Dear Neil: I work during the week, and my husband hasn’t worked in four years. He is enrolled in a two-year college, but it’s taking him four years. He physically attends classes once or twice a week, and takes online classes the rest of the time. But while I am working, he often goes out […]
Does Having Different Family Values Mean We Shouldn’t Get Married?
Dear Neil: I have been engaged for 5 months, but we haven’t set a date, mostly because I am afraid of moving forward. My fiancé and I have been dating over 3 years. He and I come from different backgrounds and have different traditions and family values. My family celebrates birthdays, religious holidays and loves […]
What Can I Reasonably Expect From a Relationship?
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 […]
Don’t Overgeneralize Relationship Problems
Dear Neil: My girlfriend is a wonderful woman in every way but one. But this one thing makes me question whether we could ever be compatible with each other long-term. She lets everything go till the last minute. You name it—bills, showing up for an appointment on time, washing dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning her […]
How Does a Couple Deepen The Intimacy and Commitment Between Them?
Dear Neil: I have lived with my boyfriend for 10 months. A couple of weeks ago he went out with a long-time female friend of his, and he didn’t get home until 3 a.m. on a Tuesday night. I questioned him about where he was, and he said “at a bar,” which I later found […]
What Are Your Expectations?
Happiness has been described as the difference between your expectations and what you get. The following is an exercise to explore your expectations of your relationship. Consider each question in light of what you want for the future. What are your expectations regarding: Sexual fidelity Do you expect to love each other always? Do you […]