Relationships

Q: My fiancé and I are going to have a couples counseling session on the 9th of august but he has abandonment issues with me, due to our past of me leaving when things got to be difficult and I’d shut down. How can I reassure him with action that…

Q: My girlfriend of three years is starting to bother me. We’ve had our share of ups and downs, but we’ve always managed to talk things through whenever there’s been a disagreement. Except for one issue: She doesn’t trust me when I’m out and about with other people, specifically my…

Q: I have a neighbor that I struggle to get along with—we’ll call her Heather. I met Heather when we first moved into our neighborhood a few months ago. She and her husband live across the street and came to say hi while my girlfriend and I were carrying boxes…

If you’re expecting tips on what medium-priced champagne to buy in order to sweep your lover off their feet this Saturday night, you’re in the wrong place. Sorry. It’s not going to be that kind of a date night. You probably won’t end up in a Jacuzzi, or on a…

Most guides to defining healthy relationship boundaries focus on new couples. How do you set your personal rules of engagement from the beginning so both partners feel safe and respected? But people in long-term relationships know that love is dynamic. Humans continually grow and change both as individuals and as…

Adults with separation anxiety disorder have heightened, functionally impairing fears about being apart from their attachment figures. The mental health condition might cause them to experience a panic attack when their spouse goes to work, or have recurring nightmares about the death of someone they love. Though separation anxiety in…

Q: I’m looking for more information specifically strategies for dealing with avoidance with my wife when dealing with conflict, disagreements, or issues that make me uncomfortable. When in those moments I have a tendency to freeze up and we are expecting a child, our due date was Friday the 24th….

Glancing at our phones when we hear that familiar “ding” or vibration is muscle memory; after all, we’re curious. It’s also just as common to see what the notification is—and then to put our phone down and wait to respond until, well, we feel like it. From switching off our…

Let’s get straight to the point: Relationships are hard work. Despite how much love there is between two people, conflict can and will arise. The true test is how we navigate these relationship problems with our partners. And whether we come out the other side together. This guide answers some…

As we get older, many things change: our appearance, our interests, our goals, our routines, and our relationships. I’ve found the latter to be especially true.  Sure, my hair’s grown, I now enjoy camping, I’m no longer pressed to lose weight, and I actually go to bed at a decent…

The choice between getting divorced or staying together may be one of the hardest decisions you ever have to make. It’s a critical crossroads where you may see your life heading in two different directions. What kind of future do you want? How do you make an informed decision about…

The front door open for the last time that night, my friends standing on the front porch, arm in arm, waving goodbye, their silhouettes shimmering against the half-moon behind them. Just beyond, I see another set of friends (another couple) climb into their car, as the cabin light illuminates the…