“Stop being so defensive!” is a common missile thrown by one partner at the other, in an effort to defend their self-image. It’s the age old game of “I’m not perfect, but neither are you!” There is always a tussle for who is the angel and who is the devil during interactions where insecure [...]
When partners are at different phases in their personal development, they are often afraid that exploring their expanding experiences might threaten the relationship. Self-Censorship becomes a valuable tool in keeping feelings locked away, so as not to rock the boat. But, there is a price to pay, and that is a relationship where each [...]
A Relationship with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) bot sounded weird at first, but gradually grew appealing to Stella, a 45-year-old copy reader who was the sole carer for her mother, suffering from dementia. A relationship with an AI bot that looked human, smiled, and asked how Stella was doing, made her feel cared for [...]
Are you being heard by your partner when you speak openly from your heart? You may get all the right outward signals that your partner is listening, giving you the impression that you have been understood. There may be a tacit agreement to a certain plan or point of view. But then, a short [...]
Tired of the same old argument with your partner, despite trying hard to keep the focus on the present moment? Perhaps you’re fed up with how easily the same old argument creeps in and leads to the same wounds being poked at. You wonder if it’s worth bothering trying to make your point, because [...]
Relationship rituals form the glue for connection, comfort, predictability, stability, and safety in adult romantic relationships. But when partners don’t place the same importance and meaning on a ritual there is a mismatch. The mismatch of relationship rituals is a significant contributor to cracks in the connection between couples. The lack of fit when [...]
Both men and women often complain about having an emotionally unavailable partner. But emotional availability is a two-way street. When one person is emotionally available, the other person may not be receptive. One may be full up with internal conflicts, and unable to register their partner’s need for emotional availability. The other may have [...]
Perimenopausal rage is real, straining and threatening the relationship between partners. Perimenopausal rage is a common symptom on the journey to full menopause, (between 3-4 years), as levels of estrogen drop and propel changes in systems that control dopamine, and serotonin, making women more likely to have mood swings. Stress hormones such as cortisol [...]
“Why am I staying in an unhappy relationship?” is a question many of my patient’s ask themselves out loud when their latest interactions make them feel hopeless, demeaned, and destroyed. Staying in an unhappy relationship has benefits, keeping you drawn in by a magnetic force. That force is produced by unfinished phases of personal [...]
Three Impediments to Discussing Divorce With Young Children, and a Three Step Process to do it Well Discussing divorce with young children is probably every parent’s worst nightmare. All the promises you made yourself when you first embarked on the parenthood journey crumble into dust, making you feel like a failure. Discussing divorce with [...]
