In many families, connection doesn’t happen during big, carefully planned moments. It happens in the small, repeated interactions that make up daily life—how we say goodbye in the morning, what happens at bedtime, or how we spend a Saturday morning.  Research shows that strong relationships are built through consistent emotional connection. For families, one of…

It’s a new year, and you may have set resolutions—to get healthier, achieve a goal, or simply find more contentment. These are all worthy pursuits, but as you look ahead, don’t forget to tend to your most important relationship—the one with the person you love. Use this intentional moment to reset, reconnect, and renew the…

When we think about what makes relationships last, we often focus on big moments—weddings, anniversaries, major conflicts, or life transitions. But decades of research tell a different story: it’s the little things that keep love strong- the small, repeated moments of connection that matter most. These moments are called rituals of connection—intentional or habitual ways…

The first step toward improving or enhancing your marriage is to understand what happens when relationships fail. This has been well documented by extensive research into couples that were not able to save their marriages. Learning about their failures can prevent your relationship from making the same mistakes — or rescue it if it already…

The divorce announcement by Bill and Melinda Gates took many people by surprise. From the outside, it seemed that the couple’s lives were very intertwined. Why do this now after 27 years of marriage? Despite the fact that overall divorce rates in the U.S. dropped since the 1980s, the rate of divorce among people over…

Perimenopause symptoms that signal the beginning of the menopause transition for women happen a lot earlier than many of us expect and not the way we often anticipate. The average age of menopause (the day after a woman has gone a full year without her period) is 51. Everyday after is considered postmenopause. But the…

When Rebecca Woolf, author of All of This and the braid on Substack and mother of four, became a widow in her 30s, one feeling struck her as particularly unexpected: desire. Watching her husband lose his life force made her crave the feeling of being alive more than ever. “Eighty percent of my readers told me grief makes them…

A Valentine’s Celebration of Real Love You’re sitting across from your partner at dinner. Maybe the restaurant is loud. Maybe they’re telling a story you’ve heard before. And somewhere in the back of your mind, you’re wondering: shouldn’t this feel more… exciting? Here’s the truth nobody tells you about Valentine’s Day: the “magic” you’re chasing—that breathless,…

“We used to be intimate all the time. I don’t know what happened.” I hear this a lot from the couples I work with. Their relationship started out so passionate and romantic. Now, years later, they find intimacy lacking, and they are not sure why.  Is the Honeymoon Over? Part of the reason is what…

Intimacy or marital friendship is the first ingredient for your perfect date. It includes talking about your inner worlds, sharing hopes, dreams, and more. I want you to have a conversation that is reminiscent of how you talked when you were falling in love. How? Well first, here’s what not to do. Don’t talk about the kids,…