Podcast Episode 35: The Importance of Identity in Marriage with LaQuita Monley

2/1/2023

Having a personal identity is important for your relationship but can also help you stay more grounded in the face of life stressors. In this podcast episode, Elizabeth Polinsky interviews LaQuita Monely on how to have a personal identity in a marriage.

IN THIS PODCAST

What is identity and why is it important?
Challenges of identity as a military spouse.
How having your own identity is related to marriage success.
Tips for military couples and spouses to develop a sense of identity

Introduction to LaQuita Monley

LaQuita Monley is a proud retired army wife, mother of five children, and grandmother of six. She is also a minister and a certified speaker/coach/facilitator with the John Maxwell Team.

In terms of identity, understanding the roles I play and how they are connected to who I am is very important" -- LaQuita Monley

What is identity and why is it important?

LaQuita defines identity as being who or what a person is. Many people assume their identity is based on the roles they play (mom, coworker, etc.). However, she believes that identity comes from the core of who you are and what your core values are. Often figuring out your core values and using the DISC assessment can help you determine your core identity. Even though your roles may change, who you are at your core remains the same. Figuring out your identity is figuring out who you are at the core. Even as you grow, get older, and mature, there will still be a core identity of who you are. LaQuita leads her clients through this journey using the Maxwell Method and DISC assessments.

The Maxwell Method is a leadership model that uses the DISC Personality Assessment. D stands for "dominant" because they can respond in a crisis and de-escalate the situation. I stands for "inspiring" and are very influential, enthusiastic, and persuasive. S stands for "steady" and this trait tends to be stable, team players, and to love systems. The C personality trait stands for "compliant" and is a nice combo of S and D traits--they want everything correct. People score with different strengths of each personality trait, according to LaQuita the results can help explain communication styles, who you might naturally click with, and gives you ways to communicate with different types of personalities.

Identity is who I am across time that remains consistent, even though I change roles" -- Elizabeth Polinsky

Challenges of identity as a military spouse.

Military life is so transitional. If someone doesn't have a strong sense of who they are at their core, they can become consumed with over identifying as their role of parent or spouse, etc., and even in the role of military spouse. The role of military spouse is challenging because it is a role and fake identity of having no control.

Resiliency is so important. Unfortunately it can't be taught. It has to be experienced and there is no way to really prepare for it. As you go, military spouses tend to learn how to respond and how to bounce back. When you are solid in your identity though, it is easier to be resilient. It helps you know how to process and to respond to the situation at hand. Because of regardless of what happens with military life, you remain the same at the core and you do not change.

If you know who you are at the core, you can be in a more grounded place so you won't be thrown around as much by the chaos of military life. Your identity is your grounder.

How having your own identity is related to marriage success.

Knowing your identity is important for the marriage and family unit. If you can stay grounded based on who you are, you can be more present for your spouse and kids. It can even help you rely on others in a more effective way. In LaQuita's experiences of military spouse groups, those with strong identities had strong boundaries and were more stable and steady--the people you could rely on.

Tips for military couples and spouses to develop a sense of identity

Start the journey working with a coach or clinician/therapist.
Consider taking an assessment such as the DISC or SCOPE assessments. You will need to work with someone who can interpret the test results with you.

Working with LaQuita Monley:

Check out LaQuita's website at: www.laquitamonley.com
Check out her youtube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@LMonleyToolbox
Check out her new book: Redefining Success: 8 Tools I Used to Develop a Growth Mindset (note: this is an affiliate link)
Or you can check her out on social media: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook.

Sign up for Liz's FREE Relationship Email Course!

Liz's Useful Links:

Podcast Sponsor: The Relate Assessment is the most comprehensive relationship assessment in the world and is based on 10 predictors of marital stability. It’s supported by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and is the one my husband and I used during our premarital couples counseling. To get 20% off the assessment, go to https://relateinstitute.com/ and enter “POLINSKY20”.

Thanks for listening!

Elizabeth Polinsky is a marriage and couple therapist specializing in working with military members, veterans, and their families. Liz has offices in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Fallon, Nevada, and also provides online counseling services throughout Virginia, Nevada, South Carolina, and Arkansas.

DISCLAIMER:
My podcast, blogs, videos, newsletters, and products are general information for educational purposes only; they are not psychotherapy and not a replacement for therapy. The information provided does not constitute the formation of a therapist-patient relationship. You should consult your doctor or mental health provider regarding advice and support for your health and well being. I cannot answer questions regarding your specific situation. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, you should call 911, report to your local ER, or call the National Crisis Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. Nothing I post should be considered professional advice. The information in my podcast, blogs, videos, newsletters, and products are not intended to be therapy or psychological advice. The podcast, blogs, videos, newsletters, and products are not a request for a testimonial, rating, or endorsement from clients regarding counseling. If you are a current or former client/ patient, please remember that your comments may jeopardize your confidentiality. I will not “friend” or “follow” current or past clients to honor ethical boundaries and privacy; nor will I respond to comments or messages through social media or other platforms from current or past clients. Current and past client’s should only contact me through the professional contact information provided on the website. Lastly, accounts may be managed by multiple people. Therefore, comments and messages are monitored by staff and are not confidential.

0 Comments