Let’s say your beloved dog dies, and you are heartsick. As you tell different people of your loss, notice your emotional reactions and your gut feelings to the following responses: “I’m sorry for your loss.” “You’ll get over it in time.” “Your dog is in a better place now.” “Are you going to get another […]
Dear Neil: My husband of 3 years has been hiding his phone for the past 6 months. When asked why, he said that he likes his space, and he asked me to trust him. Our relationship has some issues, especially regarding our poor communication and our inability to discuss issues or share with each other. […]
Dear Neil: Things seemed to be going well on the intimacy front with my boyfriend of six months. Then he hurt his back and had two weeks of intense back spasms. It was totally understandable that our sex life took a break during that time, and that he needed time afterword to regain energy. However, […]
Dear Neil: I’m 28, and I fell in love with a 42-year-old woman. She broke up with me after 6 months, saying it’s not healthy for a woman her age to be having a relationship with a man my age. I’m not agreeing with her reasons to break up, and I know she loves me. […]
Dear Neil: 12 years ago, I met a man who I fell in love with, but the relationship never went any further than a friendship. Ever since then, I regret not having made my feelings clear to him. I am now in a long-term committed relationship with a man I love. But I periodically think […]
Dear Neil: My boyfriend is very kind, but I don’t find him terribly exciting or interesting. My ex-husband was very critical of me, and my boyfriend has been supportive of me and has bolstered my confidence. But I don’t think of staying with him long-term. He can be moody and overly serious, and I don’t […]
Dear Neil: I love my partner with all my heart, but we have reached a point where she may leave me. When we first got together, I lied about previous sexual partners. I wanted her to like me regardless of my past. She found out I was lying, but I was so afraid of being […]
Does a long-term exclusive relationship deaden sexual desire? Does being with the same sexual partner year in and year out lead to feelings of monotony? Do closeness and intimacy lead to good sex, or do people have the best sex during dating, courtship and/or early marriage? Perhaps you have some experience that no matter how […]
Dear Neil: My boyfriend of 6 months has been a widower for almost 3 years. His late wife of 17 years killed herself, and had multiple addiction and mental health problems. There were no children. He has a half dozen photos of her up, mostly family group photos with her and others in his family. […]
I feel alive gazing at a full moon, listening to crickets on a late summer evening, watching hummingbirds, tasting my first cup of coffee in the morning. I like the challenge of nurturing a plant until it flowers, of talking to a newborn child, of taking my ever-enthusiastic dogs for a hike, of the romantic […]