Relationships are diverse, and no two couples are alike. However, there are common intimacy and communication issues that arise for many committed couples. One of the obstacles of improving intimacy and communication is finding a safe place to be vulnerable and feel comfortable talking about those issues. Most of us weren’t raised with parents who talked openly about sex; therefore, when couples begin feeling lonely or frustrated with their sexual concerns, they don’t know ho

Feeling bored in the bedroom? Summer is the perfect time to spice things up. An active and fulfilling sex life improves your overall emotional and physical health. It reduces stress, improves sleep, and promotes cardiovascular health. Incorporating one or two of these behaviors and reinvesting in keeping your summer romantic will change the mood around your house. Be open to trying new things in the bedroom. For example, consider: -Wearing lighter lingerie at night. -Wat

Marriages have a way of bringing family together, and nowhere can you see that more clearly then when couples fifty and over get married. Grandchildren, step children, adult children, and more relatives than you’ll ever see at a family reunion are present. It’s an opportunity to celebrate married life, because there is something about watching people say their vows reinforces your own marriage. If you you’re getting married at an older age, here are a few things to keep in mi

May is right around the corner and happens to be “Date your Mate” month. Most couples realize the importance of date night in their marriage; unfortunately, life gets in the way and couples push date nights to the side. Soon date nights become family nights with kids in tow and that’s not the sort of enriching date night that fosters the intimacy that marriage demands. Most couples want more from their marriage – more connection, more closeness, and deep conversations. They w

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

According to a new Pew Research Center survey, almost one third of families living together use texting in lieu of conversing face-to-face. Texting has become the easy, convenient way to communicate between partners and family members. The statistic was higher when families had children. When asked why, most of the respondents agreed that phones are always with you, they reduce yelling at each other, and are more convenient. In one third of the homes, smart phones were being

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

My mother had a rule when we got married. She told us, “You love them, you married them, and now they are family. If you don’t like something they do, tell them – not me.” She was strong in her conviction, and I believe it was my mother who helped support my marriage, as well as my siblings’ marriages, more than anyone else. A big mistake many couples face is when they gossip and talk badly about their partner. It causes problems on many levels. You begin feeling more negativ

It’s a common area of marital discord when couples begin competing against each other rather than working together as a team. It begins subtly; sometimes with something as simple as the kids saying one parent is the best or comparing parents to each other. Or maybe you’ve been working on getting fit and, rather than offering each other support, you begin reminding your spouse that you eat healthier or look better than they do. Before long, you find yourself feeling angry and

Does your partner cringe when you have a girl’s or guy’s night? Do they complain about one of your friends in particular? A recent study following couples in long-term relationships suggests that some friends may be toxic to your marriage. Seven U.S universities collaborated on 16 years of data from 355 couples who participated in an Early Years of Marriage Study. The survey found that when husbands disliked their wives’ friends, accusing them of interfering in the marriage,