The number one cause of divorce is a couple’s inability to stay in the present during an argument rather than dredging up trauma and hurt from the past and fear of the future. This coming from marriage expert Dr. Donald Welch of the Welch Family Therapy Institute. He is an accomplished author, professor, and speaker with a slate of degrees and a lifetime of experience as a practicing therapist under his belt. He discusses how couples can foster a more responsive relationship rather than a reactive one. He also talks about the importance of staying focused on the present and future rather than the past and allowing yourself the space to think things through before you issue a response. “Approximately 65% to 80% of communication,” Donald says, “is nonverbal.”TAKEAWAYSReactivity can eventually lead to divorceCouples don’t balance their rhetoric apart from their emotionsWhen a couple goes hysterical, they’re often going historicalAwareness provides the opportunity to choose