Enrich Your Relationship Premarital Counseling and Education

01/04/2026

Being heard matters more than being right. Validation isn’t agreement. It’s respect, safety, and the foundation of real connection.

01/01/2026

Defensiveness can feel like self-protection, but it often creates distance instead of understanding. Choosing curiosity over defense keeps connection and growth alive in hard conversations. 💛

07/01/2025

The love language we don’t talk about….

The love language we don't talk about.

It's the quiet act of someone choosing to work on themselves.

Not just for their own sake, but for the health of the relationship.

It’s easy to say “That’s just how I am,” and expect others to accept our flaws and triggers as unchangeable parts of us.

But real love ..... deep, mature love, looks different.

It’s someone who recognizes their wounds and patterns, and instead of making them your burden, takes responsibility for their healing.

It’s the partner who notices when their words cut too deep, or when old habits threaten new happiness, and chooses to do the work to grow.

You deserve someone who doesn’t expect you to simply tolerate the parts of them that hurt you.

You deserve someone who sees the impact of their actions and is willing to change, not because you demand it, but because they care about your peace, your safety, and your heart.

Love isn’t just about grand gestures or sweet words.

Sometimes, it’s about accountability.

It’s about someone who looks at their own reflection and says, “I want to be better for me, for you, for us.”

That’s the kind of love that builds trust, deepens connection, and heals old wounds.

Always remember .... you are worthy of a love that grows.

Of a partner who chooses healing over excuses, effort over complacency.

Don’t settle for less than someone who’s willing to do the work, because that’s a love language that will last a lifetime.

~ Cody Bret

03/22/2025

New to the blog!

"Love is often seen as the foundation of a strong and happy marriage. It’s the spark that brings two people together and the force that keeps them connected. But while love is essential, it’s not the only ingredient for a successful and fulfilling relationship."

Why Love Isn’t the Only Thing You Need for a Happy Marriage

05/01/2024

“Are happy couples just built different? Are they more compatible or agreeable and have a happier marriage as a result? Or are they doing something differently? It turns out it can be a combination of both.”

What are the characteristics that set happy couples apart from unhappy couples? Prepare/Enrich has found the keys to a happy marriage.

04/11/2024

“You know you love your spouse… but have you have ever found yourself wondering if you actually like them?”

Do you ever feel like you dislike your spouse? Here are six ways to get back to liking your spouse as much as you love them.

12/12/2023

Turning towards instead of away is the third level in The Sound Relationship House, and it all starts with bids. Healthy couples constantly make and turn towards bids to connect. When bids are ignored or rejected, partners are more inclined to criticize each other and become frustrated.

Learn more in the Marriage Minute newsletter: http://bit.ly/2qB8FAc

12/06/2023

Have you ever considered why you engage with and process your emotions (or don’t) the way you do? When one partner in the couple is conflict avoidant or doesn’t like difficult emotions and the other partner is perfectly fine discussing difficult things and processing complex emotions, we have a meta-emotion mismatch.
Learn more about the story beneath your emotions on the Gottman Relationship Blog: https://bit.ly/3T9S2Xc

12/04/2023

How we fight predicts the future of our relationships. Most of us blunder into conflict without knowing what we are really fighting about and then quickly become overwhelmed by physiological responses we can’t control and emotions we don’t anticipate. The truth is the happiest and most successful couples fight—all the time.

Preorder your copy of the Gottman’s new book, Fight Right, now: gottman.com/product/fight-right/

Random House Well Enough

11/15/2023

"If there was one thing you could add to your life that was proven to boost your marriage satisfaction and overall happiness, would you do it? While it might sound too good to be true, this magical ingredient does actually exist - it’s gratitude."

Gratitude has a positive effect many areas of your life, including your marriage! Here's how it can help you be a better spouse.

10/26/2023

“A lot of times perpetual
problems can be about major life decisions. They can be important to both people and hard to
navigate if you are on opposite sides.”

https://www.gottman.com/blog/perpetual-problems-around-finances

Most of couples' problems are not solvable. Learn how to live with perpetual problems around money and finances.

10/19/2023

“Feeling validated in your marriage is crucial for being your best self and partner. Likewise validating each other creates an environment where you both feel loved, supported, and understood.”

https://www.prepare-enrich.com/blog/5-underrated-ways-to-validate-your-spouse

Without validation, your relationship will lack trust and intimacy. So here are five underrated ways to validate your spouse.