But is it cheating if you have permission? — One of my oldest friends called me in tears, “He asked for a hall pass.” I was confused. She and her husband were married for eight years with two beautiful kids. They never fought, and she couldn’t understand why he would want to stray. She gave me the short version…

A cautionary tale of how the comfort of monotony can eventually lead to the demise of a marriage. — A long-married couple recently filed for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences.” The wife had been the primary breadwinner for most of the marriage, while the husband had stayed at home to take care of their children. “This wasn’t what I signed up for,” she confessed over tea. “When we met, he…

Marriage remorse is more common than you might think. — They were married in a beautiful sunset ceremony overlooking the pacific. The bride wore a stunning white dress with a train that seemed to stretch for miles. The groom looked dashing in his black tuxedo. They exchanged vows and shared a dance to celebrate their love. “She was the most…

Sometimes, people will lie to make a good impression. — The most common phrase I hear from my single clients is, “there are too many people out here playing games.” It saddens me every time I hear it because it perpetuates the idea that there is an ocean of people who are “bad,” and you must keep swimming until you…

Defining the difference between privacy and secrecy at the start of a relationship is vitally important. — One of the core tenets of marriage is trust. You trust your partner to be there for you and to have your back no matter what life throws at you. However, most couples quickly learn that this trust doesn’t come easily. But there is another kind of trust that inevitably…

For some couples, the loss of passionate love isn’t a problem because they’ve never had it, to begin with. — Companionship is an integral part of marriage. But what happens when that’s all there is? That was the case for my client, “Diane,” who admitted that she was no longer physically attracted to her husband but didn’t want a divorce. “It sounds bad when I say it out loud,” she…

A single question can reveal a lot about someone and help build intimacy and connection. — There’s a string of questions that most people ask when they’re trying to get to know someone. You might not say them out loud, but you think about them. Things like: How much does this person make? What kind of car do they drive? Where did they go to school? …

If both people are willing to weather the storms together, the relationship has a good chance of lasting. — They were compatible on paper. Both loved reading and dining out and had a mutual passion for travel. They even shared the same taste in music. So when they met through a mutual friend, it seemed like fate. But not long after becoming an official couple, things started to unravel…

No one should have to endure uncomfortable conversations about their love life, especially during the holidays. — I am dreading the holidays,” she admitted. This was the third time she’s mentioned her relationship status in the last five minutes, and I was still at a loss for why she was so pressed. “Why?” I asked, curious about the origin of her relationship anxiety. “It’s just that every…