Like many other facets of a long-term relationship or marriage, intimacy can ebb and flow. Truth be told, roughly 40% of married couples reported experiencing some type of sexual problem (“Marriage and Family Review,” 2016). While intimacy issues understandably feel personal and unique to you and your partner, you are not alone.  Feeling unsatisfied with sex, unmotivated to initiate sex, and disconnected in your relationship are common signs of intimacy issues. While many factors can negatively impact a couple’s intimate connection, a few seem to be more prevalent, like lack of communicat ..read more

In the world of love languages, gifts often get a bad rap. People often misunderstand and stigmatize the gifts love language, believing it to be materialistic, greedy, or shallow. Yet there is beauty and significance in the love language of gifts. Whether you identify with this language or have a loved one who receives love in this manner, it’s time to break down the misconception and celebrate the genuine emotional connections that can be forged through thoughtful gifts. Is gift-giving a love language?  The concept of love languages, popularized by Dr. Gary Chapman in his book “The Five ..read more

Have you ever felt self-conscious about your attraction to someone other than your partner? Romantic or physical attraction towards others can be a scary topic for partners in a committed, monogamous relationship. For many, the idea of attraction to another person might feel like a threat to the commitment of their existing relationship. Many partners worry that talking about a crush will make their partner feel bad, and many partners might feel guilty for experiencing feelings of attraction to an outside person in the first place.  But what if having crushes could actually be beneficial ..read more

You have 17 meetings this week, all scattered throughout your calendar. But what about a scheduled check-in with your spouse? Many couples in therapy ask about the best ways to keep working on things at home. The desire for at-home practice is such a great signal — you and your partner are motivated to improve your relationship and are committed to the work you’re doing in therapy. While couples can make significant headway in a 50-80 minute therapy session, you and your partner must practice the skills you learned.  Of all the books, resources, and articles, there’s one practice that we ..read more

Do you and your partner find yourselves in a delicate balancing act? You hit the ground running on Monday and don’t stop until Sunday just to restock at the grocery store, throw the eighth load of laundry in the washing machine, and start all over again the next day. Throughout the week, you and your spouse are tag-teaming to ensure your kids get from school to the field and hopefully eat something besides a granola bar.  Connecting with your significant other can feel challenging when you’re in the hamster wheel of dividing and conquering household tasks while juggling demanding game and ..read more

It started so differently. But here you are, looking at your partner like they are a stranger. You might think, “My partner doesn’t know me — how can we continue like this? Is there hope for us to reconnect, or is divorce the only path forward?”  Perhaps instead of growing apart, there’s been a betrayal, and you’re unsure if you can come back from the injury. You ask yourself, “Can I trust my partner again? Is it possible to rebuild a good relationship together?” Regardless of the reason for your disconnect, you may be contemplating divorce, and if so, discernment counseling may be a thou ..read more

How do you know when a relationship is over or if you should keep trying? Couples counseling and discernment counseling are two therapeutic approaches designed to address relationship issues, but they serve different purposes and cater to distinct needs. We’re clarifying the differences between couples counseling and discernment counseling so you can decide what fits your current relationship needs.  What are the goals of couples counseling vs. discernment counseling?  Having goals in counseling is a fundamental aspect of effective therapy. It helps provide a clear focus for therapy ..read more

Have you ever lost a close relationship or an important person in your life? Grief will impact all of us at some point in our lives. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, relationship, pet, or way of life, grief does not discriminate. During times of loss, it can be difficult to find the right platform to process and discuss what you’re going through. Grief is not confined to a single loss but a series of losses as we acclimate to a new way of life.  While people need year-round grief support, August 30 is Grief Awareness Day, a dedicated time for people to communally share their grief a ..read more

How did your last heated argument start? Was it emotionally charged and tinged with blame? Or perhaps your disagreement was born out of resentment and frustration. Regardless of the source of your last argument, studies have shown that how a difficult conversation begins is a good indicator of how the conversation ends. Meaning if your tough conversation begins with tension or hostility, it will likely end with those same feelings. So, what’s the solution? A soft start-up. When you use a soft start-up, you and your partner can resolve conflict by focusing on the problem instead of who is to bl ..read more

When ChatGPT (“Chatbot Generative Pre-trained Transformer”), the groundbreaking language model from Artificial Intelligence (AI), became available to the public in November 2022, social media was dazzled by its stunning capabilities. Within days, it attracted more than one million users. ChatGPT’s ability to quickly compile and distill information from reputable sources set the stage for people to expand their knowledge through distilled research — for business, education, medicine, and even mental health therapy. But for all the usefulness of this tool, it is essential to remember that AI has ..read more