Guest post by Amanda Woolveridge In my work as a psychotherapist and couples counsellor, I often hear the word “intimacy” in my therapy room when talking to couples about their relationship. But what does it mean and how do we achieve it and maintain it in our significant relationships? It isn’t just the domain of our romantic relationships, … [Read more...] about  Intimacy: What is it and how do you achieve it in your relationship?
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The Gottman Relationship Checkup for Couples: How Healthy is Your Relationship?
Many people interested in couples therapy hesitate because they're not sure what to expect. That can be scary, but I'm here to allay your fears. If your relationship needs professional help, you can count on the Gottman Relationship Checkup to kickstart your work together as a couple and help you get the most out of relationship … [Read more...] about The Gottman Relationship Checkup for Couples: How Healthy is Your Relationship?
5 Survival Tips for Online Dating
Believe it or not, online dating was once considered a strange and unusual thing. When I started working as a couples therapist back in the early 21st Century, I always asked my couples how they met. My couples would often be embarrassed to tell me they met online. It was like online dating was a dirty little secret that they didn’t want their … [Read more...] about 5 Survival Tips for Online Dating
STUDY: Ageing Married Couples Replace Bickering with Humour
Is the honeymoon long over? Hang in there. A new University of California, Berkeley, study shows those prickly disagreements that can mark the early and middle years of marriage mellow with age as conflicts give way to humour and acceptance. Researchers analysed videotaped conversations between 87 middle-aged and older husbands and wives who … [Read more...] about STUDY: Ageing Married Couples Replace Bickering with Humour
6 Tips for Finding Love This Holiday Season
 If you find yourself single this holiday season, reluctant to do anything except stay home and indulge various vices, take heart: it’s a time of year like any other. It’s just been so co-opted by capitalism that we’re bombarded with holiday images and expectations from early November through the New Year. With media messages that the … [Read more...] about 6 Tips for Finding Love This Holiday Season
The Surprising Science of Hugs
Hugging, while it's usually regarded as a simple and everyday act, has been found by scientists to radically alter one's outlook for the better and affect the way our brains work in the long term. According to a study from PLOS One, after social and/or relationship conflict, giving and receiving hugs with the other person will increase good … [Read more...] about The Surprising Science of Hugs
Is an Open Relationship Right for You? Relationship Therapist Clinton Power Speaks on ABC Radio
I recently spoke with Melanie Tait on the ABC Radio Nightlife program about open relationships. This was a fascinating discussion with some interesting callers on the talkback sharing their experiences. In this interview I answer the following questions: How common is it for couples to have an open relationship? How have … [Read more...] about Is an Open Relationship Right for You? Relationship Therapist Clinton Power Speaks on ABC Radio
How to Fight Fair: The Pros and Cons of Conflict
All couples experience conflict, but it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The goal of a successful relationship is not to eliminate conflict, but to repair effectively after conflicts occur. This takes relationship skills—which can be learned! Let’s discuss some of what argumentative couples have in common. Why is relationship conflict so … [Read more...] about How to Fight Fair: The Pros and Cons of Conflict
The Real Reason You’re Not Having More Sex in Your Relationship
No two people in a relationship are going to have the exact same sexual desire, but when it becomes a chronic problem, it might be time to seek help. The most common myths about desire In our culture, sexual education is spotty at best. Many of us get a lot of our ideas about sex from movies and pornography, and those aren’t always the healthiest … [Read more...] about The Real Reason You’re Not Having More Sex in Your Relationship
How to Decide if a Relationship Commitment is Right for You
There comes a time in every relationship when you need to make a significant decision or commitment together. You might be considering increasing your relationship commitment, or making a decision together which requires a big emotional, financial, or psychological commitment. Some significant relationship commitments you might make together … [Read more...] about How to Decide if a Relationship Commitment is Right for You