What if My Addicted Partner Won’t Stop?
A very poignant comment to my article last month, from H. Hall, really struck a nerve. Again, I am very grateful for feedback of any stripe.
In regard to my suggestion that the spouse of a person with alcoholism/addiction begin to change her (or his) way of living, i.e. by seeking counseling and other forms of support, I might have overlooked a crucial point which these readers thankfully pointed out. I implied that when one family member changes, the entire family “system” must change. Reader H. Hall wrote to say that things did change in her situation; she ended up leaving a husband who... Read More
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New research has revealed specific links between mental health issues and 
Sometimes couples may feel they’re on the same money trail until an unforeseen event occurs. Whether it’s a sudden increase in expenses brought about by illness, childbirth, or damage to your car or home, you may abruptly discover that the two of you are miles apart. Maybe you’ve never before had your expenses outpace your income and you suddenly realize that one of you is all too ready to borrow at a high interest rate while the other one would rather scrimp and change your lifestyle. In such a scenario, it may feel like you are headed in opposite directions.
Even when you’re both on... 
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Dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer is something both a woman with cancer and her husband must do. In a new study, Lia M. Kraemer and her colleagues looked at how each partner’s coping mechanisms affected the overall 
I have been in practice long enough to see many couples and families develop over the past thirty years. While there are countless stories over a full range of topics, one that greatly interests me involves divorce.
Many couples and individuals have come to counseling after divorcing 15, 20, or 25 years earlier. Most are quite happy in their current lives and marriages. Many, however, have looked back on their previous marriage with one very powerful observation: Their original divorce did not need to happen!
What an astounding realization! Not only was I impressed by their honesty, but... 
Ah, the time of year when political news is everywhere. The 2012 presidential election looms, and potential candidates travel the country looking for support week after week. It’s a time for thinking about where our country has been and where it should go. It’s a time when people get together and discuss the environment, healthcare, and unemployment. It’s a time when couples sit down and talk warmly about their hopes for the country and fill envelopes for the party they both are fervent members of.
Sounds sweet, doesn’t it? But I’m not writing about these happily politically-aligned... 
Are you and your partner arguing about sexual issues in your relationship? Is there an ongoing issue that keeps coming up, in the process making your sex life rockier, or worse, non-existent?
Disagreements about sex is common in relationships. Due to a lot of the myths we have likely been taught or raised with such as, “Sex should be natural and spontaneous. It’s not natural to talk about sex,” or, “Sex is bad" (or "dirty"), or, “Talking about sex takes the romance and mystery out of it,” we also often lack the skills when it comes to talking about sex. We often feel scared, unprepared,... 
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this from couples during a session. Something big happens between them (for instance, one person cheated on the other), and the offending party apologizes; however, the difficulty continues, and the person who said they were sorry wonders why that is. The person who got hurt wants to feel better. The person who has apologized becomes exasperated because he or she feels they have done everything they can. “I said I was sorry. What else do you want from me?”
Unfortunately, this is frustrating for both people. Each person wants to feel better,... 
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“The CDC has estimated that HIV diagnosis rates among men having sex with men (MSM) are 60 times the rate in other men and 54 times the rate in women,” said researchers at the University of Illinois. Brian Mustanski, of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois, together with colleagues from Brown University, recently conducted a study to determine what factors posed the greatest risk for 
“One is the loneliest number….” – Three Dog Night
We humans are social creatures. We thrive on connection, interaction, and unions with each other. As babies, we are immediately and intimately connected to our mothers, and then our fathers, or other nurturing adults. As children, we seek out our first playmates as early as two years old, and social acceptance in our peer group is key to our self-esteem when we are school age, and throughout childhood. When the hormones begin to kick in as pre-teens and teenagers, the pursuit of romantic relationships becomes a central focus.
In our... 
"I've made up my mind," Dana sighed deeply. "I'm going to stick it out--for the kids. I won't cheat. I have no intention of that and I don't believe he would either. We are two straight-arrow people. But there's nothing there. We have nothing, absolutely nothing to say to each other. The marriage is basically dead; we just didn't plan the funeral."
"That is tragic. Marriage is supposed to be a friendship, not a zero," I said. "How did this happen?"
Dana didn't know. At first, she couldn't put her finger on it; then she hesitantly said, "Maybe I withdraw when I get hopeless. Maybe that's it."
She... 
Military personnel are exposed to situations that put their 
Note: This article is for couples who have experienced love and compatibility but are having current challenges. This article is not for people who are in a relationship with someone who is abusive or unable to be present due to addiction. Abuse and addiction situations require other kinds of counseling.
Couples with the compatibility and love needed for longevity will find themselves in uncomfortable quagmires at different times. This is due to the complexity of being human. When you look at the combination of factors included in a human (background, emotional temperament, unique characteristics,... 
The most common forms of 
