Relationships Let's Talk About It!

It's a question I've encountered in my practice so many times: is love a feeling or an action? Is it both or more of one than the other? If love is a feeling, is it possible to feel it without taking actions that reflect it? If love is a choice, how do we choose to love our partners, friends, and family over many years of challenges? These are all profound and important questions, for they reflect...

"It is better to give than to receive." That's an adage we've all been taught. While giving is indeed a gracious act, we're not taught how to receive it - which is equally noble. To fully experience, appreciate, and receive kindness is a gift we give back to the giver. Yet, we sometimes struggle to accept gestures of kindness and, in this struggle, we even think that we're not worthy of generosity...

An apology, meaningfully and thoughtfully given, transforms. It transforms us, empowering us to take ownership of our actions and behavior. It transforms relationships between couples, paving the way for love and intimacy. It transforms relationships between peoples, giving them the courage to take responsibility for the past and standing up for racial equality and justice. These are lessons I kee...

It is a heavy time in America. Viruses are taking the nation by storm - and not just the ones that cause disease. I was young when the Detroit riots in 1967 broke out. Some 50 years later, we still have the same issues: African-Americans are still being oppressed and assaulted by police. Racism is a prevalent issue that all of us need to discuss and resolve. We need to step up our game in addressi...

In cultivating a loving relationship, practicing self-care as individuals is as essential as co-creating the relationship itself as a couple. The journey to our inner individual worlds helps us maintain a healthy sense of self that will spring the wellbeing we can bring to our relationship. My wife, Yvonne Rainbow Teplitsky, is a self-care inspiration. She is a fashion designer, artist, and the fo...

When your partner asks you about what you're feeling, what's your typical response? Do you attempt to change the subject or joke around? Freeze for a while? Or maybe start blaming your partner? Everyone can find it challenging to open up their inner world of emotions - but a lot of men find it particularly difficult to do. It's understandable why the topic of emotions and feelings can be puzzling...

If there's another big contagion going around, it's blame. Its infectious nature is so profound that it goes back and forth between a couple, trapping them in a cycle of criticism, pain, and disempowerment. No one wins in a relationship that plays the blame game - it has no positive impact on any of the parties involved. It's sometimes difficult for people to see themselves tethered with the chain...

Many people are well-acquainted with the power of intention to manifest their projects, their desires, even their businesses. But intent could be also be taken into our relationships and used to transform us into better individuals, partners, and human beings. At the beginning of our relationship, my wife, Yvonne Rainbow Teplitsky, and I set the tone of our life together by creating our foundation...

Conflict is a truth for every couple. Every relationship has its fair share of arguments from time to time. While the threat of COVID-19 persists around the world, couples are spending more time in close proximity while quarantined together and find themselves in more bouts of conflict. In fact, my wife, Yvonne Rainbow Teplitsky, and I recently had a special conflict situation. Rainbow is an artis...

In many ways, a relationship is like a garden: you need to make a deliberate effort to care for the soil so that plants can have a strong foundation. Whether it's igniting a spark in the relationship or handling conflicts better, the quarantine presents us with opportunities to connect with our loved ones and understand them more profoundly. It's our relationships that will get us through this tim...

Patience is one of the pillars of our everyday lives that must be cultivated. At a time where uncertainty about our future plagues the air, we can feel an anxiety that could drain our patience. We may feel irascible and get frustrated easily, even with people whom we love. Recently, my wife, Yvonne Rainbow Teplitsky, and I had a bout of impatience with each other and worked through it. After all,...

COVID-19 has disrupted our normal life and confined us into the spaces of our homes. Many people have been isolated in their houses for weeks, and there is a lack of certainty in how long the quarantines will last. This confinement impacts couples, too. Being in constant, close proximity with each other can erode the novelty in their relationships and bring in grumpiness, irritability, and defensi...

In a world disrupted by a pandemic, it may be difficult to express empathy for other people. The unknown can be scary, and we might be anxious about our own finances, health, and survival. Yet, we need empathy for each other now more than ever. How do you practice empathy, especially in a time of distress? My wife, Yvonne (Rainbow) Teplitsky—artist, founder & owner of Artsy Goddess Studio —believe...

Human beings are resilient creatures. Amidst the fear, stress, and anxiety brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, people relate to each other kindly and meaningfully, from checking-in online to singing together on balconies. But social distancing and quarantines can challenge even the happiest and most stable relationships. My wife Yvonne Teplitsky—the founder & owner of Artsy Goddess Studio —and...

Commitment: that big 'c' word that causes cold feet for some people. In many ways, it's a projection of future scenarios that a person creates in their mind. Will their partner change? Will they be able to make decisions for themselves? Will they be able to meet new people and do the things that they like? If you're someone who constantly asks these questions before entering a relationship, you ma...

Trish Kruger is a professional counselor and therapist currently working at Blue Ridge Treks , a community of mental health therapists in Asheville, North Carolina. She is dual-licensed as a counselor and addiction therapist trained in trauma-informed care and motivational interviewing. With a diverse background in yoga, art, and entrepreneurship, Trish values mindfulness, expressive art, and talk...

Families are complicated. As much as we want to always be there and support our loved ones, sometimes our relationships could be toxic. It's difficult to draw a boundary between you and a relative, but how do you know it's time to cut off ties with a family member? Or how do you know when to maintain the relationship? My wife, Yvonne Rainbow Teplitsky, the founder & owner of Artsy Goddess Studio ,...

Thomas Doochin is the CEO of Daymaker , an organization that helps employees cultivate a deeper connection with their community, team, and themselves through the intentional acts of giving and service. Daymaker helps people realize and foster their intrinsic goodness and generosity by helping employees and their companies connect with under-resourced communities. Through this experience of generos...

Jealousy is a human experience. Whether we were the ones receiving it or the ones feeling it, we've all had our fair share of jealous feelings and behaviors. Despite the commonality of this emotion, jealousy could bring on challenges and issues in a romantic relationship that, when aggravated, could create distrust and eventually end the relationship. Couples need to take the necessary steps to ov...

At a very young age, Cathy Courtenay felt an urge to find truth and has since been living her life responding to its call. Cathy brings her heart into everything that she does, whether it's leading the Art of Circling, Body-Mind Centering, or working with her clients as a Conscious Relating Coach. She helps people fully stand in what's real for them, and all of her work ultimately teaches authenti...

Conflict is an inevitable part of committed relationships, marriages, partnerships, or even in our relationships with family and friends. Yet many of us avoid it. We don't know how to properly open ourselves to conflict, let alone handle it properly. But conflict, when managed constructively, can be a source of growth and connection between all disagreeing parties involved. We need to understand a...

Trish Kruger is a duo-licensed professional counselor and clinical addiction therapist. Trained in trauma-informed care and motivational interviewing, Trish believes in the value of talk therapy, mindfulness, and expressive arts which she includes in her practice. She completed her graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Western Carolina University and currently works at Blue Ridge...

Susan Patrice is the Principal Consultant of Makers Circle , an organization that sparks change through the creative process. As a documentary photographer, arts educator, and community facilitator, Susan has been using her talents to transform people and communities over the last 12 years. Susan has supported communities worldwide to address problems such as gender equality and racial equity thro...

Everybody has family dramas. But while no family is entirely healthy, it's always great to be in a family where there's less drama. My wife, Yvonne Rainbow Teplitsky, brilliant artist, founder and owner of Artsy Goddess Studio, hails from Denmark. With my American background and her upbringing from a different culture, we've had our share of family drama with our relatives. How can a couple stand...

Thomas Doochin firmly believes in humanity's story of love and interconnectedness. This great faith in humanity led him and his peers at the University of North Carolina to co-create Daymaker at the young age of 19. Through connecting employees to their communities, Daymaker is a company that helps people realize their intrinsic goodness and generosity. But to Thomas, Daymaker is more than a busin...