Relationships

Whether we’re interacting with a spouse or other romantic partner, parent or child, neighbor or friend, our temptation is to try to get others to see things our way, do things our way (aka “The Right Way”), and treat us according to our wishes. This approach makes our differences into points of conflict and disconnection.

But when we come to understand our differences as points for curiosity, compassion, and creativity, we build a bridge to new relational possibilities. 

As a pastor, I have seen both approaches and worked with people facing conflict in all of these areas. In that time, I have sought wisdom and training in several tools and conceptual frameworks that I see as blueprints for those bridges. If you feel a desire for growth in a relationship, I will listen to your unique situation, help you locate yourselves in larger patterns of difference, develop bridge-building conversation habits, and help you explore new hopes and visions for your relationship.

I have also walked with dozens of couples through marriage preparation (pre-marital counseling) sessions through their wedding day as an ordained minister who is authorized to solemnize marriages in Ohio. I would love to not only help you plan a meaningful wedding, but also to build a bridge to a healthier, more creative marriage.