It’s February, and for better or worse, this time of year has a lot of us thinking about love. Not just romantic love, but love for our friends, family members, and all the people who make us feel stronger just by being in our lives. Looking at these relationships, there are probably a few you’d… read more
Could I Benefit From Sex Therapy? ft. Alina McClerklin, LICSW
Sex is a natural part of life—as are the occasional sexual health concerns. According to Dr. Derek Polonsky of Harvard Medical School, between 35 and 50 percent of all humans will experience a long-term sexual issue (anything from difficulty reaching orgasm, to post-traumatic anxiety, to mismatched sex drives between partners) at some point in their… read more
How You Can Support a Partner Who’s Struggling with Their Mental Health
Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but it’s still a great time to find new ways to love and support your partner. After all, being in a relationship isn’t just about roses and heart-shaped chocolates; it’s about you and your significant other providing one another with love and support, whether times be easy or difficult.… read more
Comparing Ourselves On Social Media…In A Healthy Way?
Believe it or not, February is already upon us. This month, two things usually come to mind: cold weather (especially here in the nation’s capital), and Valentine’s Day. Combine these two and it’s prime season for social media scrolling; every day is a new opportunity to see images of couples strolling through the snow, cuddling… read more
What Can You Get Out Of A Mentor-Mentee Relationship?
We don’t throw around the word “mentor” very often—the mentor-mentee relationship just isn’t as popular a topic as our romantic, friendly, or familial dynamics. This is unfortunate, as healthy mentor-mentee relationships can enhance the wellbeing and groundedness of all involved. So what is a mentor? A mentor can be anyone who has been where you’d… read more
Improving Our Relationships With Our Parents, As Adults
It happened again. You just got off the phone with your parents, and you can’t shake that annoyed and slightly exasperated feeling. Maybe they changed the subject when you tried to describe your work-related stress, or made a passive comment about your relationship status. For whatever reason, you feel misunderstood and slightly disconnected from your… read more
Mastering the Art of the Tough Conversation
We’ve all been there: whether it’s with a roommate who keeps leaving out dirty dishes, a friend who borrows money without paying us back, or a significant other who isn’t pulling their domestic weight, at some point, we’ve all had to communicate with someone about an uncomfortable subject. These topics can be difficult to navigate,… read more
Thriving During a Major Job (or Life) Transition, ft. Lea Sloan, M Ed, LPC, BCC
According to The Balance, the average employee can be expected to change jobs 10-15 times during their career. This includes not only switching to a new company or field, but also receiving promotions or transferring within one’s current organization. With so many work transitions occurring in our lives, we checked in with professional counselor and… read more
Staying (Or Becoming) Close With Our Siblings As We Age
Studies suggest that satisfactory sibling contact later in life correlates to increased health and positive mood. Yet it’s not easy to gain or maintain closeness as adults, especially when our lives take us physically and emotionally far away from one another. Most of us are no longer able to simply walk across the living room to see a sibling—now, we might need to take a plane. Further, longstanding conflicts can prevent us from getting in touch even when we’d like to.
Keeping Intimacy Alive in Long-Term Relationships
According to a recent study, “Healthy sexual function is a…life quality factor that creates a sense of shared pleasure in couples and increases their capability” to cope with stress and life problems. “Sexual interactions are indeed the prerequisite for strengthening mental and emotional dependence in couples, and are under the influence of many factors.”
So how can couples keep their sex life functioning healthily through long periods of time and major life changes?
