Couples

What does Attachment Theory tell us? That emotion is the most powerful force in the therapy room, says couples therapist Sue Johnson, developer of Emotionally... Read more

During the pandemic, our clients’ relationships need special attention and nurturing. Sometimes that means helping them recalibrate what they can hold for... Read more

A clinician who's spent almost two years doing online couples therapy shares the tips and strategies she's found especially helpful. Read more

Partners in quarantine are facing distinct challenges, says couples therapist and bestselling author Esther Perel. Here, she breaks down the patterns she's... Read more

Differences in how couples handle this situation can be a real bone of contention, but sometimes using humor, especially dark humor, gives us some sense of... Read more

When we can acknowledge the dark forces that reside within us. Read more

Helping clients who find themselves single again in midlife navigate a new world of dating. Read more

Perhaps now more than ever, maintaining strong relationships is crucial to our emotional well-being. In this video clip from the 2020 Virtual Symposium, EFT... Read more

Esther Perel traces the development of her approach and the wider response to her ideas about sexuality and intimacy. Read more

A therapist is working with a couple in which one partner is clearly disengaged in therapy. She shows up and says she’s interested in improving the... Read more

Of all the meaningful sessions that take place in a therapist’s office, certain ones stand out. In this Symposium storytelling highlight, couples therapist... Read more

Is the sex addiction model doing more harm than good? What's the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity? And what are the most common... Read more

Satisfying our needs is a gift our partners give us. Being responsible calls for a willingness to ask clearly and vulnerably for what we want, and to tolerate... Read more

As therapists, our job is to do our best for our clients. But even our best efforts can’t always ensure that therapy will help, or even that we don’t do... Read more

A bold new TV series captures the raw reality of couples therapy—for both clients and therapists. Read more

Being a good traffic cop can mean the difference between success or failure as a couples therapist.* Commentary by Peter Fraenkel Read more

Stephen Porges, originator of the Polyvagal Theory, transformed the way we understand the underlying mechanisms of traumatic response and how safety, caring... Read more

If a loving couple shares a relationship history with no major deal-breaker issues, is “uncoupling” the best path? Read more

Our relational lives are undergoing a radical shift, says couples therapist Esther Perel, bestselling author of The State of Affairs and Mating in Captivity... Read more

Many traditional approaches to couples therapy are built on the assumption that if you help a couple clear up the emotional issues in their relationship, sex... Read more

Therapist Don-David Lusterman shares insights into working with married couples as they repair after an extramarital affair. Read more

Editor’s Note: This blog is excerpted from a piece that originally appeared in our September/October 1994 issue, Parents Under Siege. Do you think its... Read more

In order to understand the particularity of almost any couple's personal experience, we need to adjust our lens to include not only their private domestic... Read more

Successfully combining families as part of remarriage is always challenging. But it's especially hard when older re-couplers have adult children, who may or... Read more

The conflict between an older, more traditional view of masculinity and a newer, more progressive one is the underlying issue in many marriages today. Helping... Read more

A shared sense of humor can help couples make heavy issues feel lighter. But what happens when there’s no one there to get the joke? Read more

"Okay, I'm gay, I'm married, I have three kids, and I'm not getting divorced." One therapist's approach with mixed orientation marriage. Read more

Diedre was widowed about three years ago, but was excited to tell her therapist about a man she's started dating. She's very happy. As her therapist heard... Read more

“Jeremy, we’ve never talked about it, but I cover my head for many reasons,” I told him. “One of them is to keep the energy contained—the heat... Read more

Sue Johnson makes an impassioned case for the deeply healing power of intimate connection. Read more