Bible and Business

How do Healthy Relationships Really Work? — OnPath Counseling In this OnPath post, Bill English (MA, LP) reveals the five things people do consistently to build healthy relationships. It takes about 5-7 minutes to read this post and it will be well worth your time! Learn how healthy relationships really work!

If you've ever wondered how healthy relationships work, then my education group might be what you've been looking for.

OnPath Counseling

Five Ways OnPath's Alignment Coaching Method is Better In this week's , I'm using this newsletter to give a shameless plug for my OnPath Alignment coaching method and why it is better than most other methods in the coaching market today. The OnPath Alignment Coaching Method is based on several core principles: An owner's personality dysfuncti

I'm happy to welcome Steve Douglas to OnPath Counseling as a Pastoral Counselor.

Sometimes, what people need is not more psychotherapy.

They don't need another mental illness diagnosis.

They don't need another insurance claim to deal with.

Instead, they need a combination of grace and truth.

Nurturing honesty.

No diagnosis. No insurance run-arounds.

Just a voice of loving experience grounded in the truth of God's Word.

This is what you'll find in Steve Douglas.

If you're looking for someone to talk to who will give you both love and truth at rates that won't break your budget, then contact Steve today.

Email him at [email protected] or call him directly at 502-298-1283.

https://www.onpathcounseling.com/stevedouglas

Schedule a FREE consultation.

In this post, I tackle the difficult issue of a strained marriage and list five of the more common signs a marriage is strained and headed toward divorce.

It is rarely one single argument that ends a marriage; rather, it is usually a slow erosion of connection. Recognizing these signs early doesn't necessarily mean divorce is inevitable, but it does mean the relationship requires immediate, intentional intervention.

Here are five of the most critical signs that a marriage is under significant strain:

1. The "Four Horsemen" of Communication

Renowned relationship expert Dr. John Gottman identified four communication patterns that are highly predictive of divorce. If these are your "default" settings, the foundation is cracking:

-Criticism: Attacking your partner’s character rather than a specific behavior.
-Contempt: Speaking with sarcasm, cynicism, or name-calling. Contempt is the #1 predictor of divorce.
-Defensiveness: Making excuses and playing the victim to avoid taking responsibility.
-Stonewalling: Withdrawing from the interaction, shutting down, and stopping a response altogether.

2. Emotional Disconnection (The "Roommate Syndrome")

Indifference is often more dangerous than anger. When you stop sharing your day, your dreams, or your fears, you:

-Feel like roommates rather than romantic partners.
-No longer turn to your spouse for emotional support.
-The silence in the house feels heavy rather than peaceful.

3. Lack of Physical and Emotional Intimacy

Intimacy is the "glue" of a marriage. While it is normal for the frequency of s*x to fluctuate, a complete lack of physical affection (hugging, holding hands, kissing) often signals a deeper emotional rift.

-The "Touch Gap": You actively avoid physical contact or feel "repulsed" by the idea of it.
-Affectionless Environment: You can't remember the last time you shared a genuine compliment or a lingering look.

4. Living in the Past or Future (Escapism)

When the present reality of the marriage is painful, partners often begin to "check out" mentally.

-Rewriting History: You find yourself remembering the beginning of your relationship negatively, as if you were "tricked" into the marriage.
-Future Fantasies: You frequently daydream about being single, living in your own apartment, or being with someone else. You are essentially "auditioning" a life without your spouse.

5. Constant Low-Level Resentment

Resentment is the "slow poison" of a relationship. It occurs when small hurts go unaddressed and eventually pile up into a mountain of bitterness.

-You keep a "scorecard" of every mistake your partner makes.
-You no longer give them the benefit of the doubt.
-Arguments aren't about solving problems anymore; they are about "winning" or hurting the other person.

I work with those in a strained marriage. I also work with business owners who have strained marriages. It is estimated that up to 20% of all M&A transactions for small businesses this year will be due to a divorce and the need to divide marital assets.

If you would like to speak with me, just call 763-458-3722.

Bill English, PhD, MDiv, MA, LP

Dr. English is an Executive Coach with over 35 years of experience starting, growing, and managing businesses. He has been the CEO of five companies, with revenue ranging from $75K to $25M and employee counts ranging from 2 to 550. English has conducted over 10,000 hours of psychotherapy as a clinical psychologist and has been a guest on Faith Radio (myfaithradio.com) for over 10 years. He has written twenty books, including Biblical Wisdom for Business Leaders, Working for a Difficult Boss, and A Christian Theology of Business Ownership. English holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, another in Divinity, and a PhD in Business Management. He has also completed post-graduate work in family systems therapy, trauma therapy, strategic organizational leadership, and business process management. Book a free 45-minute consultation to speak with him.

Please welcome our newest members to the Bible and Business page!

Gary Mau
Ginger English Leib
Robert Bogue
Jaimie Schmeling
Ben Partyka
Seth Zeller
Jim Comfort
Paul Johnson
Gary Benge
Steven Douglas
Debi Engelsmeier Kroska
Tom Hawkins
Janette Hockel Pharo
Nancy Lyles
Steve Loopstra
Lisa Thompson
Natalie Schofield
Kohl-carter Johannessen

Each of you are welcome to take a moment and introduce yoursef, your business, and anything else you think others should know about you.

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Five Ways We Kill Relationships in Life, Business, and Marriage — OnPath Counseling Learn the common ways we kill relationships in life, business, and marriage.