If you are in a relationship or are married, then you may be aware that relationships don’t just automatically go smoothly.  The honeymoon stage is wonderful, but it doesn’t typically last forever. Rather, healthy, happy relationships take work. Maybe the term “work” doesn’t sound appealing. Let’s look at it as effort. Happy relationships take effort. […]

Most people going into a marriage tend to believe it will work out.  If you ask newlyweds if they believe that they’ll ever experience a divorce, most of them will firmly say, “No way. We adore each other!” However, statistics show that the divorce rate is upwards of 40 percent. This means that at least […]

Being in a relationship with a narcissist or severely manipulative person can be quite challenging. Someone who is diagnosed with narcissism is said to have a personality disorder – namely, narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). Many people throw this label around easily, but remember, NPD is a mental health disorder. By this, I mean not everyone […]

From a boost in self-esteem to romantic attraction, it’s safe to say that grooming is an important aspect in dating and life in general that men shouldn’t take for granted. The beauty industry tends to focus mostly on women, and we are used to seeing ads for shampoos, cosmetics, razors, nail polish and deodorants for […]

Many of us grow up watching fairy tales that turn out perfectly. Consciously or unconsciously, we pick up the idea that we would love to live happily ever after with that special someone in marriage. One reason we date is because we want to discover if this person is the one we could spend the […]

In the traditional view of gender as binary, you could either be male or female. Non-binary is an "umbrella" term with which people define themselves when they don't feel comfortable with mainstream gender labels.  Having a non-binary identity does not mean you reject entirely any aspect of being 'male' or 'female.' Rather, it means you […]

If you’ve been through a divorce or separation and you’re feeling lonely, know that you’re not alone. Many people go through a period of loneliness after divorce, as the reality is that they’ve experienced a loss. Such a loss, along with various negative emotions, can cause people to isolate and contend with loneliness. To begin […]

Codependency is a term coined back in the 70’s by addiction recovery professionals. Experts that were treating those struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction began to find common unhealthy characteristics in the spouses or partners. It wasn’t just the person wrestling with addiction that was struggling, but oftentimes the whole family. Codependency is defined as […]

If you’ve suffered childhood trauma, can it cause problems when you’re an adult? If you don’t heal the wounds associated with that trauma, can it impact your adult relationships? Experts agree that unhealed childhood trauma can impact adult relationships. The pain associated with the trauma one can bring right into that relationship. Children are indeed […]