Relationships
Whether you're dealing with family dynamics, seeking to strengthen your marriage, navigating the complexities of dating, or addressing issues like infidelity and divorce, our contributors shares tools and insights to foster healthy, meaningful connections with those around you, improving your overall quality of life. Enhance your interpersonal connections with advice on family, marriage, dating, and handling toxic relationships. Learn how to identify and manage narcissistic behavior, improve your parenting skills, build strong, intimate relationships and make your marriage bullet-proof.
Why You Keep Attracting Narcissistic Partners
Many of the women I coach are successful, driven, emotionally aware and yet they find themselves repeating the same painful story: falling for narcissistic men. The patterns vary, emotionally...
How to Co-Parent With a Narcissist and Stay Sane – When the “No Contact” Rule Isn’t Fully an Option
Co-parenting with a narcissist isn't the traditional journey, it’s a psychological battlefield. When "no contact" isn't an option, women must employ strategies like parallel parenting and legal filters to manage...
What Healing From Narcissistic Abuse Really Feels Like – The Good, the Bad, and the Unexpected
Narcissistic abuse doesn’t just break your heart; it shatters your sense of self, distorts your reality, erodes your confidence, and confuses your inner voice. It’s a trauma that lives under the surface...
The Narcissist, the Triangle, and the Illusion of Love – Why It's Really About Validation
Love triangles often seem dramatic, even romantic, charged with passion, tension, and emotional chaos. We’re used to seeing them portrayed in films and literature as symbols of deep desire or moral conflict.
The Psychology of Narcissism and How to Maintain Inner Strength
As someone who has struggled to understand narcissism through personal experiences with close relationships, I have discovered that there is much more beneath the superficial label. Narcissism is not merely selfishness...
The Silent Office Saboteur and How To Outsmart The Narcissist At Work Without Losing Your Sanity
You can’t change them, but you can stop them from feeding off your empathy and energy. Here’s how.
How To Divorce a Narcissist, What To Expect and How To Protect Yourself
Divorcing a narcissist is not like a typical breakup. It’s not just emotionally draining; it can be psychologically disorienting and legally exhausting. You may feel like you’re losing your mind...
When Forgiveness Isn’t Enough – Healing After the Hurt They Never Apologized for
I don't want to be wanted or needed. I want to be loved. Those who know me personally know that I love music, and that I love to sing and dance, not as a hobby or a desire to be an artist, but just for the love of music.
11 Ways to Swap Drama for Devotion on Your Daughter’s Big Day
Now that my daughter is engaged, I’m finding myself in new emotional territory. Parts of me are beaming with joy, anticipation, and pride. Then there are other parts, quieter, more tender...
Empty Nest, What Comes Next?
There are moments in life that you think you understand, until they become your own reality. While we’re taught to be empathetic, there are some experiences that simply can’t be fully...
The Influence of Family Dynamics on Developing Good Girl Traits
From your earliest memories, family interactions play a powerful role in defining who you become. For many high-achieving women, the roots of Good Girl Syndrome trace back to the subtle yet...
The Importance of Personal Space and 4 Benefits of Separate Play Time for Twins' Development
Twins are often seen as built-in playmates, always having someone to share their time and experiences with. It may seem like an ideal scenario: constant companionship, shared interests...
Spring is Almost Over So Step Into Summer Feeling Sexy and Swim Safe
Slip, Slop, Slap is the Australian theme of summer; that sun is a scorcher. Suns out, guns out, the playful expression of both good weather and fashion, like bikinis and budgie smugglers...
The Key to Enjoying Time Away From Our Kids Without the Guilt
Leaving children in the care of one parent is a normal part of everyday life for most families. Work trips, kid-free vacations, hospitalizations, and family obligations are some of the events that...
10 Essential Traits of a Healthy, Happy Couple, and How to Become One
In an age of overstimulation and emotional fragmentation, healthy relationships are radical acts. The most joyful couples aren’t just lucky, they’re intentional. They understand that love is built in...
Sandcastles and the Silent Struggles – Navigating the Summer When Your Relationship is Unsure
The sun is setting low over the coastline. The kids are racing ahead, sticky from ice cream, sand, and sunscreen. Your dog is paddling, tail wagging excitedly as he chases the ball in and out of the waves...
The Foundation of Love Strengthening Marriages Through Commitment and Connection
Marriage is more than a social contract; it is a sacred commitment, an intertwining of souls embarking on life’s journey together. As described by Psych Central, "Marriage is the mix of love and a...
Why Your Inner Child Might Be Running Your Love Life and How to Take the Wheel
I remember the exact moment I was done letting my little girl have the control in my romantic partnership. Let me paint a picture: my partner and I were in the middle of a kid-free, adults-only...
The Three Realms of Relationship Success and 14 Days to Transform Your Love Life
What makes a relationship truly thrive? It’s a question many couples ask, especially when love starts feeling stagnant or strained. The truth is, successful relationships don’t just happen...
What’s Really Causing Emotional Distance in Your Relationship After Kids and How to Fix It
You love your partner. You both love your child. And yet, if you’re honest, it feels like you’re living beside each other, not with each...
7 Steps to Decide Whether to Stay or Leave Your Marriage Without Regret
Making the choice to remain in or exit a marriage is one of the hardest decisions that a person can make. It can be especially difficult...
How Couples Can Truly Recover from Infidelity Through a Trauma-Informed Lens
Infidelity is one of the most devastating experiences a couple can endure. It shakes the foundation of safety, honesty, and emotional intimacy that a relationship is built upon. As a trauma-informed...
How to Stop Trying to Please Everyone and Reclaim Your Authentic Voice Midlife
Are you nice at the expense of holding back your truth? Does that niceness strangle you and sit heavy on your chest? And when you do say...
Breaking Free from the Chains of Perception and Trauma
Who and what should we believe? On one side, there's a carefully worded story. Filled with salacious details and tidbits...
What's The Motivation Behind Infidelity (And Why Is It Important To Know)?
A whopping 45% of married men have been involved in emotional infidelity, while 35% of women have participated in an emotional affair...
When Do Emotional Affairs Become Full-Blown Affairs? The 8 Stages Explained
Ever heard of an emotional affair? They're dangerous! The definition of an emotional affair is a deep, emotional, non-physical
8 Things You Should Do In The First 24 Hours After An Affair Is Discovered
Discovering your partner's affair can feel like a bomb just went off in your living room. It's not just about the betrayal;
43% Of Couples Don't Survive Infidelity – Here's How To Be The Ones Who Do
Infidelity can be a devastating blow to any relationship.
Embrace the Gap in Support for New Fathers
I have been hearing the voices of new fathers since I became a mother myself. However, I wasn't always listening. The first postpartum male voice I heard was that of my husband. Breastfeeding was not...
Understanding the Adolescent Brain, Hidden Bonds, and Your Lasting Role as a Parent
As children transition into their teenage years, many rely on their parents for emotional grounding, even when they don’t always show it. The teenage desire for space doesn’t erase the need for security...
Seven Essential Strategies to Bridge the Gaps and Build Stronger Support for New Families
I initiated a radical social concept in the 1970s with my friends to support new families in our community. We were feminists and activists, and we believed men and women shared equally in the conception...
25 Tips for Partners of New Moms
Calling all support people! Congratulations: You have helped, in some way, to bring new life into the world, and I am sure you are eager to make this transition as smooth as possible for your significant other.
Helping Your Children Prepare for the Arrival of Twins
If you already have children, preparing them for the arrival of their new twin siblings is important. While all children need preparation before a new baby joins the family, when it comes to twins...
Embracing Self-Acceptance as a Parent and Loving Yourself More
Do you ever feel like you're failing as a parent, despite all the effort, care, and love you pour into your children? Like, no matter what you do, it’s never quite enough? And when you hear all...
7 Strategies for Comfort, Encouragement, and Guidance in Embracing the New Parent Gap Challenges
Many years ago, I was pregnant, single, and alone. I gave birth in a foreign country and never saw my baby. I had no emotional support. Several years later, I was happily married, and we got...
How to Protect Your Children from Narcissistic Family Dynamics
Family law cases involving narcissistic personalities are among the most challenging and emotionally complex issues that a family can face. For parents navigating divorce or separation from a narcissistic..
Death, Divorce, and Moving – Navigating Life’s Top Challenges with Resilience
They say life’s most stressful events are death, divorce, and moving. I’ve lived through all three, sometimes all at once, and I can attest to their power to shake your foundation.
Managing Heartbreak and Steps to Emotional Recovery and Resilience
Heartbreak after separation or divorce is an emotionally overwhelming experience. It can leave you feeling lost, disconnected, and sometimes physically ill. The emotional and physical toll is profound...
Can Adult Children of Grey Divorce Ever Truly Heal?
Have you ever heard someone say they stayed (or are staying) together "for the kids"? It's a familiar sentiment, and perhaps you've even seen it play out in your own family. As the years pass and kids grow up and move out...
A Therapist's Guide to Healing and Moving Forward After a Breakup
Heartbreak can feel debilitating. It can knock the wind out of you in ways you didn’t expect. One moment, you’re making plans for the future; the next, you’re struggling to get out of bed...
5 Ways to Honor Easter Traditions When You’re Divorced
For many families, Easter is more than just a holiday. It’s a time filled with warmth, joy, and deeply rooted traditions.
5 Ways to Spend Quality Time With Your Kids and Pets When Newly Divorced
Going through a divorce can feel like your world has been turned upside down. As a newly divorced parent, you may be juggling a wide...
Astrology Soulmate Journey – Love and the Wisdom of Joy
In a world increasingly disconnected and digitised, finding and nurturing a meaningful relationship—one that fosters harmony and enriches your life, is becoming harder than ever. The ease of swiping...
Stop Playing Hard to Get and Why Being Authentically Busy Makes You Magnetic to Men
"Know your worth, make him wait!" Sound familiar? In today's dating world, you're often told that being hard to get is the way to a man's heart. So you carefully orchestrate your availability – waiting hours...
More Freedom, Better Sex – Is 40 the New 20?
Someone recently told me about an interview with Charlize Theron that had been discussed on TV. In it, she shared something that sparked a great conversation between my friend and me. Since then, it has...
The Hidden Link Between Emotionally Unavailable Men and My Childhood Wounds
I wasn’t born with the desire to be someone’s second choice. I didn’t wake up one day thinking, “I want to be the woman in the shadows.” And yet, somehow, that’s where I ended up. The painful truth?...
People-Pleasing in Dating? – Why Being 'Too Nice' Is Blocking Your Love Life
You're the friend everyone counts on, the colleague who never says no, the date who's always 'flexible' about plans. Your dating profile probably proudly declares that you're 'easy-going' and 'drama-free.'
Power, Love, and Feminine Energy as the Career Woman's Guide to Having It All
You’ve worked hard to get to where you are. The career achievements, the impressive title, the team looking to you for leadership, you’ve earned it all. But somewhere between the endless meetings...
The Power of Female Selection, the Driving Force of Evolution
Sexual selection by females is a driving force of evolution. It’s not just biological — it’s emotional and spiritual. The choices women make in who they allow into their bodies, their hearts, their lives...
The Hidden Cost of Sex Positivity
There is a silent epidemic that no one is talking about. One that is hidden beneath hashtags of ‘empowerment’ and filtered selfies eluding to liberation. While society hails this era of sexual freedom...
Grieve, Burn & Worship – Come Back to Your Body in Devotion and Fire
This powerful piece invites you to reconnect with your body through the transformative rituals of grief, pleasure, and devotion. In a world that teaches us to shrink, hide, and punish our bodies...
What High-Achieving Women Can Learn About Intimacy From the Divine Feminine
There’s a quiet truth many high-achieving women carry but rarely speak aloud: the more competent, efficient, and “in control” we become, the more elusive intimacy can feel. Not just sexual intimacy...
Why So Many Settle for Mediocre Sex and What to Do About It
There is a sentiment that echoes in therapy sessions, intimate conversations, and those rare moments of vulnerability when someone finally voices their inner struggle: You are not alone in this.
Commitment: The Real Decision – A Meditation on Relationships, Growth, and Choosing Without Forcing
Recently, I found myself in a deep conversation with two friends, each of us standing at a different threshold of relationship commitment. One friend is in the midst of a separation, wrestling with the question...
Kink Isn’t a Symptom and Debunking the Trauma Myth
You’ve heard the whisper: “My god, what is wrong with them!? Look at what they’re into, who would want to do that to themselves?”
The Power of Touch in Relationship Wellness with a Focus on Ethics and Boundaries
In an era where loneliness has reached epidemic proportions, as highlighted by former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, marriage counselors and relationship coaches must explore innovative ways to help couples...
Anxiety in Relationships – Is it Toxic or Just a Signal?
Relationships, especially in the early stages, can evoke a range of emotions, from bliss and excitement to irritation and anxiety. When anxiety enters the room, we might wonder...
Five Red Flags of Limerence Instead of Real Love
Have you ever felt that your way of loving people is a bit too much? Has anyone ever expressed this to you or made you feel judged for it? Have you been ghosted or abandoned by someone you were really...
The Dark Side of Keeping the Peace and Why Your Niceness is Not Neutral
I was raised in a family deeply rooted in dysfunction and abuse. It shaped me quietly and invisibly into someone who believed that keeping the peace was survival. Later in life, I found myself building businesses surrounded...
What If Your Loyalty to Others Led You to Abandon Yourself?
Exploring how codependent patterns can quietly fuel addiction, and what it means to reclaim your sense of self. Addiction is often viewed as a personal battle with substances or behaviors, but it...
The Way You Love Might Be Hurting You, but It Doesn’t Have to Stay That Way
Have you been living with a broken heart? Loving through pain that never really left? Trying to give what you've never fully received? If you're anything like me, you’ve mistaken survival mechanisms for love...
The Invisible Prison of Abusive Relationships and How to Become a Powerful Ally
As a psychotherapist with 16 years of experience, I’ve heard one question about abusive relationships more than any other: “Why don’t they just leave?” This question, while often well-intentioned...
Four Damaging Effects of Toxic Secrecy
Here’s the reality. We all have chapters in our lives that we don’t read aloud. This is because society can be a cruel master toward those experiences. These experiences are a culmination...
How to Show Up for the New Moms in Your Life
It can be isolating to be a new parent. When you’re in it, being wrapped up in newborn life often feels like the world has moved on without you, leaving you in a weird limbo between baby bliss...
Why You Struggle to Say No and What You Were Taught Instead
You know the pattern. You say yes when you mean no. You ignore the discomfort in your chest. You rehearse saying no in your head, but smile and go along with it anyway. Then the guilt hits. The shame.
How to Handle Difficult Conversations Without Burning Bridges
We’ve all felt it, that tightening in your chest when you know a hard conversation is coming. Maybe it’s about a pattern that’s been bothering you, a boundary that’s been crossed...
From People-Pleasing to Personal Empowerment, or How Releasing Good Girl Syndrome Sets You Free
You smile. You nod. You say, “Of course!” while your stomach churns and your to-do list explodes. You’re known as the reliable one. The thoughtful one. The one who always shows up.
Reclaiming Your Mental Space in a Hyper-Connected World
In today's 24/7 digital landscape, intrusion isn't just a physical boundary violation; it's a constant assault on our mental and...
10 Ways Drama Builds Lifelong Friendships And Supports Mental Well-Being
Do you ever feel disconnected from others or struggle to form meaningful friendships? You’re not alone. In today’s fast-paced world...
Why Adult Friendships Should Mean More Than A Night Out
Adult friends are different from having friends as a child, but I’m biased. I was bullied from elementary school...
