Dear Neil: What makes a person—namely a man—become emotionally unavailable? Why do men seem to value being emotionally available far less than women? What are some things a man could do to overcome being emotionally unavailable? Hurt in New York Dear Hurt: I get so many questions from readers about this subject that repeating some […]
Dear Neil: Please help me understand what happened to my marriage. In the beginning of our relationship, we were so close with each other: we spent huge amount of time talking, going to movies and new restaurants, traveling, sharing hopes and dreams, romancing each other, continually making love. We were always affectionate—touching each other, holding […]
Dear Neil: I started dating someone about three weeks ago. His wife died four years ago after 22 years of marriage. For his daughter’s sake, he still has some photos around the house, the majority of which are unobtrusive. He does, however, have a rather large photo of himself with his wife and daughter over […]
Is there enough love and respect in your intimate relationship? Do you and your partner show each other empathy, support, care, affection, friendship, sympathy and love? How do you express such emotions, how is that expression received by your partner, and where could you improve in the ways that you express love and respect? Take […]
A Valentine’s Exercise Have you ever wondered how people deepen the intimacy and closeness in their relationships? Try this Valentine’s exercise, which will allow you to “interview” your intimate partner—and hopefully assist you in gaining a greater depth of understanding and closeness in your relationship. If you’d like to find out more information about any […]
Have you ever wondered how some people seem to effortlessly connect with others, even strangers, and are seemingly able to easily create closeness with people? Ever wondered why you have trouble doing the same thing? Perhaps you can do it after all. Connecting with others and establishing a shared feeling of mutual closeness consists of […]
Dear Neil: A few years ago, my husband of 22 years wanted sex and I didn’t, and he tried to physically force me to have sex. When that did not work, he pushed me out of bed. My father was a physically and verbally abusive man, and this may be part of the reason why […]
Dear Neil: My relationship with the man I’ve lived with for seven years can get very volatile at times, and tension can build uncomfortably high between us. There is a fair amount of distancing, withdrawal and irritability between us. But both of us are conflict avoiders, and neither of us is good at bringing tensions […]
Dear Neil: How does a man connect with a woman these days? I am failing miserably since my divorce. Alone in London, Ontario Dear Alone: Connecting with a new person […]
What are your needs in an intimate relationship? This is an exercise in self-discovery, adapted from Philip McGraw’s The Relationship Rescue Workbook (Hyperion). As you recognize and acknowledge your needs, you create a path toward getting those needs met. For every need that applies to you, put X on the line to the left of it. […]