Let's Talk Communication (Page 6)

Welcome to Bravo TV’s “Newlyweds: The First Year.” Season two premieres March 10 and will highlight the joys and challenges couples commonly endure during the first year of marriage. Meet Kirk and Laura Knight, one of the four couples who will be featured on Bravo’s hit series. Kirk and Laura will share their lives as they embark on their journey as newlyweds. Last week I had the opportunity to interview Kirk and...

The 411: What started as a blogging site for couples, LoveByte has now become a leading app for romantic partners to improve their communication and, in turn, strengthen their relationship. Founded in 2011, LoveByte.us is the brainchild of Steve Sng, who often experienced his own frustrations while being in a relationship. Steve Sng, founder of LoveByte From misunderstandings to missed calls, Sng knew he...

As a leading dating coach, I know online dating is for those who are truly willing to fight to find love. This means if you want to be successful, you need to put the effort and consideration into those messages that you send to other people. With the right communication, you can land yourself more than just a kind reply from that person of interest — you may just find love that will last you a...

So you're in a relationship and your girlfriend is not the same loving, receptive woman she was when you first started hanging out? What's a man to do? First off, I've got to tell you: It's most likely your fault You see, when a woman pulls back and is no longer receptive, it means her needs are not being met. It goes both ways. When you're in a relationship and you pull back and stop giving love, it’s because your...

I recently read that Nicholas Sparks filed for divorce after 25 years of marriage. He and his wife have several children together, and he has often credited her as an inspiration for his novels. From outside appearances, they seemed like the perfect couple. What I think their separation represents is that even the most in-sync couples can grow apart. The question is: what can be accomplished to keep your...

Welcome to your world, the world of having a clingy girlfriend. That's tough. A friend of mine is going through it right now. His girlfriend wants to do everything together — every trip, every moment, every dinner, every movie. He made the mistake of seeing a movie with a guy friend that she wanted to see. She lost it. She got really upset. The definition of a clingy girlfriend is: a girlfriend who doesn't allow...

TL;DR: Not only has Dr. Amy Steinbugler’s book "Beyond Loving" won two prestigious awards, but it’s also challenging common misconceptions about race and relationships. In the 15 years Dr. Amy Steinbugler has been studying sociology, she’s never taken the easy road, and the same holds true for her 2012 book Beyond Loving: Intimate Racework in Lesbian, Gay and Straight Interracial Relationships." As a sociology...

There are several facts of life that are unavoidable: We all have a past. We all have experienced great pain. We all have intimate details about ourselves that are difficult to share with others. We all have made mistakes and had moments we were not proud of. These essential truths may equate to what some commonly call “dirty laundry” in the dating and relationship world.  The expression "airing your dirty...

TL;DR: In his fourth year at Brigham Young University, Assistant Professor Scott Braithwaite, Ph.D., may be a new kid on the block, but his online relationship education program, ePrep, is already helping hundreds of couples improve their love lives. Since his undergraduate years, Dr. Scott Braithwaite has had a passion for providing couples with the tools they need to prevent relationship distress and enhance...

TL;DR: Power of Two Marriage is the leading online counseling program that provides couples at any stage with convenient ways to improve their relationship. If you're looking for an alternative to traditional counseling, you'll hardly find a better service than Power of Two Marriage. When a relationship is in jeopardy, most people turn to counseling to fix the problem. But what if you don't have the time to meet...

The best relationship therapists offer clarity on a variety of tricky subjects and can help couples decide if they should stay together or call it quits. Sometimes our relationships need a little extra TLC to function at their best, whether that's sexually, emotionally, or some other kind of -ally. For when we can't figure it all out on our own, these 11 relationship therapists are there to help us heal and move...

You’re finally married to your lesbian sweetheart, but your father-in-law isn’t exactly warm and cuddly about the whole thing. He comes across as mildly disapproving about you as his the daughter-in-law he never expected. How can you warm him up and coax him into the friendship zone? It’s going to take a winning strategy to show up as someone who’s interested in him and what he values in life. You know this...

I’m the human equivalent of a Trapper Keeper. I have to be in order to coach individuals because they share confidential information with me. Ironically when I’m around the people closest to me or I’m really passionate about a topic, it’s hard to shut me up. I am an open book with my beaux, and for the most part, we should be able to confide in our partner about anything, even our deep, dark secrets. However, there...

No matter if you’ve just met someone, are into your third year of dating or are celebrating a 20th anniversary, there’s one thing that will always keep a relationship strong -- communication. Sometimes it isn’t easy. There are days and moments when you just don’t feel like talking or have run out of things to say. That’s perfectly normal. After all, not everyone can be on all the time. But if you really want things...

Whether you're dating or in a relationship, making your woman feel loved is key. It is the gateway that will open up everything else in your life. There are many different ways to accomplish this. The following tips are some of the most effective and best ways to make your woman feel loved. 1. Listen to her Listening to her is a great way to make her feel loved because it shows you care about her point of view. As...

Nagging prevents communication from being effective and can get in the way of emotional closeness and intimacy with your special guy. Nagging behaviors tend to push men away instead of bring them closer to you and can lead to distance and tension in relationships. Therefore, nagging behaviors are not the best way to maintain a healthy relationship, get what you want and have your needs met. What causes you to nag...

Deciphering a partner's true level of sexual satisfaction might be easier than some films have led us to believe. A new study that appeared in the online journal Archives of Sexual Behavior found both men and women are equally good at accurately pinpointing how satisfied their partner really is. The flip side to this good news may be how some partners actually have more trouble hiding their dissatisfaction. The...

Reader Question: I've got a bit of a crush on a co-worker. I talked with her about getting lunch. Unfortunately, we both had different times on our calendar, and I ended up being more than an hour late. A few weeks later, she invited me and two other guys from the office out to drinks with her (and her friends). I, unfortunately, had to decline because of a business meeting. Then I asked her out to drinks and...

Reader Question: I am 45 and my husband is chronically ill. I am his caregiver and also have a 5-year-old. I am not sure the right way to approach dating. Some may think it is inappropriate, but I think it is my choice, although admittedly I am more interested in companionship and intimacy than a long-term relationship. I'm just not sure how to approach men or even where. Any advice? -Victoria...

Locker room talk has typically been most associated with men - rehashing, reliving or wildly exaggerating their own sexual glory. But is there a female equivalency to this practice? New research says there is, though perhaps one not as self-serving. As it turns out, women are twice as likely to talk with friends about their sex lives than they are with their own partners, even on a date night. Of the women...

So what do you do when the object of your desire is a gay man who is in the closet about his sexuality? Are these dating relationships viable? Generally speaking, the prognosis for relationship success tends to be stronger when gay men are of similar "outness" statuses. There tends to be less tension and friction due to the mutual positions they hold with sexual identity comfort. For example, in situations when...

Reader Question: I was seeing someone outside of my relationship for about a year and I ended up falling in love. I was too afraid of my feelings for the other guy, so I would argue and fight with him just to push him away. Now he has decided to stop speaking to me. We also work together, so he ignores me at work as well. I ended my relationship and cut off all ties with guys he was uncomfortable with me being...

Reader Question: My ex and I were sleeping together. Then we had a fight. She admitted, as did I, that we would like to be involved again. In the meantime, she had set up a weekend with some other woman she had met online. I thought she was meeting her for an afternoon, but it turns out they were meeting for the entire weekend (meaning they would have sex). Once I found that out, I was livid, hurt, angry and very...

Marriage is a fantastic period when two people decide to create their own family, sharing the values, thoughts, and even lives with each other. Of course, everybody wants to save the marriage for as long as possible. But often couples just can't keep it anymore. The reasons are different, but the leading cause is money. A lot of specific surveys and studies were conducted among various age groups in the United...

Reader Question: I have met a very sweet man. I am 65. He is 69. He treats me very well, but the one thing that turns me off is he is crabby. He thinks all lawyers and doctors are crooks, and he has relationship problems with his kids. He is very opinionated. He is never critical of me, but I still hate to listen to all of the grouchiness. -Sheila (Indiana) April Braswell's Answer: Hi Sheila, Congratulations...

Have you ever wondered, "How do I get a woman to give me a blowjob?" "How do I get my girlfriend to like facials? How do I tell my partner I like gangbang porn? How do I tell my girlfriend I want to have my prostrate massaged? How do I tell my girlfriend I am into being dominated?" I have a simple answer: You just tell her. You talk about it. It takes courage and bravery to be vulnerable, especially when the...

You love your boyfriend more than anything and can't imagine life without him. Things are generally good between you...except when it comes to sex. You hate to admit it, but it's just not satisfying to you. He's a bit selfish in bed, wanting you to do all of the work to please him, which you don't mind since you enjoy his body. But when it comes to your turn, he's less than enthusiastic about returning the favor....

Reader Question: I had been speaking with a girl for more than four weeks, and I made a mistake by telling too much about myself and my feelings toward her. I seemed needy and made a mess by not waiting for a reply before my next message. Now I've had no reply since Tuesday. How is this for an apology? "Sometimes even sweet, caring, nice guys make big mistakes they regret. It just kills me to think...

At last, you found The One. Each time she enters a room, your heart skips inside your chest, your palms sweat, your pupils dilate, your nerves are on edge and your mind floods with ideas of making her happy, content and wanting more. The hours or days anticipating seeing her cannot pass quickly enough. You feel knots in your stomach. The love bug has definitely swung your way and you cannot imagine a future without...

We all know that without trust, a relationship doesn’t have a chance and there isn’t going to be much substance or depth to it. Did you know the average woman says her level of trust in men is only a 4 on a scale from 1 to 10, where 10 is the highest level of trust? I think the information from this survey is quite alarming. If you are a man who wants a loving and fulfilling relationship, I have some important tips...