Don’t Give Up on Your Marriage So Soon (1) By Dr. Michael Brooks

I walked into a crowded restaurant on a Saturday evening a few weeks ago, and amongst the loud and noisy crowd, I could hear a couple arguing with each other. I could hear laughter from men and women in different area’s of this sports bar; the TV’s were loud and showed several different college football games, yet through it all, I could hear this couple arguing. It was strange, as I was trying to locate where this couple was seated. I saw them at a table near the bar, they’d stop arguing at times and then start up again. I’m sure they had been drinking and really didn’t care who overheard them. The things that they were arguing about was why she didn’t want to get a divorce. He wanted one, and she didn’t, then she wanted one, and he didn’t.

Couple having argument at a Sports Bar

I overheard her say to her husband that he wasn’t attentive to her and he spent his time on social media while on his cell phone. She would talk to him, and he ignored her. He wasn’t helping with the kids putting them to bed, they never sat down and talked to each other anymore. She had a lot of complaints, some I heard, and many were in her facial expressions. He would fire back with some insults and complain she was a nag. This went back and forth until they got their dinner bill and left the sports bar.

First of all, I don’t recommend that you argue or fight while you’ve been drinking and certainly not deciding if you want to divorce while sitting in a sports bar. If you seriously want to end your marriage, I will encourage you that you get some serious counseling or divorce coaching before you make that big decision. Go into these sessions with an open mind and find out what your issues are and then work on making things right. Some individuals are looking for any excuse to end their marriage, don’t be one of those people.

As it is, marriage takes a lot of work, and with a strong commitment, it will be a lifetime relationship. It will certainly have it’s ups and downs. But along with it will come great joy and satisfaction. There are many rewards that will come along with it.

Do you feel like you want to end your marriage, but you’re not sure if it’s the right action to take? Are you considering a divorce because you can’t communicate and nothing seems right in your relationship? Do you need to be heard and feel like anything you say goes in one ear and out the other? Have you begged your spouse to get counseling or marriage coaching and it falls on deaf ears? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need contact Dr. Mike and set up an appointment. Don’t allow loneliness to control the new experiences that you can enjoy today.

Please call Dr. Mike at 303.880.9878. He can help you. He has helped people going through tough times of deciding to end a marriage or give it one more shot.

Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Counseling and life coaching Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Skype (if you want to Skype with Dr. Mike send him an email at mbrooks3353@gmail.com to set up an appointment). The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching for those who live outside of Colorado. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!

Tis the Season of Divorce (3) By Dr. Michael Brooks

The third problem is that your spouse is married to their job. They can’t possibly leave their work at work and will bring it home for the holidays. They are constantly checking emails, cell phones, calling co-workers for updates. No matter what you have planned, they will get up and leave whatever is going on. You can’t reason with this kind of spouse. The job comes first, and you and your family comes second. This person seems unsettled with work and family. They do not commit to any holiday. You can’t get this person to take some time for the family. You may have Thanksgiving or a Christmas dinner planned and during the course of having your meal, and everyone is enjoying each other’s company, this spouse will get up with a cell phone in hand and will answer a call out in the hallway or in another room. This kind of action will make for a very angry spouse, eventually pleading and begging their spouse to turn the phone off. How many people do we know that will fit into this category? I certainly know some people that do and have seen it happen with my very own eyes.

Divorce during the holidays is becoming common

My tips for this person and please listen carefully. If you want to avoid ending up in a divorce court pay attention:

• Turn your phone off at dinner
• If you must answer the phone have a certain time that people can call you and not be available all day.
• If you can, let your staff or your boss know that you’re spending time with family it’s vacation time.
• Family first, if you don’t make them a priority you will not have a family to worry about.
• Pay attention to your spouse and kids; they need you!

These are simple rules to follow, but are necessary to keep harmony within the family during the holidays. If you want to keep your marriage intact, then I suggest that you work on a budget, have great communication and leave work at work and don’t allow others to fill your time. That my friend is reserved for your family. If you have time, make sure that your spouse feels important to you and love them as much as you can. Spending time together is a great way to heal a hurting relationship.

Do you dread the holidays, the family fights, the arguments? Are you considering a divorce because of the in-laws are making your life miserable? Do you need to be able to express that you don’t want to go to your in-laws and want the peace of staying home? Does your communication with your spouse, children need help? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need contact Dr. Mike and set up an appointment. Don’t allow loneliness to control the new experiences that you can enjoy today.

Please call Dr. Mike at 303.880.9878. He can help you. He has helped several people going through tough times of loneliness.

Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Counseling and life coaching Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Skype (if you want to Skype with Dr. Mike send him an email at mbrooks3353@gmail.com to set up an appointment). The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching for those who live outside of Colorado. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!

Tis the Season of Divorce (2) By Dr. Michael Brooks

Spending time together with your spouse is number two on the list. During the spring through early fall, families get real busy with work, school, and sports. The kids keep you busy, and there is no time for you and your spouse. You have deadlines to meet at work, kids events like summer sports camps, running kids to and from school. They have plays and events at school that you attend during the week. Kids are involved with soccer, baseball, softball, gymnastics, so you never get time to spend with your spouse. When the holidays hit you, they often lead to lots of downtimes for you and your spouse.

Usually, there are no school activities during holiday breaks, and you and your spouse are not working, and you have the kids home. Then the kids get into fights, and you become a referee by yourself and no help from your spouse!! Something clicks in your brain, and you realize you’re not sure if you like the person you’re looking at: (your spouse). You think to yourself; you really haven’t spent any time with them during the course of the year. They seem to argue at silly things; sometimes your spouse will decide to take off to the mall, or spend time on their social media all day and avoid spending time with you. You get irritated and start thinking about being alone for the holidays. You don’t like the way you’re being treated or the way you’ve been avoided. You start to complain, and your spouse gets upset because you’re being selfish and demanding of their time. An argument pursues, and you stomp off to the guest bedroom and sulk.

I see this all the time and hear about it during counseling sessions. I’d suggest that you plan some time together on a date night and have some fun. You need to reconnect with your spouse at some level. Talk about a vacation that you both want and plan it, so you have something to look forward too. I suggest that when the kids go to bed, watch a movie together, or sit on the sofa and just have a heart to heart talk about life and what you want to do together in the future. This will help both of you to restore the communication you both need and want due to the busyness of your family.

Here are my tips for reconnecting with your spouse.

• Plan a movie night out with dinner
• Do something fun that you both like to do, walks, talks, cooking dinner together.
• Have a family game night and enjoy having fun with your children
• Find someone to watch the kids and take your spouse shopping
• Plan your next vacation over dinner, no kids
• Go to an art museum, go to a play

These are just a few suggestions for an adult adventure or a night out. I think this will bring back some of the excitement you had when you began to date. Plus it’s fun and offers some much-needed laughter.

Next week, I will be writing about the issues of work being brought home during the holidays. Not a good idea if you want peace and harmony.There will be Mike’s tips to help you through the temptation of doing work while with family during the holidays.

Do you dread the holidays, the family fights, the arguments? Are you considering a divorce because of the in-laws are making your life miserable? Do you need to be able to express that you don’t want to go to your in-laws and want the peace of staying home? Does your communication with your spouse, children need help? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need contact Dr. Mike and set up an appointment. Don’t allow loneliness to control the new experiences that you can enjoy today.

Please call Dr. Mike at 303.880.9878. He can help you. He has helped several people going through tough times of loneliness.

Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Counseling and life coaching Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Skype (if you want to Skype with Dr. Mike send him an email at mbrooks3353@gmail.com to set up an appointment). The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching for those who live outside of Colorado. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!

Tis the Season of Divorce (1) By Dr. Michael Brooks

It’s hard to believe it’s that time of year, the holidays are fast approaching and with it, the rise in divorces. There is a reason for the rise in the number of divorces during the winter holidays. Can you guess what those are?

One major reason is that couples will fight over money on what to spend and where the family will spend the holidays. In-laws come in all shapes and sizes when it has to do with their attitudes and opinions towards your spouse. Some in-laws will embrace your spouse and think they are the greatest son-in-law or daughter-in-law since sliced bread. Then some in-laws, on the other hand, will think that your spouse is a direct descendant of the devil himself. Your spouse can’t do anything right no matter how hard they try. Many in-laws will try to talk their son or daughter into divorcing the son or daughter-in-law just because they don’t like them. Believe me; this happens more often than you can imagine. Money seems to be a problem around the holidays especially Christmas. When one parent starts to buy outside the budget and does not inform the other parent, problems will start to happen. Arguments will happen, and the well-meaning mom or dad will wish they consulted with the other parent before their spending spree.

I’m sure we all want to make our kids Christmas fun and create some memories that will last a lifetime. I had a client whose wife would buy her husband and two kids presents. The day after Christmas she would take most of the presents back to the store where she bought them and get her money back. She couldn’t afford the gifts, yet the emotional damage she caused the husband and kids were a lasting pain they will never forget.

To prevent any arguments, I suggest that you have a budget meeting with your spouse on what you plan to spend and do this together. If you live within your means, there will be less arguing between you and your spouse. Here’s a question that you both need to go over, are the gifts necessary, like clothes, shoes, school items? What do you want to spend on fun things, toys, games, bikes, etc? Stay within your budget.

I know that teenagers can be very difficult to buy for during Christmas, but you still have to plan for it. Maybe you want to get gift cards for clothes, Amazon, or electronics. Having some simple idea’s on your spending options will prevent problems down the road. If you’re on a tight budget, then I suggest that spending quality time with your kids can be lots of fun. Have a game night, make popcorn and play the games your kids like and enjoy. Go to the movies together, spend time talking about their favorite parts and why. The more time you spend being with the kids, the less time they will dwell on what they didn’t get from you. Most kids understand the lack of funds and why no gifts are under the tree. Have activities that are geared towards the kids, like making Christmas cookies together, bless others with the cookies that you make and have the kids be a part of delivering them. The joy they will bring to others is amazing.

Next week I will be writing about the way you communicate with your spouse and family members. An important topic during the holidays.

Do you dread the holidays, the family fights, the arguments? Are you considering a divorce because of the in-laws are making your life miserable? Do you need to be able to express that you don’t want to go to your in-laws and want the peace of staying home? Does your communication with your spouse, children need help? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need contact Dr. Mike and set up an appointment. Don’t allow loneliness to control the new experiences that you can enjoy today.

Please call Dr. Mike at 303.880.9878. He can help you. He has helped several people going through tough times of loneliness.

Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Counseling and life coaching Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Skype (if you want to Skype with Dr. Mike send him an email at mbrooks3353@gmail.com to set up an appointment). The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching for those who live outside of Colorado. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!

When Your Marriage Seems Hopeless (2) By Dr. Michael Brooks

This week we will go over the times that you need to confront your spouse immediately about problems in your marriage. I know for some of you, when your marriage seems hopeless it’s difficult to go to a spouse when you know there are some serious problems you both are facing. I’m telling you, they will not go away until you talk about them. This is not the time to bury your head in the sand and hope the problem goes away.

So here are my thoughts on when to sit down and have that face to face talk. I suggest not over a text, not in an email or on the phone. If at all possible this needs to be done eyeball to eyeball. Don’t wimp out and take the easy way out. Be sincere when talking, and not shouting at each other. You’ll never get anywhere with that type of arrangement.

Have an emergency talk when infidelity has been discovered, when drugs or alcohol are becoming a big problem. Physical abuse, or pornography is an issue. These usually are the big ones that need immediate attention. I said you must learn to forgive and understand that trust takes time to be built up. Behavioral changes must take place, and it begins with strong communication and identifying what the issues are.

If you want to salvage your marriage, there will be a lot of hard work ahead of you. Plan on rolling up your sleeves and doing some hard work. The payoff is substantial, to say the least. Hard work is worth the effort and will save the heart aches that go along with divorce and separation. Don’t take working on your relationship lightly. Both have to give 100% equally. People who walk away from trying to figure out why they are having marriage problems, often kick themselves for not making an effort to restore their relationship. Regrets are many, and the memories will haunt you a lifetime if you don’t give it one last shot.

Do you feel hopeless about your marriage? Have you given up and feel there is no way your marriage can be saved? Do you want to save your marriage but don’t know what your next steps are? Do you want to improve your communication and need help in restoring it? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to contact Dr. Mike and set up an appointment. Don’t allow hopelessness to destroy your relationship. Please call Dr. Mike at 303.880.9878. He can help you. He has helped several people going through tough times.

Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Counseling and life coaching Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Skype (if you want to Skype with Dr. Mike send him an email at mbrooks3353@gmail.com to set up an appointment). The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching for those who live outside of Colorado. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!

When Your Marriage Seems Hopeless (1) By Dr. Michael Brooks

As I listened to a caller on my cell phone describe the state of her marriage, I could hear the anguish in her voice. She was in deep distress in where her marriage was headed. She needed some tools on how to talk with her husband, how to communicate better and hear his needs and share hers and her concerns. This couple was not connecting whatsoever. This frustrated her to no end. She loved him and admitted her faults to him and wanted a fresh start in their relationship. He wasn’t so sure that’s what he wanted. There was a great deal of pain on his part from his past relationships, and now he was comparing her to old girlfriends. This is not a place where couples want to go. It’s easy to get caught up with this kind of thinking. But, it’s also poisonous thinking and a killer of borderline marriages in crisis.

When our marriages seem hopeless, we seem to struggle with finding ourselves and finding answers to our problems. It’s not easy being in a tight spot, and sometimes we say and do things that we don’t even understand. Hopelessness is a very strong word, and for many, it is a word that describes the situation their in. I often tell people if you’re in that spot, it’s best to step back and evaluate and take some time to let things set in and then make your next move. I believe in the realm of marriage relationships nothing is hopeless; some wise choices must be made. Whether moving on or sticking it out and working on your relationship, that is your choice.

I had a man come to my office and share his concerns about his marriage. He mentioned that he saw nothing but divorce in his future. His wife was always angry and they rarely communicated with each other. He hated going home, and I later found out she didn’t want him coming home. What a miserable existence they both lived in. We talked, and I gave him some idea’s on how to better communicate and how to become a better listener. Both felt that these were common problems in their marriage. I told him nothing is hopeless as long as you both can come to the table and talk. Learn about each other’s needs and wants. Learn to be able to share details and connect at a deeper level. Keep away from surface talks I told him, get to the point but be compassionate when you talk. Avoid blaming each other for past mistakes. Look to your future together and move in that direction. Avoid the pitfalls of bunny trailing in your conversations. Stay on topic. Unpleasant conversations can be hard but must be dealt with immediately if there is any chance of saving a relationship. What kinds of situations are called for immediate talks? Next week we will continue part two in this series.

Do you feel hopeless about your marriage? Have you given up and feel there is no way your marriage can be saved? Do you want to save your marriage but don’t know what your next steps are? Do you want to improve your communication and need help in restoring it? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to contact Dr. Mike and set up an appointment. Don’t allow hopelessness to destroy your relationship. Please call Dr. Mike at 303.880.9878. He can help you. He has helped several people going through tough times.

Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Counseling and life coaching Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Skype (if you want to Skype with Dr. Mike send him an email at mbrooks3353@gmail.com to set up an appointment). The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching for those who live outside of Colorado. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!

Gossip, the Divider of Friends (2) By Dr. Michael Brooks

This week we will continue with: what to do about the gossips in your life. Remember gossips in all relationships are bad, there is no excuse for them. How many people have you known going through a divorce had gossip associated with it? You heard the juicy details blow by blow, the fighting, who filed and why. Some people start adding their own details and making up outright lies about one of the people involved in the divorce. The accusations, the personal insults are spread like wildfires.

Gossip, will distroy family and friends relationships, and marriages.

Case in point, and this actually happened to me. I was working at a shipping company as a part-time employee while attending college. My soon to be ex moved out of our house to figure things out. It was a friendly agreement between us both and extremely civil for the sake of our daughter. A week after that happened I had a co-worker come up to me and ask me “why did I kick my wife out of the house?” I asked him, “who told you that?” He said, “Dolly did.” I knew Dolly as the town gossip. Then at our fifteen minute break-time, another co-worker came up to me and asked the very same question. “Why did I kick your wife out of the house?” I said under my breath, let me guess, Dolly told you that, right? He said “yes, how did you know?” I knew the town gossip was busy at work trying to stir up trouble. I knew what I had to do when I got off of work and back from my classes. I wasn’t looking forward to making that call.

I got back from my classes and thought as I drove back how to confront this woman. I was pretty upset and knew she was hitting her circle of friends with gossip about myself and wife. I walked in the door went to the phone and made the call. She answered the phone, and I confronted her. She didn’t deny the fact that she was gossiping. That made me more angrier. I asked her why she would say outright lies without talking to either one of us and getting the facts. Her comeback was outrageous. “I’ve heard bits and pieces about you both and others have shared with me things they know, I’ve got the story straight so don’t call me again. I asked my wife if she would come over and we both would make a call to Dolly and set her straight. She agreed to, and we made that call. My wife told her the facts, and I did as well. Do you think that stopped her, not on your life? She used what we said to twist the story of a divorce into a gossip tabloid for who would ever listen to her. Some people just don’t care about the lies they spread.

Next week, I will give you some advice that could change your life if followed and it will keep you out of trouble if you’re tempted to gossip about someone.

Do you suspect that you’re becoming a gossip? Have you been wounded by a gossip and are hurting from it? Do you want to confront someone who has gossiped about you? Do you need to go to someone you gossiped about and make things right between you and the other person? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to contact Dr. Mike and set up an appointment. Don’t allow an old love to destroy your relationship. Please call Dr. Mike at 303.880.9878. He can help you. He has helped several people going through tough times.