Tag Archives: Fayetteville

Premarital Counseling Benefits

Premarital counseling can be a benefit for couples who choose to make this investment before marriage. It can help couples build a foundation for their relationship, improve communication skills, and reduce the risk of future conflicts. Working with a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) can provide a safe and supportive environment for couples to explore their expectations, values, and goals for their future together.

One of the primary benefits of premarital counseling with an MFT is improved communication skills. Couples learn how to effectively communicate their needs, feelings, and concerns, which can reduce misunderstandings and promote deeper intimacy. Couples also learn how to listen actively, empathize with each other’s perspectives, and express themselves in a non-judgmental way.

In addition to communication skills, premarital counseling can also help couples explore important issues that they might not want to talk about otherwise in a safe space. This exploration can help couples identify potential areas of conflict or unforeseen circumstances and develop strategies to manage those conflicts in a constructive way.

Premarital counseling with an MFT can also help couples develop a stronger sense of commitment for a long-lasting relationship. By working together to identify shared goals and values, couples can create a vision for their future.

Ultimately, premarital counseling with an MFT can help couples build a strong, relationship. By investing in their relationship before marriage couples can set themselves up for a better chance for success for a fulfilling future together.

Call today to schedule an appointment with a licensed MFT, please leave a voice mail at 479-225-0055. Offering 60 min. sessions on a sliding scale fee to fit most schedules and budgets in the NWA area or anywhere in Arkansas.

Thank you.

Healthy Relationships

Building and maintaining healthy relationships is a journey that requires effort, patience, and commitment, to a likeminded individual. Whether you’re in a romantic partnership, a friendship, or a family relationship, the following tips can help you establish and nurture healthy connections.

Effective communication is key to any healthy relationship. This means being open and honest with your partner or friend, expressing your needs and concerns in a respectful manner, and actively listening to their perspective. Communication also involves being mindful of your tone and body language and avoiding behaviors that might be considered negative.

Trust is another essential element of healthy relationships. This involves being reliable, consistent, and transparent in your actions, and respecting your partner’s boundaries and privacy. Trust also means being vulnerable and sharing your thoughts and feelings with your partner and being supportive of them in kind.

Healthy relationships also require a willingness to compromise and work through conflicts. This means acknowledging and addressing issues when they arise, and seeking out solutions that work for both parties. It also involves being patient and empathetic and understanding that relationships are not always perfect or easy.

Finally, self-care is crucial for maintaining healthy relationships. This means taking care of your own physical and emotional needs, setting boundaries to protect your time and energy, and prioritizing activities that bring you joy and fulfillment. When you take care of yourself, you are better equipped to show up as your “best self” in your relationships.

Please call NWA Marriage Family Therapy at 479-225-0055 Office V. M. to make a 60 min. appointment. Offering an affordable sliding scale fee for clients who live in the NWA area or anywhere in Arkansas. Weekends are available..

Thank You.

New Years Tribute, NWA Marriage & Family Therapy

Happy New Year’s 2019. Reflecting on 2018 I was thinking some times it is good to take a look back to remember those folks who lived and came before us. Way before us. We are here because they survived and had the strength to carry on even in very difficult circumstances, often facing situations that in their time seemed impossible to overcome or endure. We as people, are stronger and more resilient than we believe to face our situations.

Please call NWA Marriage & Family Therapy @ 479-225-0055 to set an appointment for couples or individual counseling, at your convenience. If you need my services, in Fayetteville, Bella Vista, or Ft. Smith.please leave a voice message and I will call back.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

Happy 2019 New Year’s to all as we head forward.

Carmen

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Counseling, Therapy in the age of AI – Erica

Watching this you tube video of Erica an AI android, was eye opening as far as the speed at which AI is progressing and developing as a technology. These “machines” at first seemed clumsy and slow. Now they seem realistic and life like, with a better command of language and a good sense of humor, complete with facial gestures. Now Erica has her own face book account, and channel. Soon, I think humans will have the option as far as doing therapy with AI versus a human being. The military is already experimenting with AI’s for therapy. It is an interesting choice.

Counseling Research

The dilemma is research on counseling for the last forty years shows that its not about techniques or theories used by the therapists that determine outcomes of clients,, but the relationship developed with your clients in session that helps them heal. Will AI’s be able to mimic this situation? Will the create new ways to do therapy?

Basically, what makes us fundamentally human is how we connect with each other, and share our experience, with others. These interactions are all part of that human experience, hat helps us heal., and connects us to each other.

We are watching how the AI phenomenon is developing at great speed and with surprisingly little social discourse. You tube clip, stated that one AI received citizenship and that we needed to make space for new entities,, not human, not machine. The android needed its own space and place. Wondering how this will all play out ? Any way thought I would share this clip today about Erica. Still want to talk with a human being?

NWA Marriage and Family Therapy

I am a licensed Counselor and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist available for individual or relationship therapy., Call for an appointment at 479-225-0055 and leave a voice message. Evening and week end hours are available, serving the North West Arkansas (NWA )area.

Thank you.

Carmen

Communication Problems

Often times one hears of couples saying they have “communication problems”. Such a term is very often used and can be for the most part rather nebulous. It can sometimes be a description for many other problems and or underlying issues in a relationship that have not been explored.

Couples for the most part to communicate very well either directly or indirectly their unhappiness, disappointment, resentment, contempt or anger for each other. Sometimes they punish each other by using avoidance, manipulation or intentional harm that they might be less than willing to talk about or admit to each other. Often times in couples therapy the process of discovering the source of the discomfort or negative patterns might take some time.

Many times the presenting problem of what the couple labels as the issue soon gets overridden by past wounds, hurts or betrayals that have been buried between them and unresolved. Often times these other issues come bubbling up.

Couples who have issues with “communication” sometimes have been carrying these wounds or unfinished business in an indirect way for months or even years. These unhealed wounds are often dragged along unresolved in the relationship and/or marriage longer than is healthy and this can impact their current relational health.

If left unresolved the couple may find that the misunderstanding can escalate very quickly and eventually destroy their relationship. Exploring these resentments, patterns of attachment styles and past wounds every so often sometimes can reconnect a couple. Sometimes the help of a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists can be a good start for a couple to begin to tall openly and to reconnect once again and clear their communication channels.

Valentine’s Day is Every Day

Not all counseling visits are to work on problems, sometimes they are just to make a good relationship better? What a great way to celebrate Valentines Day than with a counseling for your couple to celebrate and reconnect in your commitment. Why is it that we shower our loved one with unconditional love, sweet words, acts of affection and gifts only once a year? Make every day Valentines Day!!

Marriage Therapy in Fayetteville, Bella Vista & Ft.Smith

As we start the new years many people have resolutions made to start the year new and they want to improve or change their relationships and marriage. You don’t have to struggle with the same old marriage or partnership you can create something new with the important person in your life. Going to licensed Marriage and Family Therapists can be a good start to the new year or to a new marriage.

I have flexible hours including marital therapy on week ends in offices in Fayetteville, Bella Vista, and Ft, Smith. Don’t give up those new years resolutions just yet. My sliding scale fee makes it more affordable. Look forward to serving your unique needs