Relationships can either make or break you. So if you’re wondering, “Am I in a healthy relationship,” this is for you. Often, couples associate healthy relationships with perfection. However, the feeling that your relationship isn’t perfect can make you question your connection with your partner. So, the million-dollar question is: how to build a healthy relationship? 1. Talking and listening are equal priorities in the relationship When you and your partner are at odds, actively listening is a valuable skill to master in building a healthy relationship. You and your partner should have equal ..read more

Dr. Kristie Overstreet contributes to the honeymoon phase and what to do when it ends. Article by Carleigh Ferrante for The EveryGirl. So, you’ve gone through all of the excitement of the honeymoon phase. Those magical feelings have you on top of the world, but how long does this phase last? Let’s look at the length of the phase So if the length of the honeymoon phase varies, how do we make sure our relationships are on the longer side? “One of the many factors that affect the length [of the honeymoon phase] is how emotionally and mentally healthy each partner is,” explained Dr. Kristie Overst ..read more

Dr. Kristie Overstreet contributes to why couples may benefit from sleeping separately. Article by Jaime Osnato for LIVESTRONG. Have you ever thought of the benefits from sleeping in separate beds? Maybe you do not realize how it could improve your overall health. Keep reading! Benefits of Sleeping in Separate Beds You know the saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder​?”​ Well, this is a perfect example.”When you have separate rooms, it also allows you to miss one another,” Overstreet says. You might find you’re more excited to see each other, she adds. For some couples, sexy time before be ..read more

Dr. Kristie Overstreet contributes to what to do when the sex is bad. Article by Carleigh Ferrante for The EveryGirl. So, you’ve gone through all of the hard work of landing the dates, now as things build-up, so do your expectations. You’ve got an idea of how intimacy will be, but what happens when the sex is bad? Here’s what to do Dr. Overstreet suggested avoiding this common mistake by talking to your partner before you have sex. “Ask your partner what they define as intimacy, what they like, and what they don’t like,” she advised. Take note of how comfortable they are talking about the subj ..read more

Dr. Kristie Overstreet contributes to the brutal honest stages of getting back with your ex. Article by Iman Hariri-Kia and Mia Sherin for Elite Daily. We’ve all thought about it; some of us have even tried it…giving an ex a second (maybe third, fourth) chance. Of course, there’s no way to know how the do-over will end up, but you can prepare yourself for the ‘new normal.” There are several stages you may go through when re-starting the relationship. Here’s what to expect. Expectations Acknowledging these stages can also help manage expectations. Kristie Overstreet — a clinical sexologist, psy ..read more

Have you ever wanted to speak up for something you needed and felt stuck? Did you want to say how you were feeling, but felt like you couldn’t? Your struggle with speaking up for your needs must be addressed today. You don’t have the luxury of going another day without getting your needs met. If you continue to avoid discussing your needs, you’ll continue to feel unhappy, which can lead to resentment. I know that sharing your needs can be scary because it is forcing you to be vulnerable. What if you tell someone what you need and they don’t care? What if you share your needs and they don’t mee ..read more

This is the first of many guest post that I will be sharing with you. Everyone’s journey looks different, but I find that I can learn something from everyone’s story. This particular one is about a friend of mine’s experience in a Swinger’s Club and how she learned more about herself than she ever thought possible. Author: Leia Ashley We woke up around 8:30 pm in a hotel. It had been a long day already. We had successfully dropped the kids off, traveled an hour away to complete a 5K run in below freezing temperatures, ate lunch with friends, drove another hour to the hotel, showered, and passe ..read more

I was fortunate to grow up in a home where communication was valued. I know how lucky and blessed I am to have been given this gift. My parent’s ability to communicate with me and one another wasn’t perfect, but it provided me with a template for future relationships. I have not always made the best relationship choices. Nor have I been the best partner because I have made mistakes along the way. As I grew older I began to see just how much my actions affect others. I committed to improving my self-confidence, figuring out what I wanted in a relationship, and focused on self-change. My goal o ..read more

You want a healthy relationship, but you also know the importance of remaining an individual. You fall in love, experience the honeymoon phase, and then the reality of the long-term relationship begins. It can be easy to lose your individuality and sense of self especially as the years pass. Regardless if you are single and dating or have been in a relationship for years, you are responsible for remaining in touch with yourself. You want to avoid codependent behavior that can begin when you lose yourself in a relationship. Here is my advice on how not to lose yourself regardless of your relat ..read more

It can take a long time to build trust in a relationship, but it can be lost within a few minutes. It’s important that you have trust within yourself and your relationships. If you have ever struggled with trust in a relationship, here are 7 new ways to challenge your view of it. 1. Know the two types of trust. There are two different types of trust: realistic and unrealistic. Unrealistic trust is when you believe that you have 100% trust in another person, 100% of the time. Sorry to burst your bubble if you think you can trust another person all of the time. This is impossible because you an ..read more