Infatuation vs genuine feelings of love: think you can spot the difference? If you're in the newest stages of a relationship, this actually might be hard to do! But being able to recognize the difference between these two opposing emotional states can be helpful for making sure you're entering (and staying in) a relationship with someone for the right reasons. What Am I Really Feeling? Some Quick…Read More
Feeling connected with your spouse or partner isn't just important—it's kind of the whole point. To wit, decades of research confirm that being in a committed, long-term relationship or marriage is good for your physical and mental health, and that strong social connections benefit your quality of life and length of life. It follows, then, that feeling disconnected from your partner, for…Read More
A "situationship" is a romantic and/or sexual relationship that isn't formally defined. You may know it by its other pop culture references like "friends with benefits," "fun buddies," or "booty call." People in situationships generally aren't exclusively committed to each other and typically aren't expected to fork over a ton of emotional investment. But while this casual, noncomittal intimacy …Read More
I don't know about you, but I actually really like New Years resolutions. Yes, they get a bad rap. We see headline after headline about the dismal follow-through that people seem to have around these New Year, New Me commitments—for instance, that fewer than 8% of people actually stick to their goals (apparently) or that most people end up giving up on their aims before the end of January—a…Read More
When you argue with your spouse, does it ever feel like Groundhog Day? Do you ever shake your head in disbelief, wondering why you're having this same disagreement yet again? Hitting the same marital roadblock over and over may relate to a perpetual problem between you and your spouse. Perpetual problems—which even healthy couples have—are difficult if not impossible to solve (though not …Read More
Do things feel heavy to you right now? They do for me, too. When so many difficult issues are going on in the world—including the environment, Afghanistan, politics, COVID-1, and the mental health crisis—it can sometimes feel like you're shouldering these burdens on your own. And even with a supportive spouse, it can be tricky figuring out how to create healthy conversations about these tou…Read More
The introvert falls for the extrovert. The one who loves to save marries the one who loves to shop. The "glass half full" kind of person finds their "glass half empty" partner. Are these relationships destined to thrive—or doomed to fail? When Opposites Attract Magnets—sure. But as far as human relationships go, the idea that "opposites attract" seems to be little more than an interestin…Read More
Do you ever get angry at your spouse? For most of us, the answer is a resounding yes. We're human, after all, and anger is a normal human emotion. But while feeling angry isn't inherently bad, anger can have a negative impact on your marriage if it's not dealt with well. When You're Angry and You Know It: Why it's Normal and What To Do (And NOT Do) About It If you have this idea that healthy c…Read More
A "sexless marriage" can mean different things to different couples. But what all sexless marriages have in common is a lack of physical intimacy that leaves one or both partners feeling alienated, unsatisfied, and disconnected. The feeling of disconnect is key. After all, a lack of sex is not necessarily a problem if both partners aren't bothered by it. But when lack of sexual intimacy be…Read More
Many people assume that for two partners to be healthy and thriving together, there needs to be a 50/50 split in terms of energy, love, and effort. I invite you to think about it as 100/100. In other words, both partners put in their best effort to commit to and nurture a healthy bond. Of course, your best efforts will fluctuate at times—and that's okay. Factors like stress at work or a poor nig…Read More