Free take-home handout
6 Hours to a Better Relationship
A printable adaptation of the Gottman Institute's Magic Six Hours, the small weekly rituals that add up to about six hours a week and keep long-term couples connected.
Free to download and share with your therapist. Educational, not a substitute for therapy.
What's inside
- The six rituals: Partings, Reunions, Appreciation, Affection, Date Night, and a Weekly State of the Union
- How much time each one takes
- Tips for making the rituals stick past week one
- Open-ended conversation prompts drawn from Gottman's Seven Principles
Who it's for
Couples who want a low-effort, high-return maintenance habit before things drift, not after.
Adapted from the Gottman Institute's Magic Six Hours.
My Mental Climb adapts established therapy frameworks for educational use and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or certified by their originators, including The Gottman Institute.
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FAQ
What are the Gottman Magic Six Hours?
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The Magic Six Hours are six small weekly rituals the Gottmans found in couples who stay connected: unhurried partings and reunions, daily appreciation and affection, a weekly date, and a weekly check-in. Together they add up to roughly six hours a week.
Do we really need six hours a week?
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The six hours are spread across the week in small pieces (a two-minute goodbye, a six-second kiss, a daily appreciation), not one long block. Most of it fits into moments you're already having, just done with a little more intention.
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Gottman Method
Evidence-based couples therapy developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman over 40+ years of research.
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Gottman Method, EFT, attachment-based work, and sex therapy integrated into relationship care for partners at any stage. Weekday and weekend availability.
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