Dr. John M. Gottman’s Tips for Marriage
Keeping your marriage strong, healthy, and happy is no simple feat. In fact, staying happy with the same partner for decades may be one of life’s greatest challenges. Small differences in opinion and habits can lead to major disagreements, and the accumulation of years of arguments often contributes to feelings of resentment. Simply put, keeping your marriage strong can be difficult.
Since 1973, psychological research and clinical psychologist Dr. John Gottman has been studying what makes marriages work — and what causes them to fail. As a result of his extensive experience, Dr. Gottman is able to predict the future of any given marriage with more than 90% accuracy.
Tips for a Healthy, Happy Marriage
Born in the Dominican Republic in 1942, Dr. Gottman grew up in Brooklyn, NY and received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Wisconsin. In 2007, Dr. Gottman was recognized as one of the top ten most influential clinical therapists of the last 25 years.
In this free mindfulness exercise, you’ll learn Dr. Gottman’s top 7 tips for keeping your marriage healthy and strong over the long haul. Dr. Gottman recommends seeking help for your marriage early after you begin to notice issues, as the average couple waits six years before looking for professional assistance. He also discourages the use of “unnecessary honesty” in engaging your partner. While it’s important to be honest about how you feel, being excessively critical or negative will wound your partner over time. Dr. Gottman also places a significant amount of importance on being willing to accept the influence of your partner, while also maintaining high standards for your partner’s behavior. Learn more about these and other marriage tips in the mindfulness exercise below.
