Romance and small gestures are the super glue that hold a relationship together, and that keep the flame burning bright. Remind your partner they are special so you don’t slowly fall into roommate syndrome or begin to drift apart. Happy couples don’t postpone romance to exotic vacations that may never even happen. They remind each … Read more
Do you want more positivity in your relationship? The solution might be easier than you think. There is so much talk circulating right now about warnings to stay away from toxic behaviors and watch out for red flags. While it is important to work on the challenges in your relationship, it’s crucial not to focus … Read more
Image by Alejandro Tuzzi from Pixabay You’ve heard the advice that you’re supposed to be vulnerable with your partner if you want to build trust and feel closer. But you might not know what that means or where to start. Here are my answers to some common questions people have about how to increase intimacy in romantic relationships … Read more
The Field of Psychology is in Need of More Evidence-Based Resources that are Fun and Easy to Read. Self-help advice tends to fall into two categories. 1 – Highly technical writing presented by academics who have spent their careers analyzing data. These books are full of solid advice, but also tend to err on the … Read more
Don’t Tell People to Be Joyful, Ask Them How They Are Instead As an 8-year old child, Christmas was wonderous and magical for me. I loved the food, the music and, of course, the gifts. Everything about it was a delight. I remember being in church on Christmas Eve. It was my favorite service of … Read more
Long-lasting love is built every single day. Prevention and consistency are not sexy but it’s worth it to focus on quality time together. You daydream about romantic getaways with white sand beaches. And worry about betrayal and abandonment in the wee hours of the morning. But you probably don’t use much of your brain space … Read more
These “elements of style” might just keep you off the couch tonight. “This is just the kind of silly nonsense up with which I shall not put.” Author unknown, but definitely not Winston Churchill. You are an excellent communicator. You read the classics and the poets and are well-spoken and articulate. So it is a mystery … Read more
There Is More Than One Way to “Fight Fair.” (Three to Be Exact) Find out your preferred way to resolve conflict with a Conflict Style Assessment. The Gottmans’ research shows that there is more than one right way to manage conflict. They observed research participants discussing things they disagreed about and the results were groundbreaking. … Read more
When people first hear the word commitment, they often think of it in terms of vows said in front of a room full of people. In truth, commitment is incredibly private. Happy couples don’t just say “I do” once; they find a way to reinforce it to one another daily. It happens way before a … Read more
I am a therapist and I absolutely love my work. This surprises many people as they assume that listening to other people’s problems is unpleasant. They believe perhaps that we are working out of altruism. For me, the truth is that the therapeutic work nourishes me, and I benefit from the clinical relationship just as … Read more