In the beginning of a relationship, both partners are leading separate lives and have much to share with each other.  Over time, couples often give up their independent activities.  They may let go of friends and interests, and start “living for” the other.  When people don’t have some time apart, a can relationship lose its […]

By Guest Columnist: McKenzie Kantra Have you ever gotten a good feeling just from being around somebody who’s happy?  Well, it turns out that there is actually a scientific answer to why you feel that way. It’s called “sympathetic resonance.” We all know that objects can pick up on vibrations from objects that are near […]

In my last article, “The Triangle of Love,” I described Robert Sternberg’s “Triangle Theory of Love,” and how the three components of love (i.e., Passion, Intimacy, & Commitment) combine in different ways to produce eight different types, or triangles, of love. The ultimate form of love, Complete or Consummate Love, while not easily achieved or […]

“Love” is a BIG word, no matter how you look at it.  Ask a hundred people how they would define “love,” and it’s unlikely that you’ll find the same definition given twice.  We need only look at a few quotes about the subject to see that love means many different things: Love is a wildly […]

In a study conducted by Diener and Fujita (1995), the availability of “material” resources was 9 times less important to happiness than was the availability of “personal” resources such as family and friends. Imagine for a moment that today was your last day on Earth.  Now, make a list of all the things that you […]

Few people are prepared for the responsibilities and tasks involved in caring for loved ones who are ill, elderly, or disabled. The success of the relationship between you and your loved one depends on several factors. One of the most important is how well you take care of yourself, empowering yourself to be there for […]

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF Published: January 16, 2010 (NY Times Article) Want to be happier in 2010? Then try this simple experiment, inspired by recent scholarship in psychology and neurology. Which person would you rather be: Richard is an ambitious 36-year-old white commodities trader in Florida. He’s healthy and drop-dead handsome, lives alone in a […]

Marriage, by its very nature, tends to be complicated and difficult.  It is a friendship, a partnership, and a business relationship all rolled into one.  Problems can, and usually do, crop up in any and all these three areas. Complicating matters even more, when a problem occurs in one area, it is likely to bleed […]