In a healthy relationship, you want to be a better version of yourself. Relationships help you learn how to share, think of someone else first, and build a future together. A mature relationship isn’t about finding your other half or “fixing” your past hurts. The only person who can “fix” you is you, and you do that by accepting where you’re at and making strides to change the behaviors holding you back. Your partner should believe in you and encourage you in your growth. But

The new year is exciting for most of us. If you’re like thousands of others, you’ve set goals to get in shape, begin a new diet, or try a new hobby to feel more energetic and confident. However, have you talked to your partner about your relationship resolutions? Since relationships are alive, they respond quickly to changes made by couples who are invested in creating a happier and closer union. You don’t need intense therapy to make this happen. Setting goals and celebratin

Being single when you rather be with someone is difficult. Coupled friends may invite you to join them but it can leave you feeling like the third wheel at a table set for four. To avoid these feelings many singles, divorcees, and widowers date people they get along with but don’t love. They describe this type of relationship as a band-aid for the real thing. The problem with a band-aid relationship is that it lacks commitment and devotion. Therefore, the couple has trouble d

There is no perfect marriage and all marriages need constant attention to keep them vibrant and alive. Years of working with couples has taught me the number one reason marriages fall apart is because partners stop listening and paying attention to each other. When someone feels as though what they say or feel doesn’t matter, they learn to protect themselves from getting hurt. They achieve this by giving up on expressing their emotional needs. Once this happens the couple los

As a clinical psychotherapist, I see couples who do not belong together. There are individuals who tolerate being screamed at or insulted by their partner. Yet when it’s suggested that they should take a break or separate from each other, they vehemently decline. They protect their partner in public when they go off on a rage and even attack family members who voice their concerns. Understanding why people stay in toxic relationships is the first step to helping them leave. B

Are you feeling as though there is less and less time to complete your to-do list? You try to make a doctor’s appointment for an annual checkup only to find you don’t have time so once again you put off your health in order to get stuff done. You can’t remember the last time you took personal time to do something for yourself. If you’re constantly on the go, it’s not only affecting your emotional and physical health, it’s affecting your relationships, too. Physical symptoms s

When we hear the word outsourcing, we usually think about business practices. If a business doesn’t have the specialists it needs to do a particular job, it may outsource it to another business that does. Outsourcing can bring new ideas and efficiency to a business or even help a business expand. However, trying to outsource in your personal relationships is not a wise idea. As boundaries between work and personal life have become more and more blurred, many people are trying

No matter how long you’ve been with your partner or how secure you are in your relationship, excessive work takes a toll on your relationship. It comes up in my clinical work often; many partners complain they’re married to a workaholic. This causes emotional stress on both partners, one feeling misunderstood and stressed, and the other feeling neglected and abandoned. The ability to shut work down and unplug is so important for mental health and relationship stability. Despi

Many men worry about their wives or spouses changing them, but rarely do they talk about trying to change their partner. That doesn’t mean there are things they’d like to change though, especially if it improves the relationships. Across my many years of counseling, I have noticed there are some common grievances, which I compiled into a list. Ladies, if you are trying to improve your relationship, resolving these four issues within yourself would be a healthy place to begin.

The thought of re-sparking a relationship with romance always sounds good, but many feel too tired, overwhelmed, or stressed to even get started. It’s not just time or kids that robs couples of the romance in their relationship, it’s the settling into routine and comfort. Although many partners want to please their partner and feel passionate about each other again, they tell themselves it’s impossible or put it off for another day. Although passion and desire change over tim