Helping couples to accept and appreciate each other’s differences

In couple counseling, I prefer not to the promote “compromise” as a strategy.

Compromise suggests both have to give up something to meet in the middle. It suggests a degree of “putting up with it”. It may be practical but can breed a lot of resentment over time.

Is there an alternative?

Consider gaining the emotional literacy to understand, accept, and appreciate our partner’s complementary values and way of thinking instead.

Instead of blaming and getting frustrated, we may start to deeply understand and appreciate each other’s complementary differences.

We shift from compromise into acceptance and appreciation.