Be realistic:​​ Create 1-3 reasonable resolutions. The longer your list, the more likely you will become overwhelmed and abandon all of them. If you reach your initial goals early in the year, you can always identify new ones!

I can’t count the number of times a couple has sat on my couch, in our Downers Grove, Il office,  during the first session and one of the partners has said that sentence to the other person. It is a common phrase that people use to try and explain why they are no longer happy in a relationship. Unfortunately, all it highlights is a cultural misconception of romantic love and our desire for relationships to be easy.

We've all been there - the world of singles - a place that while fun and exciting, can be just as anxiety-provoking for many. As couples therapists, we are armed with tools that make relationships work, which gives us the ability to help coach individuals to make good dating decisions. We understand the many challenges that dating in today's world presents:

What is love if not a blissful, romantic, conflict-free connection with our significant other? The “honeymoon stage” is characterized by an abundance of positive feelings, lots of sex/affection, and an overall high that feels good but unfortunately can’t last forever. It’s not wrong to want the best for your relationship, however the unrealistic expectations of what the relationship should look like often keeps us from being happy.

The Ashley Madison hacking scandal has brought the public’s attention to just how prevalent cheating is in our society. While there are people who deliberately seek out an affair, many other unintentionally move down the relationship slippery slope, find themselves developing inappropriate feelings and crossing boundaries.

The school year started and inevitably, your family is stressed out again. Kids being back in school means you are juggling work with school schedules, dealing with teachers, homework, and rebellion from the kids following summer vacation.