Mindfulness in Marriage: An Experiential Approach - Dr. Brad Simpson
In this webinar, Brad Simpson provides daily 10-minute mindfulness practices to improve overall relational satisfaction.
Time Markers
0:00 – Introduction: Who is Brad Simpson?
3:20 – Welcome to the webinar: Webinar objectives.
4:36 – Breaking out of the routine.
6:38 – Happiness and unhappiness in marriage
8:13 – Three ethics of a happy marriage
9:06 – 1. Marital endurance ethic
9:33 – 2. Marital work ethic
10:15 – 3. Personal happiness ethic
11:40 – Willingness vs. willfulness in marriage.
14:35 – What is mindfulness?
17:00 – Practicing effort in marriage.
17:40 – States of Mind: Reasonable vs. emotional mind
19:10 – Developing your WISE mind.
21:23 – Meditation and mindfulness strategies to increase self-awareness.
22:50 – “What” and “How” skills.
27:13 – How do I develop “What” skills?
28:06 – How do I develop “How” skills?
29:10 – The sound relationship house
32:46 – Developing willingness in marriage.
34:13 – Practicing “Loving Kindness” with my partner.
39:00 – Why to institute meditation for 10 minutes in my day.
40:50 – Proactively facing distress and conflict as a couple.
43:13 – Practicing Headspace meditation
47:20 – Best practices for mindfulness as couples
49:50 – Convincing my spouse to engage in mindfulness with me
53:00 – How to understand my partner’s perspective
56:36 – Navigating the silent treatment
58:35 – Mindfulness strategies for couples
About Dr. Brad Simpson
Dr. Brad Simpson earned his bachelor’s degree at Brigham Young University, Idaho, and followed his passion for social work by pursuing his master’s degree from the University of Utah and his doctoral degree in social work from the University of Tennessee. Brad specializes in working with couples, families, and adolescents in acute inpatient, intensive outpatient, and residential settings. He is intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and provides trainings for mental health professionals across the United States. He has served in several administrative capacities most recently as executive director of a fully adherent DBT program. He is currently an associate professor and director of the bachelors of social work program at Southern Utah University. He is currently the director of research and development at Sunrise Residential Treatment Center a fully adherent DBT program and the founder and owner of 3rd Wave Counseling and Consulting.
In addition to research, administrative duties, and clinical practice, Dr. Simpson enjoys teaching undergraduate students, mentoring students, interns, and training clinicians. Brad loves running, hiking, mountain biking, lifting weights, long boarding, and spending time with his family. He’s also a big fan of spectator sports of all kinds.
Brad Simpson Links:
More on the Sound Relationship House
Headspace Meditation
Sattva Meditation
Enso Yoga and Meditation
Insights:
Brad encourages all couples to disconnect, listen actively, practice gratitude, be silent and see through the eyes of your partner. In doing this, research shows that one’s ability to connect and enjoy their marriage will increase exponentially. He suggests that some practices to develop in order to bring about lasting happiness in marriage are developing marital endurance ethic, marital work ethic and personal happiness ethic in all of your relationships.
Invites:
- Set screen time boundaries on your phone with social media, entertainment consumption and other pass times that are taking away from time you could connect with your partner.
- Practice “loving kindness” by sitting across from your partner and visualizing a memory you hold dear with them. Think about that memory while you look in their eyes for 1 minute (yes, set a timer) and then share your experience and memory with your partner.
- Show your partner daily appreciation by learning your partner’s love language this week. Set a reminder in your phone to do something for your partner that coincides with their love language everyday this next week.
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