What is the Split Attraction Model?
According to the split attraction model, how someone experiences attraction can be split into categories. For some people romantic and sexual attraction are distinctly different experiences. The split attraction model recognizes that sexual and romantic orientations are not the same for some people. This paradigm recognizes that people can experience sexual and romantic attraction differently.[1]…
Stockholm Syndrome: Why Victims Sympathize With Their Captors
We have all heard horror stories of kidnappings and hostage situations where victims suffer horrible ordeals. What we don’t expect to hear from such victims is expressions of sympathy or appreciation for their captors. But Stockholm syndrome describes exactly that kind of reaction. It is a survival strategy where hostage or abuse victims develop feelings of…
Why Do I Miss My Ex?
Relationships should come with a rule book, or at least with a comprehensive “how to” guide. It would be quite helpful to refer back to an all-knowing relationship manual when faced with a romantic dilemma. Unfortunately, no such manual exists and instead, we are left to rely solely on our intuition, judgment, and vulnerable hearts….
7 Tips for Dealing with Frustration
Frustration is an emotion everyone can relate to. However, it is an emotion that is pretty vague. Are you exasperated, upset, disappointed, let down, irritated, or perturbed? Being frustrated leaves a lot to the imagination. In order to understand what someone is actually feeling when they say they are frustrated, it helps to look at…
Are You Together But Still Lonely?
Restaurants have always been a prime location for people watching. You can tell a whole lot about a couple’s relationship by watching them have dinner together. Does the couple make eye contact, or do they barely look at each other? Are they engaged in conversation and listening to each other or are they constantly checking…
Not Everyone Wants to be Hugged: The Science Behind Huggers and Non-Huggers
We all have people in our lives who are “huggers”. Some come right out and say, “I’m a hugger!” as their arms are already wrapping around you. Others don’t give very much of a warning! Hugs, while comforting for some, can be very overwhelming for others, and researchers have been attempting to discover the reasons…
What Are The Powerful Components Of A Successful Relationship?
Relationships can be thought of as a complex recipe. There are certain ingredients that are essential to produce a delicious, high quality dish. When cooking or baking, it is important to follow directions and abide by the measurements that are set forth by the recipes. If you happen to have the wrong ingredients, missing ingredients, or the…
How to Identify and Deal with Passive-Aggressive People
People who are passive-aggressive can be difficult to deal with and at times leave you with a lot of questions. Did I do something wrong? Are they upset with me or am I reading into too much? Is it just me or do things seem off? Those questions can leave us almost feeling crazy because…
Can Alcohol Effect Your Relationships?
Things taken or experienced in moderation are unlikely to have a significant impact. Eating ice cream or a favorite desert every once in awhile is not likely to have a major effect on a person’s weight. It would be unexpected that pulling an all-nighter for a final exam would have a serious impact on sleep. …
Why Is Ghosting So Painful?
A popular radio segment called “Blown Off” airs every morning on 95.5 PLJ. The purpose of this segment is to help a listener make contact with a person they recently dated and have not heard back from. Every morning, in case listeners have never heard the segment before, the boisterous announcers explain the purpose of…
How to Spot a Misogynist
From a young age, we are taught to treat others as we would like to be treated. Unfortunately, some children miss the memo and go on to treat others very poorly. Children progress through various developmental stages on their way to maturity. In preschool and elementary school, kids are primarily interested in same sex friendships….
What is Premarital Counseling & Why Is It Important?
Premarital counseling is the kind of counseling couples might engage in prior to getting married. This type of counseling can differ from couple to couple and therapist to therapist. Even the topics and intensity of premarital counseling can vary. For most people, premarital counseling involves conversations guided by a therapist with their soon-to-be spouse on…
Abusers and Traumatic Bonding-What You Need To Know
Relationships are a complicated thing. Sometimes it seems as if we have little control over who we fall in love with. Our hearts may urge us directly towards someone, while paradoxically, our heads are screaming at us to run for the hills. If some pairings are matches made in heaven, their counterparts are matches made…
What is Emotional Abuse? And How Can it Effect You?
Abuse has been defined as referring to “harmful or injurious treatment of another human being that may include physical, sexual, verbal, psychological/emotional, intellectual, or spiritual maltreatment.” While more physical forms of abuse may be easier to identify and understand, the concept of emotional or psychological abuse is something that can be hard to pinpoint due…
Dating Someone Who Struggles With PTSD
Dating is hard. It’s hard enough to find someone that you can connect with, have similar interests, ideals, and values with, and someone you’re attracted to! Adding medical and mental health conditions into the algorithm of dating can be difficult and is a process that people must navigate when considering a long-term relationship (LTR). Dating…
What is Social Comparison Theory and How Does it Affect You?
In this day and age, social media has become a necessity, a way of life, as opposed to a fun way to pass idle time. Local law enforcement utilizes Facebook to catch criminals, businesses use Twitter to promote themselves, and products are featured and sold on You Tube. In addition to these logistical purposes, more…
If I Hate My Life, What Does It Say about My Relationships?
No one’s life is perfect. However, some people appear to “have it all figured out.” They seem successful and happy. In reality, everyone struggles and no one’s life is perfect. That being said, while no one and no lives are perfect, each individual experiences moments (and hopefully plenty) of love, happiness, joy, and rejuvenation. You…