Couples

Author and researcher Bella DePaulo says it’s time to start seeing the growing population of single adults as something more than just people unable to find... Read more

Feminism has given women a new narrative, but it hasn’t offered men a particularly new one that they can identify with. Ultimately, the lives of women will... Read more

How to address one partner’s long-term issues in couples therapy without derailing work on the current relationship. Read more

Despite the undeniable harm that porn can do, we therapists need to bear in mind a fundamental fact: the overwhelming majority of people exposed to it don't... Read more

In the following video from her 2018 Networker Symposium storytelling piece, couples and family therapist Sue Johnson shares a therapeutic moment that stands... Read more

Most men publicly support #MeToo, but privately—very privately, often too privately even to share with their intimate partners—some are disoriented and... Read more

Esther Perel called on the Symposium audience to challenge the various myths, especially those about male sexuality, that get in the way of deeper relational... Read more

In their featured address, the Gottmans explored what research has revealed about the crucial role the brain’s seven different command systems can play in... Read more

Instead of viewing midlife as a time of emotional unraveling, therapists can see it as an opportunity to help clients gain a fuller sense of purpose in... Read more

Therapy often involves entirely too much talking about new skills the client should put into place, but not enough rehearsing. Just as exposure training... Read more

Of course, sexual affairs are red flags for infidelity, but there are common elements that make any outside relationship an infidelity. Sex therapist Tammy... Read more

Over the years, I've worked with many couples who complain bitterly that the other kisses or touches, fondles, caresses, strokes the "wrong" way. These couples... Read more

In past decades, the only alternatives to involuntary celibacy in a relationship were affairs or divorce. But more and more therapists are recognizing... Read more

Keeping the difficult work of couples therapy positive and upbeat might be easier, and more effective, than you think. Read more

In a world of new and emerging norms about commitment, intimacy, the right to personal happiness, and open relationships are there also new patterns? Has the... Read more

Helping emotionally closed-off men embrace vulnerability without getting lost in shame requires not only empathy but good timing. Read more

Motivating couples to do their therapy homework may be the key to successful outcomes. Read more

The hallmark of John and Julie Gottmans’ work is taking the rare step of actually observing the broadest sample of couples they can find, rather than relying... Read more

Patricia Papernow, an expert in working with stepfamilies, helps us understand the fundamental issues and unique hurdles most stepfamilies must navigate. Read more

This issue doesn’t try to resolve all the myriad challenges of couples work. Instead, it opens up a conversation about the things couples therapists rarely... Read more

By questioning some of the fundamental premises of traditional marriage, couples therapist Esther Perel has become, at least for the moment, psychotherapy’s... Read more

The election of Donald Trump and the resurgence of populism throughout the West were fueled by a renewed pull toward certain notions of traditional... Read more

Despite all the intellectual excitement it generated, the hard truth is that, so far, the systems revolution hasn’t led to very effective ways of doing... Read more

Infidelity expert Shirley Glass discusses how much disclosure is needed for a couple to heal after an affair. Read more

Even if we believe that tender intimacy is the gold standard of erotic communication, can’t attachment be expressed in other ways? Read more

What does it take to restore physical intimacy to a failing relationship? In this video clip, Susan Johnson, the originator of Emotionally Focused Couples... Read more

Cross-cultural couples face challenges that often aren’t addressed in therapy. Read more

According to renowned couples therapist Julie Gottman, one of the main predictors of a romantic relationship's success or failure is how well partners can... Read more

Couples therapy can be difficult and dicey, especially when there’s an affair in the mix. To keep afloat in the emotional tumult, most therapists cling to... Read more

Three simple steps from Buddhism to help hostile spouses cultivate a spirit of nonviolence, generosity, and compassion toward their ex-partners. Read more