Expert Contributions

9 Phrases Any Husband Or Wife Can Say To Boost Their Partner’s Daily Joy

A marriage and family therapist shares some regular joy boosters that make a marriage thrive.

As a couples therapist, I have heard from many husbands and wives over the years about what they long to hear from their partners. Most of us lead fast-paced lives with careers, children, social obligations, and other activities. Sometimes, in all of that busyness, we fail to deliver the words our spouses need to experience love and joy in the relationship.

Meet Mary Kay Cocharo

June 7, 2024

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mary Kay Cocharo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

For Long-Term Couples, True Connection is Found in the Everyday Moments

June 5, 2024

Personal connection happens in the small things, and when life gets challenging, the small things are the first to go. Relationship therapist Mary Kay Cocharo talked to us about the common negative relationship patterns she sees in couples, along with the various treatment approaches she takes to help.

5 Seemingly Innocent Things People Say During Fights That Sound Like ‘I Want To Break Up’

Oct 27, 2023

Most people don’t realize how bad these things sound.

Does Couples Therapy Favor Women? (The answer might surprise you!)

September 19, 2023

As a Marriage Therapist with over 30 years of experience, I frequently receive calls from cisgender women in heterosexual relationships with a similar question. One of the most common questions is, “How can I get my partner to go to Couples Therapy?”

12 Quick Yes-Or-No Questions That Can Tell You Exactly Which Relationship Stage You’re In

Sep 15, 2023

People have a natural tendency to wonder what’s going on in their intimate relationships, and we often are looking for an easy way to see how healthy your relationship with your romantic partner actually is. Of course, there is no one way figure out if your relationship is healthy. We all know that abuse, control and manipulation aren’t healthy — but outside of these extremes, what does a healthy relationship feel like?

The Iconic Therapy That Instantly Bonds Couples For Life

June 10, 2023

As a couples therapist for over 34 years, I respect the uniqueness of each couple who calls to set up an appointment. At the same time, I recognize the familiar patterns of disconnection that couples bring to my office. In those moments, it would seem that all of life is a long series of connections, ruptures, and repairs.

9 Effective Couples Therapy Exercises by The Experts

April 17, 2023

As a therapist, it’s important to have effective couples exercises at your disposal for as many situations as possible. This article is the response from licensed therapists and relationship professionals on what they believe to be their most effective couples therapy intervention. Here’s what they had to say.

Meet Mary Kay Cocharo

April 10, 2023

Mary Kay was interviewed by ShoutoutLA for this in depth profile.

Psych Media Discussion Group | White Lotus (Season 2)

February 23, 2023

Mary Kay facilitated a discussion of the second season of HBO’s White Lotus, a comedy portraying a cast of characters as they vacation for a week in a Sicilian resort. She observed the relationships and shifting dynamics among the characters, and, similar to people in real life, their unpredictability.

The Best Relationship Advice to Stay Connected During the Holidays: 7 Expert Tips For Couples

December 13, 2022

As a therapist, people often ask me if I can share relationship advice about what it takes to have a healthy marriage or a healthy relationship. So, I began thinking about the best relationship advice for couples of all relationship phases – married couples, long-term couples, newly dating couples, struggling couples, and so on. While all couples are unique, filled with people who have individual needs and wants, it may come down to simply seven essential items for a healthy and long-lasting relationship.

Community Highlights: Meet Mary Kay Cocharo

October 3, 2022

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Kay Cocharo.

Mary Kay, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

I’ve been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for about 33 years. Although I received my graduate degree at California Lutheran University, I moved to Houston, Texas for four years to pursue an Internship at Galveston Family Institute and then a Fellowship at Houston Child Guidance Center. There, I worked with children and their families.

Suicidal Signs – Several Factors Your Loved One Might Be At Risk of Suicide

October 5, 2021

Were you shocked when you heard about the famous chef and world traveler Anthony Bourdain’s suicide? How did you feel if you watched the documentary about Anthony Bourdain’s life – Roadrunner? Many people were in complete shock that someone like Anthony, who seemed to have it all in life, would struggle and die by suicide.

What Is The Purpose Of Marriage? 3 Vital Elements Of Marriage Today

August 30, 2021

More and more people are asking themselves, “What is the purpose of marriage? Do we need or even want to be married anymore? What does it take to have true companionship?”

What to expect at your first couples therapy session and the 4 relationship skills it can teach you

January 22, 2021

No matter how healthy your relationship is, it’s normal to experience rocky patches. Whether it’s communication, intimacy, or trust issues, a couple’s therapist can help both partners gain new insight and guide their efforts to repair or improve their bond.

Meet Mary Kay Cocharo | Marriage Therapist

November 30, 2020

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mary Kay Cocharo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mary Kay, can you tell us about an impactful book you’ve read and why you liked it or what impact it had on you?

About 25 years ago, I read Getting the Love you Want, by Harville Hendrix, Ph.D. and Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D. It deeply impacted my life, both professionally and personally.

Contribution to “Expert Advice If Your Relationship Is Feeling Some Quarantine-Related Stress”

May 12, 2020

Four ways to keep your relationship healthy when you’re stuck inside with one another forever.

Contribution to “Quarantining With Your Partner Can Make Your Relationship Stronger – Here’s How”

April, 2020

Mary Kay Cocharo, a licensed marriage and family therapist, tells Elite Daily that “It’s important to directly negotiate each of your needs for distance and for connection. Don’t assume that under stress, your partner wants and needs what you do. Everyone processes adversity and loss in different ways.”

Mary Kay Cocharo and relationship experts agree that facing adversity as a team offers the opportunity not only to learn new things about each other but also to improve your communication skills.

Contribution to “8 Relationship Bonding Tips for Stressed-Out Couples”

March, 2020

Mary Kay Cocharo, a licensed marriage and family therapist, tells Elite Daily that many of her clients — even in the strongest relationships — are bickering more than ever now that they’ve been forced to adjust to new living and working conditions. “It takes conscious awareness to stay loving and kind, to accept each other and to celebrate our differences,” she explains. “During a crisis, your emotional brain can hijack the thinking brain, and you go from responding lovingly to reacting.”

Mary Kay Cocharo and relationship experts share their go-to strategies for managing the stress as a team, while also feeling closer than ever before.

An Interview by ClientSpaces

July, 2019

Mary Kay answers questions about her experience as a couples therapist. A few of the questions in this article: “What do you enjoy most and least about what you do?”, “How do you handle difficult clients?”, “What were the first months of your business like, and what was the pace of it’s growth?”

What Justin and Hailey Bieber Can Teach Us
About Supporting a Depressed Signifiant Other

March 26, 2019 Written by Helen Donahue for Playboy Online

… This all may and should all sound startling, but any mental health expert would agree that the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Bieber’s willingness to open up and be vulnerable about his internal battles not just with Vogue but to the public, through social media, is a huge step forward for men, as Mary Kay Cocharo LMFT a Relationship and Family Therapist validates what we should all know by now: that there’s a striking stigma surrounding mental health efforts made by men, meaning most never seek help; rather, they bottle their emotions up.

‘Valentine Journey’
Montecito estate will be setting for couples’ weekend retreat

An interview by Marilyn McMahon, News-Press Staff Writer

January 29, 2019 Issue of Santa Barbara News-Press

Do you feel the energy between you and your partner is flat and boring?

Do you want to recapture the joy and happiness you once had?

Are you having the same arguments over and over again?

Do you want to overcome destructive patterns that are making you unhappy?

Mary Kay Cocharo, who calls herself The Couples Therapist, thinks she might have the answer to these problems during a perfectly timed weekend retreat for five couples.

Expert Roundup – What Happens in Marriage Counseling

Marriage.com with Contribution by Mary Kay Cocharo, LMFT

If your marriage is undergoing choppy waters, it’s time you come together and take time out of your busy schedule and focus on addressing marital concerns.

Marriage counseling can serve as an excellent platform to confront the issues that are plaguing your marriage. It also equips you to find common ground while staying accountable and respectful toward each other with the help of expert marriage counselors.

Handling Real Estate During a Divorce

By Alison Bowen with Contribution by Mary Kay Cocharo, LMFT

Splitting up is hard enough without squabbling over real estate.

But that’s exactly what happens when many couples divorce, if they own property. Some might disagree on who keeps a home or how to sell it. And the stress can add to already-heightened emotions.

Relationship Experts Reveal – 3 Tips on How to Ask a Girl to Be Your Valentine

Marriage.com with Contribution by Mary Kay Cocharo, LMFT

Valentine’s day is almost here, the day that makes most singles go crazy with anxiousness and anticipation. On one hand, it makes you dream about the endless possibilities how your crush might ask you out on a date, on the other, it makes you fret ending up alone on that day. Well, if you keep on dreaming there are chances that your Valentine’s day won’t be any different from the other days (only a tad bit upsetting maybe).

For Nearly 30 Years, Mary Kay Cocharo Has Been Helping Couples Reconnect & Deepen Relationships With Structured Counseling

An Interview by Jessica Lollino for this article written for DatingAdvice.com

Mary Kay Cocharo didn’t plan on becoming a couples therapist early on in her career, but during a conversation with the dean of an MBA program she was considering, he asked her, “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather be a psychologist?” That made Mary Kay stop and think.

Meet Mary Kay Cocharo, LMFT

October 2017 Issue of VoyageLA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Kay Cocharo.

Mary Kay, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.