CHICAGO — When we see someone for the first time, we interpret many tiny things.

In fact, at least 42 things — that’s how many muscles make up the face.

But since the pandemic began and mask-wearing became crucial, we are often interacting with people whose face we can only half see. And this goes both ways, eliminating our ability to ...Read more

I am grateful my wife and I are both healthy and my work has not been interrupted during COVID-19. But even with good health and work, emotionally the pandemic is still uncomfortable and scary and not a whole lot of fun. As a couple, we keep trying to make things better. In the past, we could just do whatever we wanted, but these days, we have ...Read more

I have a client in her mid-30s —we’ll call her Sam — who went on a date last week with a guy who we’ll call Jason. Sam texted me the morning after the date saying, “I had what I thought was a great date with Jason last night… Great convo and connection, talked for 3+ hours, he kissed me at the bar and when I was getting an Uber.” ...Read more

Starting on a new dating app or website can feel like New Year’s Day (usually without the hangover), and there are a ton of possibilities ahead. You can’t help but be a little giddy with hope and excitement. You set up your profile, pick your best photos and start narrowing down your search criteria to find your ideal partner.

But like a ...Read more

The pandemic brought the term “touch starved” to the forefront of our lives. It was very sad to see news clips of families standing outside hospital windows just to get a glimpse of their loved ones. Many people have died holding the hand of a medical caregiver instead of the person they have spent their entire adult life next to. It was and...Read more

After the first year of the pandemic put many nuptials on ice, Americans started getting married with a vengeance when summer arrived. Even now, couples are still rushing to tie the knot — albeit with additional precautions given the latest infection wave.

Were it any other time, this matrimonial flood would have family and friends ...Read more

This is the week of the Jewish High Holidays, and a lot of Facebook and Instagram posts show photos of people around a long Rosh Hashanah dinner table with family and friends. (I personally don’t do anything for the holiday, save for eating some matzah ball soup, which I might do regardless!)

We’ve all been there — gathered around said ...Read more

They say you don’t want to die with regrets. And after living through the last year and a half, you are likely to have a few — mostly related to what you didn’t do before the pandemic, when you could have done almost anything. Now the urge to live life fully has become ever stronger.

Pre-pandemic, we attended events several times a week ...Read more

Successful relationships don't happen in a vacuum. They take work. And couples who make their relationships work are the ones who also have the most fun and feel the most love. It's a simple program that really works.

Here are 10 tools to get you started.

1. Give what you want to get. All relationships benefit from a pay-it-forward attitude. ...Read more

You probably know someone who met a significant other on an online dating site. And you may have been jealous of that person who seems so happy with a Match.com or Bumble boo.

As Guy Raz always asks his entrepreneurs in the podcast “How I Built This,” I’ll ask the same: Was it luck or hard work that led to their happy coupledom? I’d ...Read more

Early on in the pandemic, relationship and legal experts predicted divorces nationwide would skyrocket. With shelter-in-place orders, couples would no longer be able to outrun their issues, experts surmised.

Plus, a variety of factors would add to the pressure.

Stuck at home with home-schooling kids.

Stuck at home with college-age kids.

...Read more

As someone who views hundreds or maybe even thousands of dating profiles per week — yes, seriously — I know a thing or two about a good photo. I know even more about a bad pic... and how one seemingly deceptive photo can turn into a left swipe faster than you can say, “Why doesn’t this person have any photos without their sunglasses on?�...Read more

You’d think after doing Zoom and FaceTime sessions all week, I’d run from a group therapy session for therapists. In truth, it took me a little while to get on my first call. But it was great.

It’s taking your own medicine — and it tastes good. This is therapy for the therapist, and we all need it. Did you know that after getting your ...Read more

When Tinder announced in March that they were going to start testing low-cost background checks later this year, "The Daily Show's" Trevor Noah joked: "Before a woman goes on a date with you, she and her friends have already scrolled through your Instagram, and the Instagrams of everyone tagged on your Instagram."

If you've ever used a dating ...Read more

It’s no secret that men and women are different. I’ve been seeing that difference compounded in my clients when it comes to dating apps, like Tinder and Bumble. Men and women, regardless of orientation, use the apps in a very different manner from each other. Of course, this is a generalization, and there are exceptions to every rule. But I ...Read more

These qualities are the ones we all wish for in a true friendship. If you have found someone who brings them to your relationship, I wish you a lifetime of mutual support and great times, because you both deserve it.

Being a good friend is sometimes challenging, but so worth it, because everyone’s needs get met some way and somehow.

...Read more

Millions of people are now back to work and loving it. Many never stopped and are still working remotely, and others are back at their offices and stores, meeting and serving the public. Even though a number of us are still concerned about the pandemic, we seem to be moving on.

The vaccines helped, and even though only about half of the United ...Read more

I browse hundreds of dating profiles every week (no, that’s not an exaggeration), and I tend to see some things over and over again:

“I like to travel and spend time outdoors.” Great, but who doesn’t?

“My friends say I’m charming, intelligent, and fun.” Maybe that’s why you’re friends?

“My mom says I’m handsome.” I ...Read more

Dating, always fun at first, often starts with a flurry of romantic text messages, frequent pinging of sweet sentiments, followed by in-person meetings. But more and more, it ends in silence — when one person disappears.

The modern phenomenon known as “ghosting” continues to grow, yet research on this breakup trend and how will it ...Read more

For its first few years, Teleparty seemed doomed to be a niche product. The browser extension, which lets multiple people sync up their Netflix accounts so they can watch the same thing at the same time, was a hit among couples in long-distance relationships. Otherwise, few people had even heard of it.

And then, in March 2020, the app suddenly ...Read more