What to Expect at Your First Couples Counseling Appointment

What to Expect at Your First Couples Counseling Session

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You might think, “What will is couples counseling like?” or “Will I be antagonized by the therapist or my spouse?” You also may be skeptical of couples therapy even working for your relationship. A lot of fears and stigmas that stem from the idea of couples counseling are often put to rest after a couple attends their first therapy session. Learn how.

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How do I approach my spouse about couples counseling

How to Approach Your Spouse About Couples Counseling

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If your relationship with your spouse (or significant other) seems to be crumbling, you may be considering couples counseling to sort through your distress. You might be wondering, “How do I suggest therapy without upsetting my partner?” Wanting to get therapy is a big leap for some, which means it could be a sensitive topic for both you and your partner. If you are unsure of how to approach your spouse with the idea of couples counseling, follow these tips to help you discuss counseling with your significant other.

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African American man pointing at a white man in a heated discussion.

Tips for Communicating with Difficult People

By | Biltmore, Blog, Communication | No Comments

We all have difficult people in our lives. And communicating with difficult people can be especially hard. Sometimes these people are strangers that we encounter at the grocery store. And sometimes they are our own friends or family members.

Whoever it may be, there are some tools to develop when dealing with these kinds of people. Barbara Markway PhD, gives us 20 Expert Tactics for Dealing with Difficult People.

  1. Listen– try to hear what they are really upset about. Listening is key when trying to de-escalate a situation quickly.
  2. Stay Calm– if you can see the situation getting out of hand quickly, stay as calm as possible. Often meeting anger with anger, or coming back defensive with a difficult person, will likely make the situation worse.
  3. Don’t Judge– try not to judge this person. Sometimes a person reacts with anger or is unreasonable when they are going through something and don’t know how to express it.
  4. Reflect respect and dignity toward the other person– always keep the situation as level and even as possible. Belittling or speaking down to the difficult person, will not solve any issues quicker.
  5. Look for the hidden need– what is really going on with this person? Are you able to figure out what they are really so upset about?
  6. Look for others around you who might be able to help– Sometimes bringing in another person can diffuse a situation.
  7. Don’t demand compliance– recognize that this person has the right to feel upset and angry. Even though this might not be the way you would have expressed it, trying to tell someone to “calm down” never works.
  8. Saying, “I understand,” usually makes things worse– trying to empathize with the person can go a long way. This person is upset or angry because they are not feeling heard, or might need something they do not know how to ask for. Saying you understand will often show the person you care about the outcome.
  9. Avoid smiling, as this may look like you are mocking the person– even when someone is being ridiculous, smiling or laughing can make you seem insensitive.
  10. Don’t act defensively- it is easy to take things personally when you are dealing with a difficult person. Try to understand their side, and communicate as effectively as possible to make them hear your side.
  11. Don’t return anger with anger– this often just adds fuel to the fire.
  12. Don’t argue or try to convince the other person of anything– acting defensively, raising your voice, or returning the expressed emotion will just make the other person angrier and the solution to the problem further away.
  13. Keep extra space between you and the other person– make sure you give this person enough physical space so that they feel safe and respected during this encounter.
  14. Saying, “I’m sorry,” or, “I’m going to try to fix this,” can go a long way toward defusing many situations.
  15. Set limits and boundaries- listening and understanding is important in dealing with a difficult person. But you also have a right to speak up for yourself if they are speaking to you disrespectfully.
  16. Trust your instincts– If you feel like this is a lose-lose situation, tell the person you should talk about this another time when you are both a little more calm. And if you feel like you might be in danger, get out of there as soon as possible.
  17. One response does not fit all– everyone reacts in a different way. And not everyone can be reasoned with. Understand that you will have to adapt to different situations when dealing with difficult people.
  18. Debrief– afterwards, try talking to someone or writing out what happened. This can help you deal with the situation in a healthy manner.
  19. Discharge your own stress– going for a walk, or taking a moment for yourself after these types of encounters can really help you get back on track.
  20. Give yourself credit for getting through an uncomfortable situation.
Male looking at a resume of a young woman sitting in front of him

Here are 10 tips for a successful job interview!

By | Biltmore, Blog, Communication | No Comments

Have you ever gone on a job interview and walked out cringing at your performance? I think we all have had an interview or two (or 10!) where we just did not convey our best selves.

Interviewing for a job is always nerve racking, regardless of your experience for the job. However it seems that some people are just better at interviewing than others. Sometimes a person will look like they have it all together based on their cover letter and resume, and then not present well to the interviewer. Or vice verse. Sometimes a resume and cover letter could be better, but the person presents themselves very confidently.

Can interviewing be learned? The answer to that question is yes. It is something that comes with practice, but can definitely be improved. According to Thomas Hills Ph.D and his article over on Psychology Today, he has 10 top tips for nailing that job interview.

  1. Focus on the positive
  2. Be Profressional
  3. Know why you want the job
  4. Create Alternatives
  5. Practice, Practice, Practice
  6. Do your research on the job and the organization
  7. Know what you have to offer
  8. Ask questions
  9. Take your time
  10. Leave them wanting more

If you want to read more about these top 10 tips, head on over to the article here!

What do you have trouble with when interviewing?