Here in the South, football season is upon us! Weekend wear often includes a team jersey or at least the team colors. There is a sense of belonging in the atmosphere. We feel a strong sense of community. Overall, it just feels good.

Couples can actually learn a few valuable tricks from their favorite teams.

According to marriage researcher, John Gottman, PhD., happy couples have a few things in common: They have friendship and admiration, they have each other’s back, they handle conflict well, and they have a sense of “we-ness”. With these characteristics, they form a pretty strong team that can handle life’s toughest challenges.

Take a moment and think about how you and your partner function well as a team. Here are some questions to help the two of you define who the two of you are as a team:

• What are our team’s strengths?
• What would be our team motto?
• How about our team name?
• What mascot would best represent our team?
• What would our team logo look like?
• What would be our team colors?

Even if you cheer for rival teams on the field, take time to celebrate what makes the two of you a strong team!

Jackie Dunagan, LAMFT
jdunagan@ GROWcounseling.com