Join therapist Marcia Naomi Berger, author of 'Marriage Meetings: 30 Minutes a Week to the Relationship You've Always Wanted,' as she shares insights into enhancing marital bonds. Discover the transformative power of weekly marriage meetings, focusing on appreciation, chore management, and planning enjoyable moments. Marcia emphasizes structuring discussions to foster clarity and connection, providing tips on how to communicate effectively and overcome objections from partners. Learn how just 15 minutes can spark lasting change!
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Marriage Meeting Discovery
Brett McKay and his wife discovered Berger's book, "Marriage Meetings," a few years ago.
They implemented the weekly marriage meeting idea and found it beneficial for their relationship.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Origin of Marriage Meetings
Marcia Berger and her husband learned about marriage meetings early in their marriage through a class.
They refined the process and Berger began teaching it in workshops and therapy sessions.
insights INSIGHT
Modern Marriage Dynamics
Modern marriages have evolved, with changing gender roles and a desire for more egalitarian partnerships.
Couples now seek emotional and spiritual fulfillment in addition to practical needs.
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In 'Marriage Meetings for Lasting Love', Marcia Naomi Berger provides a structured approach to enhancing relationships through weekly meetings. The book outlines a four-part agenda: expressing appreciation, coordinating chores, planning for good times, and resolving problems. By following these steps, couples can foster deeper intimacy, improve communication, and resolve conflicts more effectively.
Several years ago, Kate and I implemented a practice that has helped strengthen our relationship. It's called a "marriage meeting," and we got the idea from my guest today. Her name is Marcia Naomi Berger, and she's a therapist and the author of Marriage Meetings: 30 Minutes a Week to the Relationship You've Always Wanted. Marcia and I begin our discussion with how she developed the idea of marriage meetings and why couples can benefit from implementing this habit. We then unpack the four-part agenda of the marriage meeting, which includes showing appreciation, discussing household chores, planning for good times, and resolving big issues, and Marcia explains why you need to do the steps in that particular order. She then addresses the possible objection to meeting with one's spouse in a more structured way, and explains why the format of the marriage meeting is more effective than trying to discuss these things on the fly. She then provides tips and insights on how to execute each part of the marriage meeting, including the importance of being specific with your appreciation, following up on to-dos, and scheduling good times both as a couple and as individuals. Marcia then shares advice on what to do if you want to start the marriage meeting practice but your spouse doesn't, how your meetings can take as little as 15 minutes, and how best to communicate during the meeting so that each partner will feel good about keeping up this game-changing habit.
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