{"id":3704,"date":"2020-02-10T11:30:20","date_gmt":"2020-02-10T11:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svmarriagecoun.wpengine.com\/?p=3704"},"modified":"2020-02-06T16:12:27","modified_gmt":"2020-02-06T16:12:27","slug":"how-to-maintain-friendships-in-a-marriage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-staginglink3.com\/aziza-client-site\/how-to-maintain-friendships-in-a-marriage\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Maintain Friendships in a Marriage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many couples find their friendships taking a backseat after marriage. While that\u2019s perfectly normal, it\u2019s still important to maintain them because they have a profound effect on our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. In fact, according to a study<\/u><\/a>, the effect of friendships on health, happiness, and longevity is even more pronounced than that of family.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how married couples can maintain friendships outside of marriage.<\/p>\n

Prioritize Your Friends<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Making your friends a priority instead of an afterthought is the first step to maintaining your relationships outside of marriage. Try to schedule specific dates in your planner for hangouts, meet-ups, and brunch dates. Pick a day that works for you and stick to it. Being proactive about meeting your friends also help your spouse to understand the value they hold in your life.<\/p>\n

Be Mindful Not To Over-Share<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Over-sharing your marital stories and problems during most of your hangouts will make your friends feel like you\u2019re using them as your personal therapists. Not to mention, sharing too much detail may creep them out. So, try your best to resist the urge to make the conversation about you and your spouse.<\/p>\n

\"five<\/p>\n

That said, that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t talk to your friends about your marriage. Friends can, after all, provide different perspectives on your problems. Keep the spouse talk to a healthy minimum and you\u2019re good to go.<\/p>\n

Avoid Feeling Guilty<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s quite common for spouses to feel guilty when they spend quality time with friends. They feel like they\u2019re being selfish and unfair. This isn\u2019t a healthy approach to your relationships. Guilt has the uncanny potential to create erroneous self-fulfilling prophecies<\/u><\/a>\u00a0that damage your relationships. It influences your behavior in a negative way and your spouse is obliged to respond accordingly.<\/p>\n

For example, time spent with friends may cause you to feel guilt over lost time with your spouse. This may cause you to\u2014often erroneously\u2014anticipate your spouse\u2019s frustration. This, in turn, causes you to feel defensive, stressed, and even resentful when you meet them. They may then respond in kind.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for <\/i><\/em>marriage counseling<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a>, <\/i><\/em>same sex couples<\/i><\/u><\/em>\u00a0therapy<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a>, <\/i><\/em>or premarital counseling<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a>, you\u2019ve come to the right place.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n

Azizeh is an experienced and accomplished couple\u2019s counselor based in Palo Alto. She has helped countless <\/i><\/em>Bay Area<\/i><\/em>\u00a0couples rekindle their relationships and marriages by providing them a healthy and supportive environment for effective communication.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n

Call <\/i><\/em>(<\/u>650) 206-9973<\/i><\/u><\/em><\/a>\u00a0today to schedule a free 20-minutes consultation.<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many couples find their friendships taking a backseat after marriage. While that\u2019s perfectly normal, it\u2019s still important to maintain them because they have a profound effect on our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. In fact, according to a study, the effect of friendships on health, happiness, and longevity is even more pronounced than that of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":3705,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\nHow To Maintain Friendships in a Marriage - Azizeh Rezaiyan Couples Therapy and Marriage Counseling<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Many couples find their friendships taking a backseat after marriage. 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