Here are excerpts from a recent book, Disconnect to Connect: Couples and Social Media Use. Very interesting ……………

• You may have clients who complain about their spouse’s excessive use of technology and social media and how it interferes negatively with their marital relationship. Married couples enter counseling for a variety of reasons, and yes, poor communication, which leads to an escalation of conflict, is indeed among the top reasons. You may have helped couples deal with more complicated situations, such as affairs, pornography, or some other types of addictions. Interestingly, many couples have faced high levels of conflict and low levels of marital satisfaction due to the negative impact of their technology and social media use. Therefore, whether you are counseling, mentoring, or discipling married couples, addressing the impact of technology and social media use on marriage needs to be part of your counseling approach.
• The reality is that a growing number of people use social media. According to the Pew Research Center (2018), “roughly two-thirds of U.S. adults (68%) now report that they are Facebook users, and roughly three-quarters of those users access Facebook on a daily basis.” The same article points out that the younger generation tends to use other social media platforms, “78% of 18- to 24-year-olds use Snapchat, and a sizeable majority of these users (71%) visit the platform multiple times per day. Similarly, 71% of Americans in this age group now use Instagram and close to half (45%) are Twitter users.” Consequently, counselors need to be competent to address the potential issues that may arise due to the pervasive impact of technology and social media on couple’s lives.
• Technology and social media have revolutionized the way people communicate and conduct business. It has enriched our lives in many ways, but it has also created some new challenges for couples and counselors as well. Different opinions and research findings exist regarding the impact of technology and social media on mental health and how they can affect the quality of marital relationships. When a spouse is more connected to social media than to his or her spouse, the relationship may suffer.
• Be wise when you post on social media. Ask yourself, “How will this post motivate and encourage people?” or “How will this post reflect on my marriage?” You may even ask yourself, “What if this post is read in court?” or “What if my boss reads this post?”

                                                  Disconnect to Connect (2022)