Mark Travers, PhD, an esteemed psychologist specializing in relationships, offers profound insights into the dynamics of marriage through his latest article, "If you can accept these five hard truths about marriage now, you're more likely to have a happy and successful relationship." As the chief psychologist at Awake Therapy, Travers brings a wealth of experience in delivering psychotherapy, counseling, and coaching online. His role further expands the therapeutic offerings of the telehealth company. As a creative force, he curates Therapytips.org, the award-winning mental health and wellness website. Travers is an alumnus of both Cornell University and the University of Colorado Boulder. With this strong pedagogical foundation, he deftly leads couples down the path to greater relational wellness.
In fact, in his piece, Travers highlights the need to realize that people change, appetites change and life changes. Caldeira believes that making sense of these changes is key to keeping up a healthy partnership. According to Travers, a successful marriage is built on two whole, complementary individuals rather than relying on one partner to fulfill all needs.
According to Travers, nurturing intimacy is an irreplaceable step in keeping the flame alive. Though those extravagant displays may impress, it’s the routine decisions that couples make each day that deepen their relationship. He cautions against trying to find one person to fill all of your needs— it’s impractical and unsustainable to expect one individual to do it all. Instead, he argues that couples should rely on themselves and other relationships —particularly friendships —for support.
And as Travers notes, the most compatible of partners do have their disagreements. Disagreements are an integral aspect of any partnership, and when dealt with healthily, can foster understanding and growth. By simply accepting these truths, Travers argues that couples will be better prepared to have a happy, successful marriage.
Today, through Awake Therapy, Travers provides online courses and one-on-one coaching for people looking to learn more about navigating complicated relationship dynamics. His message reminds us that personal development and understanding, witnessing and nurturing each other are key ingredients in developing long-lasting relationships, partnerships, coalitions.