Tag: Empathy

• How to Validate Your Spouse in the Conflicts of Marriage

  

  Have you ever desperately wanted your spouse to validate your feelings but have been left feeling unheard, judged, or simply misunderstood instead? That’s because . . . Validation is a skill that’s so very elusive to many of us. In fact, it’s often left unexplained and definitely not often modeled in our families, churches, and/or…

  BethSteffaniak

  January 24, 2021

  Communication, Conversation, Empathy, Listening Skills, Marriage, Validation

  Communication, Connection, Empathy, Listening, Validate

• Relationship Communication: 6 Keys for a Successful Marriage

  

  Today, I’m glad to introduce you to Rachael Pace, who is sharing some important benefits that effective communication in marriage can bring to our lives and marriages. You can find more about her at her bio below! Please, make her feel welcome by commenting below and sharing to all of your favorite social media spots! …

  BethSteffaniak

  June 25, 2019

  Alienation, Anger, Bible Study, Bible Study Tools, Bonding, Boundaries, Communication, Conflict, Connection, Conversation, Desires, Differences, Discouragement, Empathy, Encouragement, Marriage, Marriage Spark, Openness, Passion, Positive Focus, Resentments

  Anger, Communication, Communication in Marriage, Conflict Resolution, Empathy, Openness, Problem-Solve, Sex Life

• 6 Ways to Be a More Compassionate and Forgiving Spouse

  

  Have you ever noticed how hard it is to be compassionate toward your spouse when you’re angry with him or her? It gets even harder when we let our anger turn into bitterness because we’ve chosen not to forgive them. Ironically, keeping this same mindset and practice in place inevitably creates a hard heart as…

  BethSteffaniak

  February 17, 2019

  About Me, Acceptance, Alienation, Anger, Blaming, Bonding, Boundaries, Brokenness, Change, Choices, Christ-Centered, Conflict, Connection, Discouragement, Emotions, Empathy, Encouragement, Faith in God, Forgiveness, Grace, Humility, Jesus’ Sacrifice, Love for God, Love of God, Marriage, Pain, Perfectionism, Perspective, Positive Focus, Prayer, Pride, Realistic Expectations, Resentments, Self-Protection, Self-Reflection, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Practices, Spouse I Want to Be Series, Vulnerability, Wounds

  Christ’s Forgiveness, Christlike, Compassion, Empathy, Forgiveness, God’s Love, Perspective

• 7 Ways to Develop Empathy and Gain Insight into Your Mate

  

  Have you ever struggled to truly understand your mate’s feelings—feeling empathy for what he/she is going through? I sure have! 😉  But it’s important to examine this important responsibility from every angle. So, first off …  What exactly is empathy? Empathy is the ability to come alongside someone, and not only understand a person’s point…

  BethSteffaniak

  July 15, 2018

  Acceptance, Alienation, Anger, Bonding, Boundaries, Christ-Centered, Codependency, Communication, Connection, Discouragement, Emotions, Empathy, Encouragement, Forgiveness, Listening Skills, Love, Marriage, Pain, Perspective, Positive Focus, Prayer, Resentments, Self-Reflection, Toxic Baggage, Validation, Wounds

  Communication, Emotional Wounds, Empathy, Pain, Prayer, Trust God, Understanding

• 4 Ways Listening Draws My Mate to Me

  

  My husband and I did not enter marriage as great listeners or with amazingly refined listening skills. We were young and really not all that aware of how important listening was to our marriage. I would go on in those early days of marriage to get my Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling, where…

  BethSteffaniak

  September 23, 2017

  Acceptance, Anger, Bonding, Comfort, Communication, Conflict, Connection, Conversation, Empathy, Encouragement, Listening Skills, Openness, Perspective, Positive Focus, Respect, Support, Togetherness, Validation

  Bond, Closeness, Communication, Conflict, Empathy, Listening, Perspective, Respect, Togetherness

• How ‘Stranger Things’ is like the ‘Fine Art’ of Listening (& Linkup)

  

  My husband and I have been watching the Netflix series “Stranger Things” lately, and I see a metaphor in that show that perfectly illustrates the “Fine Art” of listening. What is it? Well, let me lay some groundwork before I reveal that answer. There’s no hiding the fact that my husband and I have had some…

  BethSteffaniak

  September 19, 2017

  Alienation, Anger, Attitude, Back to School Series, Choices, Communication, Conflict, Connection, Conversation, Emotions, Empathy, Encouragement, From Messes to Messages Linkup, Listening Skills, Marriage, Openness, Positive Focus, Self-sacrifice, Validation, Withdrawal

  Anger, Communication, Conflict, Connection, Conversation, Empathy, Listening, Questions, Validation

• What Men Fear about Opening Up And Linkup

  

  Today I want to continue to unpack the results of the “Men and Openness” survey by looking at question #5 … What do you feel you need to overcome in order to be better able to identify and share your feelings? (I allowed the men to choose all that applied) 70.49% – My fear of…

  BethSteffaniak

  February 2, 2016

  Alienation, Anger, Authenticity, Avoidance, Balance, Blaming, Bonding, Boundaries, Choices, Christ-Centered, Communication, Confession, Confessional Culture, Conflict, Confrontation, Control, Criticism, Discouragement, Emotions, Empathy, Encouragement, Fear, Gender Differences, Humility, Listening Skills, Marriage, Openness, Pain, Perseverance, Positive Focus, Prayer, Pride, Respect, Security, Validation, Vulnerability, Wedded Wednesday, Withdrawal

  Affirmation, Communication, Conflict, Empathy, Fear, Listening Skills. Active Listening, Openness, Prayer, Vulnerability

• Steps that Encourage Your Man to Open Up with You

  

  I’m excited about today’s post because I get to focus on the positive communication techniques that wives (or husbands) can do to improve times of sharing and disclosure with their spouses. I’d like to reference the top three responses to the second question on the Men and Openness Survey that I conducted recently. I asked:…

  BethSteffaniak

  December 8, 2015

  Acceptance, Affirmation, Alienation, Attitude, Boundaries, Change, Choices, Communication, Conflict, Control, Emotions, Empathy, Encouragement, Grace, Listening Skills, Men and Openness Series, Perseverance, Perspective, Realistic Expectations, Safety, Trust, Validation, Vulnerability, Wedded Wednesday

  Active Listening, Communication, Empathy, Listening Skills, Openness, Safety, Vulnerability

• Picking Hubby’s Brain on Openness

  Today I’m excited to kick-off a new video series called, “Picking Hubby’s Brain” where I will be exploring what my man thinks on topics that are a mystery to many of us women and wives—in particular to me! 😉 Today’s topic for exploration is on “Men and Openness.”  There’s so much wisdom and clarity on this…

  BethSteffaniak

  November 15, 2015

  Acceptance, Anger, Authenticity, Blaming, Christ-Centered, Comfort, Communication, Confessional Culture, Conflict, Emotions, Empathy, Encouragement, Gender Differences, Listening Skills, Love, Men and Openness Series, Positive Focus, Prayer, Safety, Self-sacrifice, Support, Validation, Video, Vulnerability

  Active Listening, Communication, Empathy, Listening, Men and Openness, Video, Vulnerability

• How to Receive Your Spouse’s Hurt – Video

  

  I’m back with another installation of  “Sloppy Joe Time” that unpacks the many sloppy expectations we have in life and marriage. Today’s video tackles how to receive the hard truth of how you’ve hurt your spouse. After all, if we are breathing and have a pulse, we will hurt our spouse! We may not always do it…

  BethSteffaniak

  October 26, 2014

  Acceptance, Anger, Attitude, Blaming, Communication, Conflict, Confrontation, Empathy, Listening Skills, Sloppy Joe Time Video, Validation, Video

  Communication, Conflict, Conflict Resolution, Defensiveness, Empathy, Listening Skills, Responsibility