Roots of Resentment - Shared Responsibilities I asked you on Instagram what your partner did that left you feeling resentful. And it started a really helpful discussion about how resentment builds in a relationship. Guess what? The mental load and and how you...
Your Relationship In Lockdown - Needing Quality Time How's your relationship in lockdown? I miss so many things. I miss socialising. I miss mass gatherings. And yet what I’m looking forwards to most is going places with my husband. Seriously. That guy. The one...
Thank And Compliment Your Partner - Why It Matters And Some Suggestions Want to know whether it matters that you compliment your partner? It's a resounding YES from me! When you compliment your partner, it makes them feel seen, loved, and appreciated. It helps...
The 4 Main Toxic Communication Styles If you want to have a great relationship, there are four main ways of communicating that you’ll really want to avoid. These are the communication styles that research has found to be the most damaging to couples’ connection...
Dealing with Arguments in Relationships Arguments in relationships are completely normal. The success of your relationship doesn't depend on how many disagreements you have, but on how you deal with them. When your partner is upset about something, it helps to...
Discussing Relationship Needs Have you ever said something like “I need more time to myself!” then got a reply that was so far from what you needed to hear that you just gave up? I know how frustrating this can be, so let's talk about how to discuss...
Relationship Changes After Having A Baby Are Very Common Becoming a parent is a big deal and it usually changes people, often in ways they don’t expect. We're all used to having various roles in life from son/daughter, brother/sister to friend or colleague....
How To Protect Your Relationship Every couple disagrees. And it’s normal for more of those disagreements to turn onto arguments once we have children and have to make so many more joint decisions. The success of your relationship depends on how you approach those...
Family Rituals Christmas is coming! For those of us who celebrate, that probably means lots of family rituals, like choosing and decorating a tree, wrapping and exchanging presents, and enjoying lots of festive foods and drink. Family rituals provide us with a sense...
Couples counselling is amazing, and the thing I hear most often about it is “I wish we’d gone sooner!” But asking for help isn’t always easy, and the prospect of inviting a stranger into our most private conversations can feel quite daunting. It’s very common for one partner to be ready to call a counsellor while the other is still unsure about it. So if you’re wondering how to get your partner to go to couples counselling, you’re not alone. Here are a few pointers to help you if you’ve been struggling with how to get your partner to go to couples counselling.
Happy Thanksgiving! Let’s think about how to show your partner you appreciate them We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in the UK, which has always struck me as rather sad. It’s a great opportunity to think about how to show your partner you appreciate them. I know...
According to the organisers, International Men’s Day is a day to celebrate the value men bring to the world, their families, and communities. So if you have a man in your life, please let him know how much he means to you today.
It’s World Kindness Day 2020. We know kindness matters. We tell our kids to be kind. But how kind are you, really, to the person you have chosen to spend your life with, on a day-to-day basis? How friendly are you? How generous? How considerate? Do you ask them how...
It's International Stress Awareness Week 2020 This week has been International Stress Awareness Week, so let’s think about your stress levels, how you understand them, and what you can do about them. Stress is what happens when the demands of a situation outstrip our...
We all know that it's important to make time for intimacy with our partners if we want to have lasting, satisfying relationships. But with our busy lives, work, family, homes, and all the jobs that need doing, sometimes we can get out of the habit of making time for...
Feeling "Touched Out" And What To Do About It If you’ve ever felt - at the end of a long day caring for little ones - like you just couldn’t bear to be touched one more time, you know what it is to feel “touched out”. If this is something that either you or...
Notes From The Mother Box Podcast Before we get into the cycle of rejection, I just want to tell you about a podcast you can catch me on. Notes From The Mother Box is a new podcast from midwife Alexis Stickland and doula Beccy Hands, bestselling authors of The Little...
So you want to get your sex life back on track? You know it’s normal for sex to drop down the agenda when you have a baby, but it’s been months - maybe even years - and you’re starting to worry. Right now, honestly, sex is something that brings you more stress than...
When I was 10 years old, we lived in a house with interesting neighbours. I remember on the day we moved in, the mother walked into our new home and announced, “we mostly keep ourselves to ourselves”. In my experience, people who describe themselves as an open book...
How have your stress levels been lately? Stress is the reaction that happens when we feel that the demands of a situation outstrip our resources to cope. So I think most of us can say that our stress levels have been higher than usual at least some of the time over...
The global pandemic is putting huge pressure on everyone, especially couples with kids at home. As well as coping with the uncertainty and anxiety, many of us have lost work, childcare, and the comfort of our usual routines. Being in lockdown together presents a...
