By Natalie BennettSunday 10 Sep 2023Salt 106.5 WeekendsRelationshipsReading Time: 2 minutes

Relationship expert and neuropsychotherapist Joanne Wilson starts a 3-part series to support you in cultivating a thriving in dynamic relationships.

A question couples often ask – “Is our relationship going anywhere?” In this, Part 1 of a 3-part series, Relationship Coach Joanne Wilson is talking about how to turn your marriage marathon into a fun run, because you can just coast along at a pretty steady pace, sometimes you need to mix it up together.

“Maybe you need to amp up the pace… there are certain customs for how people should think or feel in certain contexts, or situations along the marriage marathon. Maybe expectations are too low, or too high. I’m going to be chatting to you about the monogamous type of relationship, and what that looks like, and the expectations we set for each other.

“The initiation of the courtship the gestures and/or rituals of falling in love. We have that claiming and defining phase where we have those mutual declarations of love, like “you are my girlfriend/my boyfriend”. And we transition into being a couple. Then there’s establishment adapting to the rhythms of life as we accommodate each other and blend your life. And then that commitment phase where you plan for a long-term partnership forever, and you get on the relationship escalator (or you could call it the marriage marathon) where you get married and you merge and move in together, share your home and finances. Then there’s this term called conclusion. You actually then are strongly socially venerated. You are now finalized as a couple. The legacy of buying a home, having and raising children, and you are perceived as fully valid.”

Listen to the full conversation in the player above. 

For more from Joanne Wilson tune in each Saturday from 12pm or find more from The Relationship Rejuvenator online.

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