Like the proverbial moth to a flame, we are drawn to the intense experience of romantic passion. In popular culture, this passion indicates that partners are soulmates who are meant to be together forever. Romance novels and movies end at happily ever after, but in real life, many couples struggle to maintain romance and sexual […]
Bittersweet and Everything In Between
Being able to hold opposing emotions is one of the hallmarks of good mental health. Something can be both bitter and sweet, and we tend to feel that we must pick sides. To our confusion, we often can’t stick with one or the other feelings — either getting pulled back and forth, or stuck in […]
Passion, Sex, and Romance in Long-term Relationships
It is not uncommon to have romantic fantasies about people other than your partner. It’s not just normal; it can even enhance your marriage—that is, unless those fantasies cross the line, which is what I’ll talk about in this post. In a long-term marriage, romance can depart, and sex can follow. From the outside, couples […]
What to Do After a Fight and How to Repair
One of the most important skills you can learn to better manage conflict is how to make a repair AFTER you’ve had a fight, big or little. I’ll tell you right now, just saying you’re sorry is not going to cut it. In fact, even if you do get off the hook by simply apologizing, […]
Understanding Suicide: Why do people kill themselves?
The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide On the surface, suicide seems incomprehensible, contrary to our deepest instincts for survival. Losing a loved one to suicide often causes profound, unbearable anguish to those left behind, who question what they could have done differently to prevent this tragic loss. Yet suicide in the United States has climbed drastically […]
