills Dr. David Marine Mabry

When Your Marriage Feels Like Roommates

It is one of the most common phrases couples use: 
“We’re not fighting. We just feel like roommates.” 
There may be no dramatic conflict. No major betrayal. No obvious crisis. 
Just distance. 
A roommate marriage often develops gradually. Two people share responsibilities, schedules, and space—but not much emotional connection. Over time, the relationship becomes functional rather than fulfilling. 
If your marriage feels distant, you are not alone. And emotional connection in marriage can be rebuilt. ​

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Couples/Relationships, Marriage Dr. David Marine Mabry Couples/Relationships, Marriage Dr. David Marine Mabry

Marriage Checkup: 10 Questions to Assess the Health of Your Relationship

Most people schedule annual physical checkups. 
Very few people schedule a marriage checkup. 
Yet relationships rarely deteriorate overnight. More often, couples drift gradually—through busyness, stress, unspoken frustrations, or simple neglect. A regular relationship health assessment can help prevent that drift and strengthen your marriage intentionally. 
If you want a healthy marriage, it’s wise to pause occasionally and ask honest questions. 
Not to assign blame.
Not to create fear.
But to build awareness. 

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5 Ways to Resolve Conflict Before It Ruins Your Holidays

The holidays have a way of lighting up both the beauty and the rough edges of our relationships. We anticipate the traditions, the good food, the laughter, and the moments with people we love. But we also carry the awareness that the season can stir up tension—old frustrations, unrealistic expectations, or the simple weight of an overloaded schedule.

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5 Ways Gratitude Transforms Your Relationships

Probably the greatest danger of taking people or things for granted is that we lose our gratitude for them. Thankfulness is a theme that runs cover to cover through the Bible and is a cornerstone of nearly every moral belief system. Yet gratitude is an attitude that seems to be increasingly losing latitude in our culture. 

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4 Habits of Couples Who Stay Emotionally Connected

It’s the small things that make a marriage feel alive. A touch on the shoulder, a shared laugh over morning coffee, a quick check-in before bed — these moments may seem ordinary, but they’re what hold couples together over time.

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3 Mistakes Parents Make in Conflict — and How to Fix Them

Parenting is hard. Full stop! As a mom of five, I’ve done a lot of things well over the years—and made plenty of mistakes too. One of the hardest areas to navigate is parenting during conflict. Anger, frustration, exhaustion, and a dozen other emotions can bring out the worst in any of us. Let’s look at three common mistakes parents make in conflict—and some practical ways to fix them.​

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The Epidemic of Disconnection

We are living in what experts are calling an epidemic of disconnection

Why relationship skills are the new mental health crisis response.

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Breaking Family Patterns: Turning Generational curses into blessings

When not recognized and broken, generational curses can destroy marriages and families.”

That statement got my attention—and it has kept my attention ever since.

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Why responsible fatherhood matters more than ever

When we talk about strengthening families and communities, one concept consistently rises to the top: Responsible Fatherhood. But what does that really mean—and why is it so vital?

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Why you should get married and stay married

While it's not the only path to a fulfilling life, there’s something unique about marriage that other types of relationships can’t quite match. If you're wondering whether marriage is worth it or if it's just an old tradition, here’s why you should get married—and stay married. 

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Add Positives First

When things are going sideways in a relationship it is easy to focus on negatives, with what's going wrong. Much like gravity, such a focus pulls us downward and decreases our hope for improvement or restoration. Is there a better way to approach relationship challenges?

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