A fairly common social issue people have is that they’re not sure how to make friends and put together a social life for themselves. There are quite a few ways someone can find themselves in this situation: They’ve moved to a new city and don’t know very many people yet. They’ve been in a long term relationship and have let their social life wither. Their old friends have slowly been dropping out of the picture (moving away, busy with work...

In my couples therapy practice, I’ve seen a myriad of relationship styles. People who come in for counseling are clearly looking to change something they see problematic in their partnership – and hopefully take home a few helpful relationship tips and tools. The problems range from poor communication – to resentment and trust violations due to infidelity and all sorts of issues in between. Filtering through all of this, I’ve identified ten characteristics of successful relationships. These qualities are integral...

Keeping intimate relationship alive requires strength, motivation, and a little something called love. We are guilty of basing our romantic beliefs on fairytales. The problem with happily ever after is there’s more to ever after than meets the eye. To hold on to Prince Charming, Snow White has to be willing to do more than sing with the bluebirds. If you are willing to put forth the effort to keep your relationship alive, then developing the following seven habits will...

It’s been said that no man (or woman, for that matter) is an island. And it’s true: good relationships are essential to our happiness and emotional health. Our relationships can affect our physical health as well. Indeed, one thing researchers know for sure is that our ability to feel love and intimacy is what keeps us well. Study after study has shown that loneliness is a risk factor for disease, and that relationships have a positive effect on everything from...