Ask a Professional

Receive relationship advice from a professional couples' counselor. Hear from someone who has experienced both good and bad relationships. A currently practicing and licensed social work therapist, Mr. Smith will offer information and insight into many common relationship and marriage problems. Send in your concern in the following ways:

1) as a "comment" on this web site for public viewing

2) via email to relationship.knowledge@gmail.com.

3) post your message on the love-marriage-couples group board by going here.

Mr. Smith will respond as soon as possible. Because advertising supports this site, there is no charge to you.

After a Breakup

"Embracing The Change Around Us after a Breakup or End of a Relationship"
by Susie and Otto Collins, Relationship Coaches

Whether you're 18 or 80, there's a lot to be learned about love and relationships from a new friend we made last week and here's what happened...

We attended the funeral of Otto's good friend's mother, Juanita. Before the service began, a woman sat down beside Susie and after a few minutes, she introduced herself. Her name was Ann and she began telling Susie about her relationship with Juanita--her best friend since the first grade.

As Ann reminisced about the wonderful times with her friend, she reminded Susie that change is inevitable and to love the people who come into your life, every moment of every day.

(continued here)

Lying or Loving

Lying or Loving--Which is it?

by Susie and Otto Collins

At one of our workshops , the women in the group all agreed that they grew up with the expectation that they would be "nice" and make everyone in the family feel good. They were not taught to speak their truth but rather hide what they were thinking in order to keep the peace.

Most people believe they are being loving when they withhold perceived unpleasant information from their partner, spouse or friends.

So the questions is--do you tell that other person how you feel in all situations? If you don't, is that being loving or is that lying to the other person?

Bell Hooks, in her book "All About Love," would say that it's lying. She says, "Lying has become so much the accepted norm that people lie even when it would be simpler to tell the truth." She goes on to say that "In today's world we are taught to fear the truth, to believe it always hurts."

(continued here)