By Charla Lineman, MEd

Being newlywed can be the most exciting time in your life. Yet, for many, the financial struggles can start to be overwhelming. Are you dealing with the aftermath of spending a lot of money on a wedding? Or is the responsibility of creating your home together a persistent drain on your wallet?

Find out why Jack Partain is recommending “Polysecure” to his clients.

When you love someone, helping them through difficult times is inevitable. Life isn’t always easy and being someone’s partner means being there for them when they need you the most.

If your partner has recently lost a family member or someone they care about, that includes being there for them throughout the grieving process.

You will probably be the first person your partner looks to for support. While that might feel overwhelming at first, it’s important to expect it and be as prepared as possible.

Before you and your partner were parents, you were a couple. Everything was all about satisfying the two of you. Now, baby makes three.

It didn’t take long to discover how much adding parenting to the mix changes the dynamic of your relationship. Even though your little one is a bundle of joy, your baby can also present a lot of challenges. You may be dealing with increasing stress related to everything from your baby’s cries, diaper changing and feeding, to financial issues, reduced intimacy, and sheer exhaustion.

Think about the way you respond to conflict and problems in your relationship with your spouse or partner.

What’s going on when things get tense or conflicts arise?

That flooded feeling that sucks you down into your feelings, overwhelms your thoughts and carries you away from reason and logic isn’t unusual. It takes skill to work through what’s happening in your body and mind before you behave in a way that may be damaging to your relationship.

One skill you can learn will make a big difference: self-soothing.

By Sylvia Beligotti, MA

When we think of relationships, we tend to picture a couple who gets along well, listens to each other, and has a mutual feeling of respect. While these elements often exist in relationships, this mindset tends to idealize and gloss over issues or tensions that many couples have, too.

Moving in with your significant other might seem like a dream come true. You imagine that the two of you will make delicious Sunday morning pancakes together, have endless cuddly movie nights, and maybe even adopt an adorable dog.

After all, what could be better than living with the person you love most and waking up to their smile every day? The decision to take the leap and move in together is not one to rush into, take some time and consider the impact on your relationship.

By Jim Duncan, MA

After a year of staying at home and quarantining due to COVID-19, many couples are getting restless. While the idea of staying in and doing nothing with your partner may have been exciting at first, the routine is starting to wear a little thin. Has the romance in your relationship plateaued? You aren’t the only one.

You did it! Your nest is officially empty. Decades of child-rearing at home have come to a close.

Is it what you thought it’d be? Are you and your partner free to lounge in each other’s arms all day in bed? Is your time together a second honeymoon, free of homework, carpools, and messy bathrooms?

Or is it kind of strange to be alone together in the clean quiet spaces, just the two of you, with few distractions and much less to say than you thought?

Don’t panic.

Intimacy is a crucial part of any relationship. Intimacy is not only sex, it can come in many other forms, such as kissing, holding hands, or even deep conversation. Everyone has different preferences and boundaries when it comes to intimacy, and you should be respectful of your partner’s boundaries.