Marriage Articles by Peggy L. Ferguson, Ph.D., Stillwater, OK

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To access the articles, just click on the title of the article. It will open in a separate pdf document that can be saved to your computer and/or printed off.  All articles are copyrighted.  We welcome you to use them for your own information and to share them with others as long as you cite my authorship,provide website information/link, and do not edit them.

Table of Contents
Seeking Marriage Counseling Help Articles
Premarital Counseling
Benefits of Marriage Counseling: Ten Skills You Can Gain From Marriage Counseling
Why Seek Marriage Counseling: Whether High Conflict or No Energy Left, Marriage Counseling Can Help
The Key To Successful Recovery of Your Marriage

Infidelity Articles
How Do Affairs Happen?
Your Spouse's Infidelity Revealed - Of Course You Are Angry and Scared
Your Spouse's Infidelity Revealed - Getting Over the Shock and Getting to Recovery
Marital Infidelity:  Are CyberAffairs Infidelity? Are Internet Relationships Cheating?


Intimacy Articles
If the Obamas Can Do It, So Can You - 3 Easy Steps to Having A Date Night
Learning the Secret of Establishing True Intimacy In Your Relationship
Eight Super Simple Things You Can Do Today To Begin To Restore Intimacy To Your Marriage
Restore the Interest and Intimacy to Your Lifeless Marriage
Seven Simple Changes to Make to Restore Love and Intimacy to Your Marriage
How to Get Your Spouse to Want to Spend Time With You
Excuses, Excuses, Excuses - What keeps You From  Spending Time With Your Spouse?

General Marriage Articles
The Valentine's Day Gift That Keeps On Giving
Keep Your Parents and Your Children Out of Your Marriage
Six Guidelines For Developing Patience and Tolerance For Your Family During the Holidays
Building Your Own Marriage Enrichment Initiative



Couples and Money Articles
Marriage May Equal Money In The Bank
The Meaning of Money in a Marriage
Bill Paying Guide Worksheet-
(Use this guide/model by editing it and making it fit your bills.)

Healthy Marriages Articles
Building Healthy Step-Families

 

When Your Sandwich Generation Marriage Feels Flat and Lifeless

By Peggy L. Ferguson, Ph.D.

 

If you are in the age group referred to as “the Sandwich Generation” you know what it means to be spending your time and energy on assisting your aging parents and in-laws while juggling the continuing demands of parenting late adolescent and “adult children”.   This is also a time when you are thinking about your own retirement and trying to figure out how to accomplish it and keep from eating cat food on a regular basis.  Your resources of time, energy, and money are constantly being used to take care of people other than you and your spouse. 

You may be working together as a team with your spouse to accomplish this nearly impossible balancing act.  Or, you may be missing your spouse, since by the time you settle in at bedtime, you’re brain dead and unable to have a reasonable conversation, much less engage in passionate sex.  You are just as likely to be dealing with your stress and unilaterally and blaming or criticizing your spouse for not being more helpful.  As you individually problem solve, you may have difficulty effectively asking for help.  You may not even be able to recall the last time you really had a conversation with your spouse about anything but “care giving”. Your marriage may seem flat and lifeless. To read the rest of this article, follow this link: When Your Sandwich Generation Marriage Feels Flat and Lifeless

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Predicting Your Own Divorce: 

 

Why You Should Never Use the D-Word

By Peggy L. Ferguson, Ph.D.

 

If you want to give your marriage a chance to recover from whatever is bothering you at the moment, don't use the D-word.  Don't say, "I want a divorce" in the heat of an argument.  Don't use it as a punishment, a threat, a dirty fight tactic, or as a joke.  When you do, you are setting the stage for that very thing to come true.

Marital partners in conflict, often use all manner of dirty fight tactics as they try to get their spouse to see things their way.  Both are typically trying to accomplish the same thing, or one is trying to escape from the conflict all together by withdrawing.  The words, "I want a divorce!" definitely has impact and gets the other person's attention.  If you say "I want a divorce" or if you hear "I want a divorce" long enough, it loses its shock value and it becomes an idea that you get used to.  It becomes real.  Then it becomes a possible solution.  Eventually, it can feel like the only solution.  To read the rest of this article, follow this link:  Predicting Your Own Divorce:  Why You Should Never Use the D-Word

The Honey Jar - A Couples' Communication Exercise

For More Information on

The Honey Jar

Go to The Honey Jar Page

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Copyright: Peggy L. Ferguson, Ph.D., 116 W. 7^th, Suite 211 , Stillwater , OK   74074 , phone 405-707-9600, fax 405-707-9601, email peggyferguson@hotmail.com, http://www.peggyferguson..com

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Serving Stillwater (74074, 74075, 74076), Perry (73077), Perkins (74059), Cushing (74023), Pawnee (74058), Guthrie (73044), Ponca City (74601, 74602, 74604), Morrison (73061), and other local communities.

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Providing services for Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, Chemical Dependency, Sex Addiction, Mental Health Issues, Depression, Anxiety, Stress Management, Addiction Recovery, Drug Abuse, Spouse of sex addict, Relapse prevention, Drug cravings, Family Business Issues, Couple Money Issues, Co-dependency, Adult Children of Alcoholism Issues, Cross-addiction, Co-occurring disorders, marital family therapy, marriage family counseling, step-parenting, step-family issues, couple money issues, grief, mid-life issues, infidelity.  Providing individual, group, marriage, family, and couples sessions.  Providing professional supervision and training and consultation services.

Serving Stillwater (74074, 74075, 74076), Perry (73077), Perkins (74059), Cushing (74023), Pawnee (74058), Guthrie (73044), Ponca City (74601, 74602,74604), Morrison (73061), and other local communities.