How to Deal with a Moody Partner
I used to think I wanted an emotional man until I got one! After my divorce when Otto and I were first together 22 years ago, I remember feeling so loved and cared for in a way I had never felt before. But I also …
Improve Communication
Vulnerability in Love and Life– A Good Thing or Something Else?
There was about a two week window of time after I told my first wife I was leaving her that was totally real, raw and vulnerable. Most of the time, I’d just as soon forget all the stuff that happened before (and after) that caused …
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A Slight Shift in Perspective for Happier Relationships
Recently I had a burst of insight… I was in the middle of one of my “I-know-what’s-right-for-Otto” thoughts as he was telling me a plan he was hatching… And just as quickly, another thought came rushing in… “Oh, wait a minute! Otto’s idea may be …
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Stopping the Drama Dance in Relationships
Even though I don’t consider myself a high drama person–in fact, most of the time, I think I’m pretty steady… I have had moments that I imagine I looked like a critical old, dour, school teacher with a pointy, accusatory finger. I was right–the other …
Handle Upsets, Triggers and Tricky Situations (with love and grace)
During this time of Covid-19 shut-down and re-opening, tempers are flaring. A friend was standing in line waiting to get into a store in 90 degree heat and two people started shouting over one of them getting too close and not wearing a mask. People …
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How to Get Someone to Change…
She called them the “whiny boys” and my wife Susie is finally warming up to them after all these years. What gives? How did I get her to see rock bands from the 70s and 80s like Boston, Journey, Foreigner and REO Speedwagon with new …
Do’s and Don’t’s in Loving an Angry Partner by Susie Collins
If you read Otto’s story called “Recovered from Rage,” you saw how his anger used to get lit very easily when he thought he was being controlled or wouldn’t get his needs met. He also explained what he learned that changed him from occasionally explosively …
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3 Ways to Love More and Find Peace While Sheltering in Place
During this health crisis, most of us have been told to shelter in place, hunker down and stay home…. While this is a wise move to halt the spread of the virus… Being in close quarters with your loved ones can be challenging, to say …
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The Root Cause of ALL Anger
Frankly, I’m just embarrassed when I look back on all those times when I used to get so angry… I’m not so angry anymore. In fact, you could say I’m a changed man but there have been times in my life where my outbursts of …
What Being Angry Taught Me That Made Love More Possible
I had only been married to my first husband for less than a year when I taught him it wasn’t safe to be angry. Then, for the next 29 years until we divorced, I wanted him to show me some emotion and he just couldn’t. …
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