What's on Your Relationship Bucket List?

Alex was badly shaken up when one of her co-workers unexpectedly lost her husband in a freak accident. She feels sad for the other woman's loss and is now re-evaluating her own relationship too. Watching the grief and regret that her co-worker is struggling with has put into perspective the petty disagreements and hard feelings that are between Alex and her live-in boyfriend.

10 Ways To Improve Your Relationship, Part 2

More helpful suggestions to increase collaboration and deepen intimacy in your relationship.

Last week I suggested that revitalizing your relationship involves looking at what you're doing, and how you're doing it. Today's list addresses both dimensions of your relationship, with two essential communication tips (#10) and a practice of connecting with yourself that I recommend everyone try at least once (#9). But this should top the list: create loving connection by being the first to reach out with affectionate touch, a compliment or expressions of endearment.

What Messages Are You Sending? [EXPERT]

The quality of your love life is directly tied to the messages you send

The quality of your love life is directly tied to the messages you send. These messages stem from your thoughts, beliefs, feelings and actions. If your thoughts, beliefs, feelings and actions are not congruent, you’ll send mixed messages. Sending mixed instead of clear messages guarantees a love relationship that is not sustainable — one fraught with frustration, disappointment and a superficial connection. A mixed message can look like this:

He's Trying to Control Me [EXPERT]

Do you dread it when your partner says, "We need to talk?"

"I know what's coming when Robert says that we need to sit down and have a talk," Maryann told me in our phone session. "He wants to tell me everything that is wrong with me. It's not about talking - it's about wanting to have control over me. Last time he did this it was all about how I spend money, even though I make my own money and take care of all my own expenses. The time before it was about our sex life.

The Ultimate Parent Fails

Typical mistakes we make as parents, and how to avoid them.

By Barbara Greenberg, PhD, Teen Parenting Expert Yep, we all do it. So let's have a little fun looking at our "parent fails"- those moments of parenting gone awry where we had the best of intentions but no guide to tell us exactly what to do. Those "oh no, did I just do that or say that? moments are inevitable if you are a parent who is deeply immersed in the parenting game. And, during this game wrong and awkward moves are bound to happen, REPEATEDLY.

Boundaries For Respect in Relationships (EXPERT)

You do not need to like or approve of someone to show respect for them. Be kind & firm in boundaries

Do you have to like or love someone to be considerate, kind and courteous? The answer to that question is simply- No. You can be respectful without agreeing with, or even liking another person. One reason this is such a vital life skill for our children, is for the rest of their lives they will need to interact with, work with and deal with people they may feel are unpleasant. At a young age we begin to establish our own boundaries.

Peel The Onion & Stop The Bickering [EXPERT]

Press Release: New CD by NY Trial Lawer Turned Therapist on "Getting to the Bottom of Arguments"

Weehawken, N.J., June 27, 2011 – Psychotherapist and relationship coach David S. Wilde has released a CD, "Peeling the Onion and Mending Your Marriage", a "how-to" guide for couples, providing practical tools, techniques and guided meditations to help spouses escape endless bickering. David is a former NY trial lawyer who switched to the more amicable career of helping couples.

Discussing Sex & Rape With Our Daughters [EXPERT]

How much, if at all, should we discuss with our daughters?

I know that this question alone raises many eyebrows; especially since my memoir, which is still in production, recounts the many experiences that have led me to this point in my life as N. Meridian, the writer who shrouds herself behind words. However, because of my past, because of my daughter, I feel the need to protect her while hiding in plain sight.

Is My Partner's Friend A Threat To Our Relationship? [EXPERT]

Jealousy advice to help you know if you should be worried about your partner's close friendship.

Can a heterosexual man and woman truly just be friends? If you are in a heterosexual relationship with someone who has a close friend of the opposite sex you might be grappling with this gnawing question. Of course you want your mate to have friends and people in his or her life to count on and be close to in addition to you. At the same time, nobody wants to be taken for a fool. You might feel like you have to stay on alert-- What if your partner's friend has ulterior motives?

communication — Figure out what they really mean with these helpful tips!

6 Ways Men & Women Communicate Differently [EXPERT]

Will men and women ever see eye to eye?

Men and women are different in many ways. They see the world through completely different perspectives. The key to understanding their differences is in the way that men and women communicate.

How To Behave When Arguing With Your Partner [EXPERT]

4 tips to prevent heated arguments from entering your relationship!

In a relationship, it is not unusual for couples to have conflicts that result in heated arguments. There is nothing wrong with this. Arguments, if observed at a positive angle, can actually be healthy for the relationship. But, just like everything else, too much of something is not good and can easily lead to relationships breaking up.