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.

By Jim Duncan, MA

If you live with depression, anxiety, or both, perhaps you know that some of your feelings stem from things that other people did to hurt you in the past. Maybe you can pinpoint abusive parents, bullies, or demanding teachers whose behaviors crushed your soul and terrorized you.

By Jim Duncan, MA

Every relationship goes through highs and lows. No partnership is perfect. While these might sound like nothing more than uplifting, motivational sayings, there’s a lot of truth to them. But when your connection feels like it’s in a rut, it’s easy for relationship dissatisfaction to take hold.

When you cling to those feelings for too long, it can start to cause more problems between you and your partner.

By Jim Duncan, MA

Is stress keeping you down, exhausted, anxious, or depressed? Research shows us that, to cope with stress, exercise might be the answer!

It is just as important to take care of your body as it is to take care of your mind, and studies repeatedly demonstrate the important links between physical fitness and mental health.

By Jim Duncan, MA

Relationships often need support to remain strong. That’s where Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) comes in.

When you are in a close relationship, you want to maintain your emotional connection while successfully managing conflict.

What is required to do these things? A deep attachment to your partner or loved one.

By Jim Duncan, MA

Have you ever heard of a couple who claimed to never fight with each other? As if learning to handle disagreements was a step they were fortunate enough to skip?

You might wonder how a “no fighting” relationship is even possible. The truth is, it’s not!

By Jim Duncan, MA

Have you noticed lately that you are struggling to communicate with your partner? If you are finding it harder to talk about important problems or even the everyday struggles, you are not alone.

Good communication is the foundation of every relationship, yet, we sometimes struggle to have even basic conversations.

By Jim Duncan, MA

When you meet someone who you would like to know more about, whether that is through an online dating site or app, at an event, or through friends or family, the first date is more than just a time for you and the other person to learn a bit more about each other; it’s a time to make a wonderful first impression.

If you’ve been in the dating scene long, you’re painfully aware of the different types of first dates.

By Jim Duncan, MA

Most of us think of meditation as a solitary exercise, a quiet way to create inner calm and awareness. Of course, that is very true. Still, you may not have considered how the same soothing practice could help you foster a nurturing and accepting environment for your relationship as well. Over time, you may even find that meditation aids your relationship in surprising ways, expanding insight and intimacy between you your partner.

So, how does including meditation in your relationship improve the way you and your partner interact? Let’s consider four key areas:

By Jim Duncan, MA

Many people cringe when they think about going to couples counseling. There’s a myth that you only go to couples therapy if something is wrong.

Nothing is further from the truth!

Premarital counseling can be an especially helpful tool for preventing problems in your relationship. Why wait until there’s an issue when you can keep issues small and manageable with therapy?