Trust, infidelity and deception are the biggest issues women have in their intimate relationships with men, according to the results of a recent survey from the readers of this column. Participating cities in the survey included Amarillo, Texas, Woodbridge, Virginia, Everett, Washington, Denver, Colorado, Christchurch and Wellington, New Zealand and Janesville and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Women […]
What Do Women Want?
A Primer for Men Based on a reader’s survey of this column (and quoted last week), I am going to attempt to summarize what women want in their intimate relationships with men. Women do not speak with one voice. Every female is different, and no viewpoint attempts to represent all women. There are exceptions to […]
Sharing Sexual Fantasies Can Hurt
Dear Neil: Would you address the subject of having lustful fantasies about others while being in a stable, long-term monogamous relationship? Is there a place for sexual fantasies about others in a healthy committed relationship? The two of us are divided on this subject, and my partner is upset with me, accusing me of mental […]
Men and Women Talk About Their Differences
A Reader Survey Result Poor communication, differences in how to spend money, and infidelity were the three most frequent areas of conflict mentioned by both men and women in their intimate relationships with each other. Several hundred people responded to the reader’s survey printed in this column on March 1, 1992. Reader responses came from […]
Infatuation With a Co-Worker Threatens Marriage
Dear Neil: I have a wonderful, considerate husband and two great kids, but excitement must be missing in my life because I think about this man at work, and can’t get him out of my mind. There is a flirty attraction between us that is hard to ignore, and I’m having fantasies about him all […]
Women Talk About Their Sexuality
How important is sex to an intimate relationship? Can a good, healthy, intimate, loving, romantic relationship between adults exist without it? Several thousand readers from around the world have written in to express their opinion about the above question. Listen as women—and next week men—talk about the importance of sex to their relationship and to […]
Abusive Childhood Can Hurt Adult Intimate Relationships
Dear Neil: Would you address the effects of childhood sexual/emotional abuse on adult intimate relationships? I have just finished a four-and-a-half year relationship that ended painfully. The relationship confronted me with the effects that my childhood abuse has had to make good partner choices, on my ability to trust, to commit and to be emotionally […]
Obsessing About The Past
Dear Neil: I have liked a guy since I was fifteen years old. A lot of time has gone by, and I have rarely seen him, but I still care and think about him every day. I recently found out that he is married and has a child. You would think this information would make […]
Healing an Infidelity
If I were Bill and Hillary Clinton’s marriage therapist, here are some suggestions I would offer them for how to heal their marriage after infidelity: For the betrayer, some questions to expect: Who? Where? How long? Where and when did you meet? Do you love this other person? Who else knows? Do you still love […]
Woman Having a Hard Time Handling Husband’s Infidelity
Dear Neil: When I was two months pregnant, I found out that my husband of six years had been unfaithful with at least three different women that I know of. I was going to take my son and leave him, but two days later I had a miscarriage. I felt like I really needed him […]