Gary OliverDec 2, 20202 minMiscommunication with TeensQuestion We have two teenage children. While we have good relationships, we don’t communicate as well as we’d like. In fact, much of...
Gary OliverApr 2, 20202 minHealthy ConflictQ: I usually avoid conflict but that hasn’t been working. Is there such a thing as “healthy conflict”? Conflict is a part of life. Even...
Gary OliverMar 10, 20202 minTrading ShiftsQ: How do I navigate covering shifts with my coworkers? A tricky social situation in which so many parts are at play, for this column...
Gary OliverFeb 13, 20202 minRoommate issuesQ: How do I talk with my roommate about keeping our room/bathroom clean? (Asking for a friend) Ah, yes. The messy roommate who either...
Gary OliverJan 22, 20202 minAsking for helpQ: How can I ask for help from a classmate? I remember my freshman year. The start of spring semester was great. I enjoyed seeing friends...
Gary OliverNov 13, 20192 minRecognizing SincerityQ: How do you know when a friend is being sincere? In person conversation is a risk and exposes us in two ways. In her book Reclaiming...
Gary OliverSep 1, 20192 minERI: CommunicationHealthy communication is the one critical ingredient that defines a relationship. Communication is vital and essential because it is the...
Gary OliverSep 1, 20192 minERI: ListeningListening is the process of taking in information someone else is saying. This can be more difficult than we expect. When people, often...
Gary OliverDec 12, 20163 minAnnoying SpouseQuestion My husband has extremely annoying social behavior that tends to turn people off. I have tried to start friendships with other...
Gary OliverMay 24, 20162 minHousehold ChoresQuestion I wish my husband would realize there's more to cleaning than just picking up things. I feel bad complaining, and he gets mad...
Gary OliverNov 24, 20153 minFrequent MovesQuestion My husband is wonderful, but unstable. We’ve moved 16 times during our 18 years of marriage. He says each move is to find a job...
Gary OliverJul 24, 20154 minHealthy CriticismQuestion I often overhear my two daughters criticizing other people. I think they're picking it up from other kids at school, but I want...
Gary OliverMay 24, 20152 minWork BoundariesQuestion My husband is a workaholic and has trouble setting work-related boundaries. He’s also sensitive to criticism. I know he’s deeply...
Gary OliverSep 24, 20143 minConflicts in ParentingQuestion My husband and I were married six years before we had children, and while we are different in many ways (he's way laid back; I'm...
Gary OliverNov 24, 20132 minSharing Too MuchQuestion How much should a spouse express his or her true feelings and thoughts without fear of “rocking the boat?” I get weary of...
Gary OliverNov 1, 20123 minCreating a Family Mission StatementMany families gain a sense of who they are from the opinions and perceptions of those around them. As a result, families can end up...
Gary OliverOct 24, 20123 minTalking with TeensQuestion As I was dropping off some clean laundry in my son’s room recently, I found a package of condoms on the floor. What’s the best...
Gary OliverJun 24, 20112 minNew BabyQuestion We just had a baby. Now my husband says that I'm not interested in him anymore and that I love our child more than I love him....
Gary OliverMar 24, 20112 minAnger toward SpouseQuestion My wife’s addiction to clutter is cheating us out of deeper intimacy in our relationship because I'm always angry and as a...
Gary OliverAug 12, 20102 min“Single” SpouseQuestion My wife is a flight attendant and is gone a lot from home. The problem is when she is home, she goes into what I call “single...