Want to make the most of marriage counseling? Use this marriage counseling advice to get the most out of your therapy time.

If you’ve never been to marriage counseling, it’s wise to seek marriage counseling advice first. Not only can the sessions be pricey, but it’s never as easy as it looks in movies. 

Getting the most out of therapy always involves a lot of work from the patient. They have to play an active process in identifying problems and creating approaches to solving them. The therapist is really more of a facilitator. They’re there to guide the sessions and offer some techniques that may help.

To make sure your sessions aren’t a waste of time, energy, and money, check out the guide below.

A Marriage Counseling Advice Guide

This marriage advice guide is intended to help couples new to therapy. It can also help couples struggling with therapy. With the right approach, 75% of couples feel that therapy is effective. Review the approaches below and try them in your life to see if they improve things.

Developing Goals and Objectives

Before therapy even begins, you and your partner should have goals in mind. However, it’s never to late to start developing these. 

First, what does your ideal life together look like? What attributes does it have? Write them individually and you’ll have a new goal to bring to therapy.

Additionally, what kind of partner do you need to be to accomplish this ideal life? What do you want to improve to meet this goal?

Making Compromises

The falsehood of a perfect relationship is likely sold to the public through the film industry. The truth it, it doesn’t exist. However, the best relationships involve lots of tough decisions and compromises.

Your therapist will likely ask you to compromise your times in order to work on your relationship, and even to simply spend time together. 

Next, you will have to sacrifice your comfort. Discussing problems and true feelings can make a person uncomfortable, but it is necessary for growth.

Learning to Reflect

After each session, couples need to sit together and reflect on their efforts. Periodically, they can evaluate whether the therapeutic measures are working.

Part of your reflection should be a decision on whether to keep practicing the method, or find the next step. This is part of preparing for each session.

Conceptual Focus

When learning about marriage counseling expectations, you’ll see that there are certain conceptual focuses important to the process. These include things like asking the right questions, building communication skills, maintaining a good attitude, and focusing on what you can control — yourself.

One of the most important skills to learn in therapy is how we respond to problems and hardships. This means taking responsibility for yourself.

More Love and Relationship Advice

Looking for marriage counseling advice is a great way to prepare for your first session. If you’ve never been to therapy before, it’s essential to begin with realistic expectations. It also takes some work and effort from you and your spouse before you even begin.

For more insightful romance advice, don’t forget to stop by our blog for more.

The feeling of a newborn baby cannot be rivaled by any other feeling or experience in the world. This time passes by so fast with parents figuring out the beginning of parenthood and the little moments can get lost in all the confusion. One way of preserving these precious moments, where your newborn is small enough to fit in your hands, is to hire a newborn photographer and have a photoshoot of your newborn baby. 

These portraits will most probably the most important pictures of your life. Depicting the moment where everything changed for you, they will elicit emotions long after your child is grown up and independently taking on the world. Because these pictures are so personal and depict such an important moment of your life, it is only natural to feel nervous when looking for the right photographer.

With this comprehensive guide, we’re going to educate you on the different factors to take into consideration when you’re hiring a photographer to capture your newborn baby’s first few days in this world. Follow these steps and you’re sure to find the right photographer who will capture your vision, ensure a smooth process, and, above all, make sure your baby is safe and comfortable throughout the entire exercise. 

SAFETY FIRST 

By far, the most important factor to look for is your baby’s safety throughout the entire photoshoot. Your baby will be positioned and posed throughout the entire photoshoot and considering newborn babies are fragile, it takes an expert hand to be able to do that. You need to ensure that your photographer is able to pose, handle, and care for your baby with safety. If you’re going to research for the safest car seats, cribs, and strollers, then you should consider the same factor when looking at a photographer. 

You could check if your photographer has gone through relevant training and certifications. The American Association of Newborn Photography Safety offers training for this element and focuses on important aspects such as prop safety, immunizations, newborn handling, safe posing, and studio cleanliness. Having credentials awarded by a recognized association goes a long way in ensuring the safety of your newborn baby. 

EXPERIENCE  

After you’ve made sure your photographer is trained to safely handle your newborn baby, you should check their experience. When speaking to your photographer, ask them different questions like their tenure in the industry. Also ask how many different babies they’ve worked with during their career and what trainings, in addition to the safety training, they have been through. 

These photoshoots can cost a lot of money and can be a tiring experience, especially at such a frantic and confusing time. If you’re putting in so much time, money, and effort into an exercise then you need to ensure that all bases are covered and ensuring that your photographer has the right experience is a key factor. 

STYLE AND THEMES 

As parents, you are entitled to whatever style of photography you like for your newborn baby. However, it is necessary to understand that not every photographer will be able to execute the style you’re looking for and may not capture the pictures the way you like. Similarly, you’re entitled to choose whatever theme you like as well, but understand that not every photographer will be comfortable working with the theme and props that you like. 

Therefore, to ensure the desired results, adopt an honest and open approach and discuss your idea and vision with the photographer in detail. This is the only way you could have the pictures you’re looking for. Establish your boundaries and clearly explain your vision and what the pictures will mean to you. Talk about the prints and how you want to display them. No detail should be left unattended! 

SCHEDULING AND BOOKING 

The best time to have your newborn photo shoot is 10 to 15 days after birth. At this time, your baby is tiny, squishy, flexible, and, most importantly, sleeping most of the time. If you want your baby in all those cute poses you see in photosets, then you’ll have to take the pictures within the first couple of weeks the baby is born.  

The next thing to consider is that newborn photographers are busy! Babies are born all the time and, as such, reputable photographers are in demand and busy with a photoshoot almost every day. The best time to contact them is in the middle of your third trimester, somewhere at the 30-week mark to be a little more exact. 

From the 30-week mark, until the photoshoot, you have almost 60 days, which gives you enough time to find a photographer and discuss all the details, such as style and themes, before the photoshoot date. Also, if you need to order any special props you’re looking to incorporate into the pictures, then you’ll have enough time to place the order and ensure on-time delivery. 

KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR BUDGET 

As mentioned above, these photoshoots can be expensive! The first few weeks of having a newborn baby is already a financial strain as there are baby essentials to buy all the time. Diapers, wipes, baby powder, and so much more contribute to the overall expenditure of your household. If you’re going to opt for a newborn photoshoot, make sure you have the finances for it and discuss prices with your photographer in detail before you make the booking and sign any document. 

Photographers do tend to charge a significant amount of money, as they need to pay for more than just the equipment being used. They have bills and overheads just like any other business and due to their demand, their time is also quite limited.   

We hope the above tips are able to help and make your newborn photography experience more fulfilling. If you’re looking for a photography studio in LA, one option to consider is Laura Jane Studios. They have extensive work on their resume and have a professional approach to the entire process.

Those painful, pesky and unpleasant pimples that show up just before a vacation or a wedding – yeah, that’s what a nightmare looks like!

Well, you are not alone who has faced this situation. While at puberty, pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads are normal, but the problem arises when these spots occur beyond the teenage years as well.   

Well, this is hormonal acne, which occurs due to the changes in your hormones. It is caused by the fluctuations of progesterone and estrogen, which both vary widely throughout the menstrual cycle. Stress hormones can also affect these hormones.

Symptoms of Hormonal Acne

Hormonal acne in teenagers usually occurs on the nose, chin, and forehead. But it can be seen in the adults around the jawline and bottom of the cheeks.

Hormonal acne can be of two types – whiteheads and blackheads. Blackheads are comedones that are open at the skin’s surface and appear black due to the effect on oxygen on them. Whiteheads are comedones that are closed beneath the surface of the skin.

Hormonal acne can also occur as:

• Pustules: small, red pus-filled pimples  
• Papules: raised, small, red bumps that occur due to the inflammation or infection of the hair follicles
• Cysts: Cysts are large lumps that are present under the skin. They contain pus and can be painful.  

How to Treat Hormonal Cystic Acne?

Whether you have a cheek full of deep zits or a forehead of whiteheads, dealing with acne can be tough and daunting, all thanks to its scary treatments. But if you have mild hormonal acne, it can be treated with some oral contraceptives or anti-androgen drugs.

Here are some ways to stop hormonal acne.

• Anti-androgen drugs:

These drugs reduce the androgen hormones and thus, subsiding the production of sebum. Excessive androgen causes acne by increasing sebum production.

Spironolactone is used to treat hormonal acne as it has anti-androgen effects. However, Spironolactone is not appropriate for all women, so make sure you consult your doctor before its consumption.  

• Oral Contraceptives:

Oral contraceptives can also be used to treat acne. The pills should contain ethinylestradiol along with drospirenone, norethindrone, and norgestimate.

These ingredients target the acne-causing hormones and are particularly helpful at the times of hormonal peaks, such as at the time of ovulation. But you must not take oral contraceptives if you have a history of breast cancer, high blood pressure, and blood clots. Also, avoid them if you smoke.

• Retinoids:

Topical retinoids, a derivative of vitamin A, can also be used to treat hormonal acne.

Retinoids come in the form of gels, creams, and lotions but you should get a prescription-strength product from the dermatologist as it is the most efficient way to treat this problem.  

• Natural treatment:

Plant-based treatment options can also clear up your acne. Although these treatments are free of side effects of other options, these may not be as effective. The natural treatments include tea tree oil, alpha hydroxyl acid, and green tea.

Some More Tips for People with Acne

• Wash your face twice daily with mild face wash and follow up with an overnight facemask.
• Don’t apply too much acne product as it can dry out your skin. A pea-sized amount would suffice.
• Don’t skip your sunscreen.
• Avoid scrubbing, scraping, or picking pimples.
• Add only non-comedogenic products to your routine to prevent the clogging of pores.

Final Words

Hormonal acne is annoying! But, you can easily get rid of it. Follow the tips mentioned above and revise your current regimes with appropriate products.  

But if your acne persists for a long time, perhaps it’s time for you to consult a good dermatologist.