Fun in Relationships

by Annette Snider, Reach Therapist Intern

Today is April Fools’ Day or also called All Fools’ Day. This is a designated day of the year were practical jokes or pranks are played on friends, family, co-workers, etc., all in the name of a little fun! The positive sides of an April Fools’ Day prank are the health benefits. A good belly laugh is a great stress reliever and is also good for reducing strain on the heart.{1} It’s a great feeling to know that you can have fun and play a practical joke on someone, and when it is all said and done they will laugh along with you. That is a sign of a healthy relationship, the ability to be playful and have fun together. 

A question to ask yourself is…Are you having enough fun in your relationships to reap the health benefits associated with laughter and playfulness? Think about it? Are you a person that is fun to be around? Have you ever assessed your current relationships based on a FUN factor? There is so much negativity that inundates our realities that usually fun and games gets put on the back burner. Well, here’s a bit of trivia, April is also National Humor Month and a great time to put laughter, fun, and games as a priority in your life and your relationships. If you can’t think of the last time you had a good laugh or had a good time, you might want to consider making some changes.

We at Pfeiffer Institute Reach understand the need for having and maintaining a work/life balance. A balanced life includes making time for fun. Playing and laughing is a great way of taking care of yourself and when you do it shows!  Don’t fool yourself today, if making time for fun is something not on your calendar, Reach for the phone and give us a call, we can help. (919) 941-2900.

{1} Why April Fools’ Day is Good For Your Health – Health News and Views". News.Health.com. 1 April 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2014.

Good Friday

by Annette Snider, Reach Therapist Intern

TGIF takes on a whole new meaning today. Good Friday in the Christian faith is a day that represents an amazing dichotomy, simultaneous love and suffering, with sacrifice and forgiveness. For many, today is a day of introspection and reflection. God, the Universe, a Higher Power, or your own moral compass at times, will guide you to consider your place in the bigger picture of life. To look honestly at yourself and ask the hard questions…questions like: 

“Do I lean more toward sacrifice or convenience?”
“Am I more likely to forgive or blame?”
“Do I purposefully avoid the areas in my life that are painful?”
“How loving are my relationships, and what am I willing to go through to make them healthy?”
These are scary questions because to obtain the answers that we want may mean we will be require to change, and change is difficult.

Good Friday was all about a difficult change. A major shift, so life could be experienced in a better way. What will your Good Friday be about? Is it time for you to make some shifts in your life or relationships? Is it time to stop holding a grudge or avoiding pain? The statement, “Do you want to be right or do you want to be well?” came from a sermon I heard many years ago and I’ve never forgotten it. Good Friday is all about being well; it’s about embracing what is scary and believing for a better tomorrow. Reach for it: (919) 941-2900.

Women's History Month: What's Self-Care Got To Do with It?

by Annette Snider, Reach Therapist Intern

March is Women’s History Month. This is the month accomplishments of women are to be celebrated, shared, and remembered. Over the centuries, women have broken through many barriers. They have blazed trails to make a better world for all of us. Women have been successful in non-traditions jobs and careers, been strong advocates for justice, written policy, fought in the armed forces, created beautiful art and music, excelled in athletics, saved lives, broken records, taught and nurtured children, and loved fiercely and sacrificially, just to name a few.

As wonderful and exciting as it is to list the accomplishments of women, a common theme is that women are socialized to put others before themselves. For some women, this practice is where they gain their value. However, when serving others first gets out of balance it can lead to physical, emotional, and mental concerns (DiGiacomo, Davidson, Zecchin, Lamb, & Daly, 2011).

How do women make changes so they can continue to be healthy and strong in the important areas on life? The answer: Self-Care. Those two words typically get a “Yep, you’re right” response. Self-Care is often acknowledged; however, consistent follow through of truly caring for oneself is harder to maintain. In honor of Women’s History Month, let each of us look around at all the wonderful women in our lives, and encourage them to care for themselves. Some women know exactly what to do to reset back to a healthy place. Others struggle with identifying what that might look like. If you, or a woman you know, could use some help in creating a self-care plan, Pfeiffer Institute Reach is a place where that can happen.


DiGiacomo, M., Davidson, P. M., Zecchin, R., Lamb, K., & Daly, J. (2011). Caring for others, but not themselves: Implications for health care interventions in women with cardiovascular disease. Nursing Research and Practice, 1-5. doi:10.1155/2011/376020

Invest in Your Relationship

by Annette Snider, Reach Therapist Intern

How much are you investing in your relationship? Would you like to see that investment pay off?

Prepare/Enrich is a relationship assessment tool that really zeros in on the areas and issues in every relationship. This assessment will be tailor made based on your answers. The assessment provides you with valuable information about yourself, your partner, and your relationship. It highlights the relationship strengths and also where there are opportunities for growth. It is not a test so you don’t need to worry about passing it.

As a Prepare/Enrich facilitator, I have found this tool can benefit couples at any stage of their relationship. If you are considering premarital counseling, Prepare Enrich asks all the questions you might not know to ask before you are married. If you want to enrich your relationship, the Prepare/Enrich assessment clearly indicates the areas of focus. If your relationship feels like it is in trouble, the assessment and accompanying curriculum provide tools to explore and pinpoint specific areas of concern.

Relationships are precious and need to be nurtured to thrive. For a $35.00 assessment fee a couple receives an accurate relationship inventory. Pfeiffer Institute Reach is offering a Prepare/Enrich workshop on Saturday, April 2nd. Please join us and see your investment grow!

Improve Your Relationship!