Couples

Believe it or not, your most important sexual organ is your brain. There is so much more to our sexuality than just our physical parts. Arguably, what goes on in our brains, or mental arousal, is a more critical component in a satisfying sex life than just the physical arousal alone. While sexual dysfunction does […]

“Vulnerability” has been a pretty common buzzword for several years now.  While it may sound impressive, what does it actually mean?   Vulnerability can be defined as the willingness to express emotion and reveal weakness and, in the process, risk being hurt or even attacked. Yet, perhaps, the famous researcher and storyteller Brene Brown said it

The never-ending COVID pandemic has, of course, profoundly impacted our world. Currently, we are facing an arguable “third wave” of the virus due to the Delta variant. Our country and the world at large are taking a step backward. Thus, a large part of the U.S. is reintroducing indoor mask mandates and some private companies

It’s human nature. At some point, most people take for granted the positive things in their lives when they’ve had them for a while. Relationships are no different. With the exception of new relationships, we inevitably take for granted our spouse or partner.  Worse though, is when some people not only stop appreciating their partner

With the pandemic hopefully ending, and a semblance of normal life becoming an option again, many people are not wasting time before running headfirst into their pre-pandemic lives.  However, there is also a significant number of people who are struggling to return to pre-covid times. Many relationships are in turmoil and have been hurt significantly

You are now learning some fundamental communication tools. If so, you are likely more self-aware when you’re having a disagreement with your partner. You now know the importance of being aware of your own emotions in real-time, when you’re too upset to productively engage your partner during a disagreement. Hopefully, you’ve also learned – in

You can tell a lot about the health of a relationship by the way we partners interact with one another during conflict. Relationship experts, Drs. John and Julie Gottman classify the behaviors of couples in conflict into three distinct boxes: Nice, Neutral, and Nasty. The Gottman research indicates that, surprisingly, happy couples don’t live in

Most people would not realize this, but the roots of defensiveness go back to caveman days. Two-and-a-half million years ago, when early human hunter-gatherers lived in caves, life was about survival. When confronted by a saber-tooth cat or a bear, one’s survival instincts kicked in. This fight or flight response triggers an internal alarm where

The current vaccination rollout is gaining momentum and the potential end of the pandemic is in sight. Thus, there is some optimism connected to the return of some degree of normalcy soon. In addition to the obviously tragic death toll, there is also an endless amount of collective grief for everything that has been lost

It sounds surprising, but new research indicates that MDMA (ecstasy) can help boost couples’ success in therapy. Starting about 45 years ago in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a few therapists were experimentally having clients use MDMA during individual, couples counseling, and group therapy sessions. However, this groundbreaking research exploring the therapeutic benefits of