Long-distance relationships are relatively common. Recent data shows that about 3 million people in the United States are in a relationship but live apart from each other. This statistic reflects those couples that live apart for reasons that are not due to relationship distress. Typically, geographic demands connected to one’s job, career, or school are

There are an endless amount of jokes about how sex ends after marriage, or really any relationship that continues beyond the honeymoon phase. Despite these jokes, they actually do reflect some degree of truth for many relationships. Any relationship that has very little to no sex-life can really struggle. This is known as a sexless

Problems in relationships can take many forms. Sometimes partners avoid confrontation with the belief that conflict only causes more problems. Although this avoidance strategy is not particularly helpful and can lead to significant problems if not corrected, it’s also not a completely destructive problem that can’t be corrected. Clearly, this type of couple needs to

Typically, after the honeymoon phase ends in most relationships couples fall into a rut. Thus, the $10 million question is: how do couples get back that spark they once had? Most commonly, typical answers involve consistently spending lots of one-on-one time together. The idea being that more date nights leads to more intimacy. However, some

When couples walk into my office I often talk about the importance of improving communication skills in order to help work through various issues. These can range from sex life problems to resolving parenting style differences. The issue that couples bring up much less often in session is how to establish a greater emotional connection

John Gottman’s research has helped him to identify what he calls “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” in relationships. These refer to four behaviors in a relationship that ultimately spell doom and that the end is near in one’s relationship. These four behaviors are criticism, contempt, stonewalling, and defensiveness. Defensiveness occurs when one partner starts resisting

Our millennial generation’s tendency towards “hookups” has led to many dating apps. Though this generation may be more inclined to dive into a physical encounter, they are comparatively much more hesitant to take the matrimonial plunge. Additionally, millennials are also postponing starting their families. Yet, new research published by Eharmony.com shows that couples ages 25-34

Household chores are notoriously one of the major sources of conflict for couples. How tasks are divided can lead to resentment and disconnection. This not only makes it harder for couples to complete these tasks, but it can also damage the relationship. Why Washing the Dishes Matters Recent research from Carson, Miller, and Sassler found