As some states begin to ease restrictions brought on by COVID-19, you may experience anxiety and fear thinking about your return to a new normal. After all, the situation is still fluid and somewhat up in the air. You’ve endured many weeks of social distancing and have likely greatly modified your life to avoid the virus. Understandably, taking

It’s well known that social isolation is often a contributing factor to depression. Because the Coronavirus pandemic requires that the nation’s citizens as a whole distance themselves from each other, this fact has received more attention in the last several months. As humans, we need physical and social connections with each other. Being

The mere fact of being human means that we will experience pains and hurts in most, if not all, of our close relationships. Given that we are sheltering in place, the opportunity to hurt and be hurt greatly increases. We may even be surprised by our response at times. Many of our attachment difficulties have roots in early childhood and our

In these uncertain times, we are out of our normal routines and this can cause us to feel tense, uneasy and anxious. The isolation can leave us feeling alone and we can easily lose our peace and joy as we watch the news or scroll social media.  I encourage you to look at our situation as an opportunity to spend precious time with loved

We not only crave—but absolutely need—secure attachments with others from the time we are born and throughout our lifespan. Hopefully, our parents were able to adequately fulfill their role as our first healthy attachment figures. Deep down, we need to know that we are loved, accepted, heard, and that our needs will be met. As we grow up,

Valentine’s Day often makes couples take stock of their relationship. Were you excited to make plans? Or were you less enthused than you have been in the past? Perhaps one or both of you were fine to let the day slip by with few festivities because communication has been a bit strained lately. Whatever the case, it’s always good to examine the

“We are, at last, building a science of intimate relationships. We are mapping out how our conversations and actions reflect our deepest needs and fears and build or tear down our most precious connections with others.” Dr. Sue Johnson (Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love) Creating a lasting, loving relationship isn’t

What do you do when your mind gets stuck on repeat? When you just can’t move your thoughts forward or stop a cycle of disturbing memories, deflating self-talk, or inhibiting fears. Rumination can make living well nearly impossible if you don’t have a daily strategy for stopping the mulling, brooding, and obsessing that keeps you from where you

What were your visions of romantic love before you became a couple? You likely had grand expectations of a coupled life. Most of us do. Generally, those ideas are fueled by one's values, dreams, experiences, and desires. Yet, the realities of true partnership when love does come along can punch a few holes in some of our most cherished

Money is one of the most common issues couples fight about, even before marriage. But once you share finances or have to talk to each other about them, things can start to feel pretty tense.  While there are plenty of old stereotypes and tropes about “money fights,” they’re no laughing matter.  Knowing how to talk about your finances