Let's Talk Relationships (Page 24)

The other night at my local wine bar, I made the acquaintance of a woman who, upon learning about my job as an online dating coach, was very eager to tell the story of her and her husband, she whom met on Match.com eight years ago. Their love story doesn’t follow a typical storybook romance sequence. However, it’s a very happy story. You see, when she first met her husband to be, he didn’t look at all like what she...

In 50 years, will blind dates and office romances become mostly a quaint reminder of the past? In the nonstop evolution of the information age, it’s the newer dating arenas like dating sites and mobile phone apps that are continuing to grow in popularity. A new study by the Pew Research Center found a considerable number of Americans have embraced these online options. Researchers studied 2,252 adults about their...

Being unprepared is the number one problem for singles looking for love. What do I mean by this? Being prepared means you have done the personal work to be ready for a relationship. I rode the dating merry-go-round for eight long years. I thought if I just dated enough people, one of my dates would ignite a spark and my search would be over. I suffered many heartbreaks and disappointments. I settled for people I...

This is an exclusive study conducted by DatingAdvice.com, which surveyed respondents over the course of three weeks to reflect an accurate representation of the U.S. population. Drinking on a first date is an activity many people often take pleasure in, and new research reveals who's indulging and who's refraining. DatingAdvice.com's latest study found 72 percent of Americans think it's OK to drink on a first...

Everyone has that one friend who uses online dating sites to find casual hookups or dates. It’s undeniable — a lot of people use those sites to find temporary relationships or even to swing. Indeed, many sites and apps have popped up recently specifically to fulfill this need. That’s all fine, but what if you’re looking for something that will last a long time? As in an actual long-term relationship? In the current...

Friends with benefits, known as two people who have regular sexual contact without defining it as a couple relationship, are becoming increasingly common nowadays. According to new research conducted by the UK-based relationship charity OnePlusOne and the youth charity YouthNet, one in three young people in Britain have had a friend with benefits. In a survey of 1,000 16- to 24-year-olds, OnePlusOne found 32...

Reader Question: My parents do not like my girlfriend. In fact, they want me to break all ties with her after we got into a big argument. My girlfriend and I want to try to work it out, but I'm afraid to disappoint my parents, whom already think I'm doing the exact opposite of what they say when it comes to my relationship (mind you, I'm still in high school). What do I aim to fix? My fractured relationship or...

As the virtual world continues its technological breech into our everyday lives, the ways in which people work and play have been forever altered. One clear indication of this is how people meet romantic partners. According to research by the University of Rochester, online dating has become the second most common way people meet. Connections made through mutual friends remains the top method. The study’s authors...

Are any of you old enough to remember Paul Anka's cheesy 1970s song "You're Having My Baby"? It's a really funny pop song from the '70s. Look it up and listen to it. It seems like it's a theme in Hollywood nowadays -- older people having babies. Halle Berry just knocked a kid out at 47 years old. By the time that kid is 20, her mom is going to be close to 70. I don't think that is fair to a child. I remember when...

We’ve all heard this line before, “You should marry your best friend, the one who knows you best.” It always sounds good, appeals to many and makes lots of sense while choosing a mate or life partner. However, really liking a person versus being in love with them are two very different scenarios. You should always marry the latter of the two. Dating and hanging out with someone you feel completely comfortable...

Reading regularly has been known to help people establish better social skills, but is one genre better for advancing social skills than others? According to new research, that genre is romance. The study, which was conducted by York University in Toronto, found romance readers rank highest in sensitivity, followed by readers of thriller/suspense and general domestic fiction. Researchers asked participants to...

Some men like to cook. Some women like to do home repairs. Some men think their career should come before their spouse's career. Some women think either gender can be healthy child caregivers. But when you’re dating, how do you know about another person’s belief system or gendered biases? These are questions people entering romantic relationships rarely ask each other, let alone ask themselves. Yet mismatched...

Can a person’s DNA play a major role in determining how happy he or she will be when married? New research examined a link between a gene variant and emotional well-being in relationship. Scientists from the University of California, Berkeley and Northwestern University conducted the study. They found the physical length of the gene, known as 5-HTTLPR, predicts how a spouse will respond to the emotional peaks and...

This is an exclusive study conducted by DatingAdvice.com, which surveyed respondents over the course of three weeks to reflect an accurate representation of the U.S. population. Young people are now growing up in an era when Facebook and Twitter allow almost anyone to check out a date in advance, and it looks like this may cause an age-old tradition to slowly fade out: the blind date. In a recent...

If you are like most unmarried women, the excitement and readiness for your wedding day is getting stronger by the minute... and your Pinterest wedding board is not helping. It seems like everyone is getting hitched. As my 90-year-old grandma so graciously reminded me, “You are not getting any younger, sweetie." Before you give your boyfriend the hint that you are getting impatient, ask yourself: What is it about...

Reader Question: I have been with my boyfriend for four years now. I love him, but I wonder what it would be like to be single. Is that normal? -Hailee (Michigan) Gina Stewart's Answer: This is very normal. People in happy, committed relationships wonder what it would be like to be single. Just like single people wonder what it would be like to be married and little kids wonder what it would be like to be a...

It's odd to think the mutual affection of a couple holding hands could be broken down into which partner displays more control in the relationship, but a new study has done so. However, the research, which was published in the Journal of Homosexuality, shows one type of couple may be immune to these type markers: lesbians. In most couples, the height of the respective partners plays a clear role, prompting the...

“Lots of things can be fixed, but many times relationships between people cannot be fixed because they should not be fixed.” ~C. JoyBell C. Have you reached that difficult moment in a relationship where you are forced to acknowledge that things are just not working out? If so, you may be struggling about how to end it. It’s seldom easy to leave, whatever the reason. It’s also debatable whether it is worse to be on...

Abuse in teen dating is a major issue, and psychologists have long known certain types of people are more likely to be victimized by it than others. New research finds LGBT young people may be such a group. The study, which appeared in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, was conducted by surveying 3,745 youths to examine sexual orientation and gender identification in relation to dating abuse. Gay, lesbian,...

Reader Question: I'm a bisexual man who is more oriented toward men. I have worked through commitment fears of having the same type of relationship my parents had that led me to attract emotionally unavailable men and women because I was unavailable. Additionally, I recognized internal homophobia in me to the extent that I viewed being partnered with a man as "ewwwww," though I'm truly desirous of such a...

The damaging and lasting effects of alcohol have been heavily studied, but scientists are now looking to better understand the link between drinking and violence in relationships. A new study published in the Journal of the Study of Alcohol and Drugs looks into intimate partner violence, or IPV, and how drinking can be an indicator of violence. Researchers interviewed more than 1,500 married or cohabitating couples...

The effects of an abusive relationship have long been known to potentially last for years, but new research is exploring some non-traditional forms of abuse, such as online interaction and texting. A Michigan State University study found nearly 70 percent of girls and almost 60 percent of boys aged 13 to 19 have experienced some form of dating abuse. Nearly 600 students participated in the research, which appears...

Reader Question: I am 57 and dating a 64-year-old man. After four months, I am finding out slowly he is a financial train wreck. My financial adviser informed me this man would have to work until age 74 and stop giving to his three children to save even a small amount for his retirement. I wanted someone I could travel with and enjoy my retirement. What should I do? -S. Devine (Indiana) April Braswell's...

Thinking highly of your romantic partner may be good for the relationship, but a new study warns about over-idealizing your partner. Scholars from four different universities collaborated to examine the effect of being too much of a cheerleader for your significant other. They wanted to specifically understand the types of qualities men and women choose to promote and how it impacts the person being praised. More...

Being independent can be empowering, but life gets even better when you have someone special to share those memorable moments with. Our 10 Best Blogs for Couples know what it means to be a great couple and are bringing those tips to you. Remember, it takes two! Love Taza BEST OF Bragging Rights:...

This is an exclusive study conducted by DatingAdvice.com, which surveyed respondents over the course of three weeks to reflect an accurate representation of the U.S. population. How important is sex in a relationship, and if the sex is bad, is it worth breaking up over? New research shows it depends on who you ask. In an exclusive study conducted by DatingAdvice.com, 39 percent of gay Americans said they would...

Let’s say you’ve been dating this great guy for a while and then things start to go south. Maybe you’ve been arguing a bit more. Or perhaps you feel a bit more distant and disconnected from each other lately. Or maybe the sex isn’t as good as it once was. One of the most excruciating dating dilemmas is having to make that difficult decision of whether to salvage a relationship or terminate it. These situations are...

I think the number one cause of heartache and disappointment in relationships is failed expectations. Expectations are built in several ways: by reading into your man’s behavior, by romanticizing a relationship to be more than it truly is, by wanting something without expressing your needs or by simply ignoring things you are shown or told. As a relationship coach, a large part of what I do is manage my clients'...

I was reading today about Justin Theroux and Jennifer Anniston's relationship being the most high-profile relationship in the world. And I was thinking it’s also one of the most challenging. How many times have you thought about living with a woman? How many times have you actually moved in with her, and then you had to give up one of your most valued possessions? She asked you to throw away something you love but...

"He hurt me really bad, and it was such a rough breakup.” "Well, my ex used to always do it this way Don't you hate when you meet someone new and the only thing she can seem to talk about is her ex or compare you to him? I can hear you thinking, "Well, if you have an icebox instead of a heart because of your ex, then why are you dating me?" or  "If your ex did it so great, why exactly is he your ex?" This is the...