Recent Posts

Are “Girl Dads” Better Partners?

New research suggests that having a daughter may influence how fathers relate not only to their child, but also to their romantic partner.

New research suggests that having a daughter may influence how fathers relate not only to their child, but also to their romantic partner.

Middle Childhood Asks Something of Parents, Too

As children enter middle childhood, they become more independent, but parents are changing, too. Here’s what this developmental transition asks of both.

As children enter middle childhood, they become more independent, but parents are changing, too. Here’s what this developmental transition asks of both.

3 Reasons Why Kissing Is Vital for a Successful Relationship

Learn how sharing a kiss can impact attraction, promote attachment, and spark arousal in your romantic relationship.

Learn how sharing a kiss can impact attraction, promote attachment, and spark arousal in your romantic relationship.

How Your Relationship Goes Through the “Butterfly Effect”

The tiniest decisions you make today as a couple can seal the fate of your bond.

The tiniest decisions you make today as a couple can seal the fate of your bond.

If Your Therapist Gets Sick, Do You Want to Know?

We rely on our therapists to be consistent, reliable, and emotionally present. We don't expect them to be sick and preoccupied. What should happen when the therapist becomes ill?

We rely on our therapists to be consistent, reliable, and emotionally present. We don't expect them to be sick and preoccupied. What should happen when the therapist becomes ill?

2 'Relationship Tests' Couples Must Ace for the Long Haul

How you celebrate the highs is as crucial as how you handle the lows.

How you celebrate the highs is as crucial as how you handle the lows.

Secure Attachment and Youth Loneliness

Gen Z individuals report the highest rates of loneliness of any generation and are prone to social media misuse. Secure attachments can help prevent these vulnerabilities.

Gen Z individuals report the highest rates of loneliness of any generation and are prone to social media misuse. Secure attachments can help prevent these vulnerabilities.

You, Therapy, and AI

Personal Perspective: AI's goal is to keep us engaged with it, so it rarely challenges us. Instead, it encourages us to feel understood—and to forget we're talking with a machine.

Personal Perspective: AI's goal is to keep us engaged with it, so it rarely challenges us. Instead, it encourages us to feel understood—and to forget we're talking with a machine.

Why Your Brain Can't Let Go of That Unanswered Text

You just checked your phone again; still no message. Here’s why this kind of uncertainty can make a person surprisingly hard to stop thinking about.

You just checked your phone again; still no message. Here’s why this kind of uncertainty can make a person surprisingly hard to stop thinking about.

Your Brain Is a Social Butterfly

How does being with the right person seem to make your whole body exhale? Research reveals that connection may be far more fundamental to our well-being than we realize.

How does being with the right person seem to make your whole body exhale? Research reveals that connection may be far more fundamental to our well-being than we realize.

Why People Cling to 'Things' After a Loved One Dies

People often fixate on a loved one's belongings in mourning. It's just a temporary salve that cannot bring them back. Keeping perspective avoids family conflict and personal stress.

People often fixate on a loved one's belongings in mourning. It's just a temporary salve that cannot bring them back. Keeping perspective avoids family conflict and personal stress.

Why Reassurance Never Feels Like Enough

Reassurance can calm relationship anxiety, but often only briefly. Lasting security grows through responsiveness, reliability, and a healthier tolerance for uncertainty.

Reassurance can calm relationship anxiety, but often only briefly. Lasting security grows through responsiveness, reliability, and a healthier tolerance for uncertainty.

Why "Sterling Point" Feels So Precisely Gen Z

Five ways a TV series nails how this generation thinks about love and family.

Five ways a TV series nails how this generation thinks about love and family.

Does Saying Goodbye to a Pet Ever Get Easy?

A veterinarian of 35 years on why saying goodbye to a pet has only gotten harder, as medicine advances and our animals become family, not just patients.

A veterinarian of 35 years on why saying goodbye to a pet has only gotten harder, as medicine advances and our animals become family, not just patients.

When Did Avoidant Attachment Become the Villain?

Attachment theory was supposed to help us have better relationships. Why has it become a new way to label and judge others?

Attachment theory was supposed to help us have better relationships. Why has it become a new way to label and judge others?

What Are Your Rules for Being Okay?

The problem is when wants and preferences become rules and requirements for being okay. Here is a path out of this hamster wheel of high effort with little sustained reward.

The problem is when wants and preferences become rules and requirements for being okay. Here is a path out of this hamster wheel of high effort with little sustained reward.

What About Cats?

Cats' intelligence and sociability are difficult to test, but new findings are increasing our understanding.

Cats' intelligence and sociability are difficult to test, but new findings are increasing our understanding.

Deceivers Come in Three Main Types

Research suggests people fall into one of three major categories of deceivers. Which are you?

Research suggests people fall into one of three major categories of deceivers. Which are you?

Why Breakups Hurt So Much: The Price of Human Attachment

Heartbreak isn't caused by loving deeply, but by holding on too tightly to a specific outcome or person.

Heartbreak isn't caused by loving deeply, but by holding on too tightly to a specific outcome or person.

The 5 Things That Can Happen After You Fall in Love

What happens when the butterflies fade? You may be falling into deeper love, or slowly disconnecting. Here’s how to recognize what comes next.

What happens when the butterflies fade? You may be falling into deeper love, or slowly disconnecting. Here’s how to recognize what comes next.

The Part of You That's Always Somewhere Else

Some part of you is always somewhere else—reviewing, rehearsing, protecting a story. Here's what happens when that part runs the whole show.

Some part of you is always somewhere else—reviewing, rehearsing, protecting a story. Here's what happens when that part runs the whole show.

Why We Should Talk to Our Family Elders

A Personal Perspective: It is important to know who came before you and what their lives were like. Whether you know them or not, they are part of your identity.

A Personal Perspective: It is important to know who came before you and what their lives were like. Whether you know them or not, they are part of your identity.

5 Things I Learned About Breastfeeding That You Should Know

Breastfeeding research is constantly evolving. Here are five findings every new and expecting parent should know.

Breastfeeding research is constantly evolving. Here are five findings every new and expecting parent should know.

Whose Peace Are You Keeping?

How shifting your goal from others’ peace to inner peace can reduce people-pleasing and improve authenticity.

How shifting your goal from others’ peace to inner peace can reduce people-pleasing and improve authenticity.

Arranged vs. Free-Choice Marriages: Which Are Most Loving?

Are arranged marriages loving? Many Westerners might express doubts. But a recent study shows that arranged marriages can be as loving as free-choice marriages.

Are arranged marriages loving? Many Westerners might express doubts. But a recent study shows that arranged marriages can be as loving as free-choice marriages.

What Happens When Couples Still Live Together After Breaking Up

Breaking up is hard enough. But what happens when the relationship ends and you still have to wake up under the same roof?

Breaking up is hard enough. But what happens when the relationship ends and you still have to wake up under the same roof?

Love Does Not Come With an Extended Warranty

We guard ourselves against heartbreak in ways that may weaken the bond. Here is what the research suggests actually covers you—and it is not a promise.

We guard ourselves against heartbreak in ways that may weaken the bond. Here is what the research suggests actually covers you—and it is not a promise.

Why Walk and Talk Therapy Matters More in the Age of AI

As AI transforms access to information about mental health, therapy's greatest value is what information alone can not provide: lived, relational experience.

As AI transforms access to information about mental health, therapy's greatest value is what information alone can not provide: lived, relational experience.

How to Spot an Exploitative Dater

Dating men who are self-focused, careless, and low effort? It's time to ditch the exploitative dater and seek meaningful connection with men who are operating at your level.

Dating men who are self-focused, careless, and low effort? It's time to ditch the exploitative dater and seek meaningful connection with men who are operating at your level.

Trying to Heal in a Toxic Relationship

If you're stuck in a toxic relationship, healing isn't just about leaving. It starts by understanding why you stay—and by learning to stop abandoning yourself.

If you're stuck in a toxic relationship, healing isn't just about leaving. It starts by understanding why you stay—and by learning to stop abandoning yourself.