Relationships

Healthy relationships are essential to our physical and mental well-being, as they provide social support, reduce stress, and help us feel valued. A healthy relationship may look different for each person, but most healthy relationships share common characteristics.

A healthy relationship is one that makes both parties feel good. A healthy relationship is equal – not one-sided.

A healthy relationship is respectful – mutually respectful. A healthy relationship is honest – open communication.

A healthy relationship is loving – affection and caring for each other.

A healthy relationship is safe – healthy boundaries.

Signs Your Partner May Be Emotionally Unavailable Without Realizing It
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Signs Your Partner May Be Emotionally Unavailable Without Realizing It

Emotional availability is the thread that weaves intimacy and connection into the tapestry of relationships, transforming simple interactions into deep, meaningful exchanges. It’s about more than just being physically present with our partners; it’s about opening our hearts, sharing our vulnerabilities, and genuinely being there for each other through life’s ebbs and flows. Yet, what…

Finding the Right Moment: A Guide to Intimacy, Timing, and Consent in Relationships
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Finding the Right Moment: A Guide to Intimacy, Timing, and Consent in Relationships

In the delicate dance of new relationships, the question of “when” to deepen connections with intimacy often arises, wrapped in the excitement and uncertainty of budding romance. In a world where the pace of relationships can be influenced by a myriad of societal norms and personal expectations, finding the right moment to take this significant…

Why Best Friends Turn Into Strangers and How to Foster Lasting Friendships
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Why Best Friends Turn Into Strangers and How to Foster Lasting Friendships

Friendship is a tapestry woven with the threads of shared experiences, secrets, laughter, and support. Best friends, in particular, are like mirrors reflecting our past, anchors in our present, and compasses guiding us toward our future. They witness our life’s journey, standing by us through triumphs and tribulations.  Yet, in a paradox that baffles many,…

10 Deep Emotional Wounds of Daughters From Unloving Mothers & Steps Towards Healing
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10 Deep Emotional Wounds of Daughters From Unloving Mothers & Steps Towards Healing

The bond between a mother and her daughter is often regarded as one of the most influential relationships in a person’s life. It sets the foundation for emotional and psychological development, influencing how we form connections, perceive ourselves, and navigate the complexities of our emotions.  For many, this relationship is a source of strength, love,…

Having Closer Friends Long-term Keeps Cortisol Levels Low for Life
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Having Closer Friends Long-term Keeps Cortisol Levels Low for Life

According to former Beckman Institute postdoctoral researchers Michelle Rodrigues and Si On Yoon, there is a tie between female friendship and cortisol response. Their study looked at how age and familiarity with those we interact with impacts a conversation, reviewing the effectiveness and stress responses generated from those conversations. Friendship Health Benefits: What Are Friends…

Here Is Where Spirituality Lives in the Brain
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Here Is Where Spirituality Lives in the Brain

What happens in the brain during a spiritual experience? New research from Brigham and Women’s Hospital shows that humans do indeed have a spiritual region in the brain. The study showed that spirituality resides in the periaqueductal grey (known as PAG). This centralized location is also where the brain conditions fear, altruistic behaviors, and unconditional…

Not Having Sex For a Long Time, Are There Side Effects?
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Not Having Sex For a Long Time, Are There Side Effects?

Throughout our lives, nearly all of us will have a sexual encounter with another person. As Individuals, we feel attracted to people of the opposite or the same sex. Friendships occur, and sometimes it will lead to an intimate connection that becomes sexual.  To do so is all perfectly natural, and it is how many…