What is a starter marriage? Well, obviously it’s the beautiful union between a starter wife or a starter husband and their starter spouse. Gorgeous wedding, all the gifts, no children, and they’re divorced within five years. These kinds of marriages have also been called entry-level marriages, icebreaker marriages, warm-up marriages,…
Men are often stereotyped as unemotional, cold, or even scared of commitment when it comes to settling down in romantic relationships. But science seems to indicate otherwise; recent results from a study published this year found that across three different continents and multiple cultures, men tend to profess their love…
In my experience, online dating in NYC was mostly a matter of meeting at the right bar. The bar couldn’t be your local. You wanted to keep your local to yourself in case the date went sour. But the bar couldn’t be far away either because you didn’t want to…
Pets and kids are notoriously bad at respecting bedroom boundaries. These big-eyed housemates have been known to claw at doors, swat at exposed body parts, and whine when they’re excluded from intimate activities. I’m thinking of toddlers of course, but this behavior applies to pets as well. Have you ever…
Forget about Christmas, Mother’s Day, or New Year’s Eve: No other holiday brings on the pressure like Valentine’s Day. On a day that’s all about love, for those that are in relationships, just starting one, or are single, some serious time, energy, and stress can go into ensuring that the…
According to new research* from Thriveworks, over a third (34%) of Americans believe that their romantic relationships (current or previous) are the leading cause of their mental health concerns. Love, attachment, and intimacy can all trigger buried fears, past traumas, and self-esteem issues. And yet we still seek connection with…
Research shows that 34% of Americans have mental health concerns that they attribute primarily to their romantic relationships–past and present. Healthy relationships have the power to flood us with positive emotions, to make us feel connected, and to enhance our self-esteem. But that power can quickly become a negative force…
As social stigma and perceptions surrounding mental health conditions continue to change, popular usage of mental health terms is increasing as well. Of these terms, “trauma bonding” has been among the most used, researched, and debated. A form of psychological manipulation, trauma bonding occurs when someone experiences cyclical abuse from…
One thing that we’ve all learned from romantic comedies is that significant others can live in harmony even when their lifestyles are radically different. For example, one SO might prefer reading on the couch to running triathlons. One SO might spring out of bed at 5am to get a headstart…
As the name implies, micro-cheating occurs when partners use small gestures or actions to engage with someone outside of their relationship in a flirtatious manner. Micro-cheating can happen when we cross the line with coworkers or friends, spend too much time secretly scrolling through our ex’s social media, or even…
Dear Unlicensed Psychoblogger, My roommate is extremely attractive and I’m starting to feel an emotional connection. Would it be a humongous mistake to hook up? Sincerely, Writer’s Imaginary Friend (WIF) Dear WIF, This is a tricky question. Fortunately, I’m abundantly qualified to answer it because I’m currently raising a kindergartner…
I’m a happily partnered mom, but no one has to explain to me the benefits of being single. I’m not talking about the joys of online dating and casual sex. I’m talking about keeping your own hours, eating what you want, and TRYING TO WRITE A SENTENCE WITHOUT SOMEONE ELSE’S…
