<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Hope Project Couples Clinic at Regent University]]></title><description><![CDATA[The only couple counseling clinic in Virginia that focused on Hope Focused approach, an empirically supported, positive psychology approach.]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 03:45:31 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.hopecouples.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Thanksgiving Together: Dates &#38; Gratitude For Your Mate]]></title><description><![CDATA[by Jen Ripley, Ph.D.  Director of The Hope Project Thanksgiving offers us a moment, not just of turkey and tablecloths, but of genuine pause. A chance to remember the good of the year, the close of another season together, and the one person who has walked through it beside us. This year, I invite you and your partner to do more than reflect: I invite you to connect. To share gratitude, to affirm, and to refresh your bond in just five minutes a day. Why five minutes matters You don’t need a...]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/thanksgiving</link><guid isPermaLink="false">691b83d4dd35cb65e8687d55</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2025 20:26:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_4d70453a53d0433a9a9968a1d1615103~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Letting Go of the Ideal to Love What Is: What Team Hoyt Teaches Us About Real Love]]></title><description><![CDATA[Statue of the Hoyts located near the start of the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, Massachusetts Most couples begin their relationship with a dream.A dream of how love will look and feel — ease, laughter, understanding, and a deep sense of being known. But real life often interrupts those dreams. Illness, stress, disappointment, or simply the daily wear of life can turn that dream upside down. When that happens, many couples feel something must be wrong.  Yet, sometimes what’s “wrong” isn’t the...]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/letting-go-of-the-ideal-to-love-what-is-what-team-hoyt-teaches-us-about-real-love</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68ed557a4c02aa6b1113e4c1</guid><pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2025 19:43:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/713489_42b72deb218b482286d109461399c4ba~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Five-Minute Date: Small Moments, Big Connection]]></title><description><![CDATA[Dr. Jen explains the 5-minute date on Loveology.org It was a Thursday night. I had a full day of sessions, and dinner was a last-minute...]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/the-five-minute-date-small-moments-big-connection</link><guid isPermaLink="false">687a7d7b985048d8892ed81b</guid><pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 17:12:54 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d07b594951e9487c862788780fd72dd3.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Taming Relationship Conflict: Lessons from Cranes Herding an Alligator]]></title><description><![CDATA[Have you ever seen a few cranes herd an alligator across a street? You gotta see this It’s an odd sight. The cranes—delicate, poised, and...]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/taming-relationship-conflict-lessons-from-cranes-herding-an-alligator</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6841ffbb2e0c4f9f01ed7b93</guid><pubDate>Thu, 05 Jun 2025 20:42:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://youtu.be/_uk2piz1ltQ?si=IllnenpAGQHTpdL3" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Hope Couple Travel Guide]]></title><description><![CDATA[How's your summer holiday plans going? Every couple dreams of that perfect vacation—the one where you escape from daily responsibilities,...]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/hope-couple-travel-guide</link><guid isPermaLink="false">681e27f42d8811f07a268262</guid><pubDate>Wed, 14 May 2025 18:24:02 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://youtu.be/MWkd6a6jr40?si=7D_gtFewHyMuHHtU" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Healing After Hurt: A Hope-Focused Guide to Repairing Relationships]]></title><description><![CDATA[Every relationship faces challenges, and offenses—whether minor misunderstandings or significant betrayals—can strain even the strongest...]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/healing-after-hurt-a-hope-focused-guide-to-repairing-relationships</link><guid isPermaLink="false">681a6c3e5ed1e301b22299a2</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2025 20:17:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/713489_6134cbc401444d578db98694fd3551b8~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_474,h_474,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Timeless Love: What the late Pope Can Teach Us About Thriving Relationships]]></title><description><![CDATA[The world is remembering the life and legacy of Pope Francis this week in April 2025.  We at the Hope Project consist of counselors and...]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/timeless-love-what-the-late-pope-can-teach-us-about-thriving-relationships</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6808f910f680d9067100e907</guid><pubDate>Wed, 23 Apr 2025 14:30:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/84ceb07807fc487dad6b8bdad8f711d2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Love Languages for Today]]></title><description><![CDATA[Validating and Enjoying Who Each of you Are is a Key to a Healthy Relationship by Dr. Jennifer Ripley I once had the pleasure of...]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/love-languages-for-today</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67bf2ee3efd67e3d7e43ee33</guid><pubDate>Wed, 26 Feb 2025 15:41:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/713489_1e7bd3448d81488996d9d0bde9ee812e~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_937,h_552,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Christmas Dating for Couples:  How to Survive Christmas Stress Without Snapping At your Mate]]></title><description><![CDATA[How to date your mate during the Christmas Rush]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/christmas-dating-for-couples-how-to-survive-christmas-stress-without-snapping-at-your-mate</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6751c3ae61c30a773b91a5cb</guid><category><![CDATA[Forgiveness, Repair & Reconciling]]></category><category><![CDATA[Understand relationship patterns]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 05 Dec 2024 16:26:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/713489_692e92c28ddc41e8ba89731286a7a122~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_645,h_429,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Prayer of Examen for Couples]]></title><description><![CDATA[Many Christian individuals may invest in deepening their relationship with God by cultivating a practice of praying for His wisdom and guid]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/examen</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66a3c4ea53b5147d63f67cbe</guid><category><![CDATA[Repair Your Bond]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jul 2024 16:02:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_4d396a724b44584f516f55~mv2_d_5152_3435_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Haught</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Prayer for your Partner: Lectio Divina for Couple Relationships]]></title><description><![CDATA[There is considerable research that has developed to show that positive prayer for your partner has effects both relationally and spirituall]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/lectio</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66a3c1b453b5147d63f679b4</guid><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jul 2024 15:45:35 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_f70e05cd64fd461096a7beaf2b18ba6e~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Haught</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Cultivating Intimacy and Communication Through Empathy]]></title><description><![CDATA[Cultivate intimacy and communication in couple relationships through empathy, just like Forrest Gump]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/cultivating-intimacy-and-communication-through-empathy</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66a3be309927b64dd9244e00</guid><category><![CDATA[Repair Your Bond]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jul 2024 15:30:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/713489_822a53710f044658ae78d0f8d55a36a7~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_546,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Sarah Haught</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Accept the Things You Can't Change]]></title><description><![CDATA[How to accept differences that are unlikely to change in a relationship.  Apply to Marriage Counseling.]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/accept-the-things-you-can-t-change</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66a2a1ffe82d8c48ec29f796</guid><pubDate>Thu, 25 Jul 2024 19:55:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_a2283796643b4e2cb1f958350414abe2~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love: What type of relationship are you in?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Understand your relationship, and it's history, using Bob Sternberg's triangular theory of love which creates 8 different types of...]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/sternberg-s-triangular-theory-of-love-what-type-of-relationship-are-you-in</link><guid isPermaLink="false">669197b32f1b464d1802b5de</guid><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jul 2024 21:11:53 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/713489_cbe0405b4d41453586f5ca89ad39135c~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_600,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stop This Game!  I want OUT]]></title><description><![CDATA[Couple conflict is a circular pattern, and knowing how to stop the negative cycle is the key to a happy and healthy relationship You...]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/stop-this-game-i-want-out</link><guid isPermaLink="false">669182311af2e5b4ba0cb963</guid><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jul 2024 20:00:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/58830eeec3fa421289aa866ae785f9a1.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Can We Reach Forgiveness?]]></title><description><![CDATA[How to Reach Forgiveness as a couple]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/forgiveness</link><guid isPermaLink="false">65b2bc3c7892d9e7efdc3ed6</guid><category><![CDATA[Forgiveness, Repair & Reconciling]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 25 Jan 2024 20:14:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/713489_bfaf1a4304e04b3a87ad32de1162fb77~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_616,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Financial Planning &#38; Family Conflict: Making Sense out of Cents ]]></title><description><![CDATA[A financial advisor and psychologist discuss families and money]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/finances</link><guid isPermaLink="false">64c1835f01ee15f7c5355db6</guid><category><![CDATA[Communication and Conflict]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 06 Oct 2023 21:04:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/713489_0d09f90bbb274452878d67bfe8759501~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_441,h_616,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Five Way to Take Care of your Elephant Brain?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Take care of your elephant brain to have a better life and better marriage]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/elephant</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6470bdf4d1f21a41a79ad2d5</guid><category><![CDATA[Courage to Cool Down]]></category><category><![CDATA[Understand relationship patterns]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 26 May 2023 14:53:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/713489_016ef131eb0a4aeca8424ecb8dadb7f5~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Difficult Family Discussions, at Summer BBQs, Holidays or any day]]></title><description><![CDATA[by Nicole Urh, PsyD, Fellow of the Hope Project and Charis Institute We've all been there. The family is together for a summer BBQ, a...]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/difficult-family-discussions-at-summer-bbqs-holidays-or-any-day</link><guid isPermaLink="false">64678c8dacb1450f0957bba7</guid><category><![CDATA[Communication and Conflict]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 19 May 2023 14:51:37 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_820ee1da9a1d47769827ae1dc54c3b99~mv2_d_7360_4912_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Looking Back to Remember: Joshua Memorial and the Gilgal 12 Stones as You End Couple Therapy Well]]></title><description><![CDATA[How to End Couple Counseling Well]]></description><link>https://www.hopecouples.com/post/joshua</link><guid isPermaLink="false">642b1fdca066d9ebc17d057d</guid><category><![CDATA[Understand relationship patterns]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 03 Apr 2023 21:13:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/713489_90d58779ff92485b8c5ed66d72748db6~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_512,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Dr. Jennifer Ripley, Ph.D.</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>