This element of secure functioning can be a bit provocative at first. “You expect me to put my relationship first?? Even above my family? My children?? My job?” Simply put, yes. Putting the relationship first doesn’t mean foregoing all other priorities, but it does mean that for both partners to feel truly stable, they must know—and more importantly, feel—that their partner prioritizes caring for their relationship above other tasks (including substances, hobbies, and, for many of us, those pesky iPhones).

Research shows that individuals with a secure attachment style tend to have greater emotional well-being and more intimacy and trust in their relationships. But what about those who have struggled with attachment trauma and insecure attachment in their past? This is where earned secure attachment comes into play. By understanding the context that has shaped your attachment style, you can work towards developing a secure foundation for your relationships moving forward.

Relationship issues can be so triggering — it’s biology, we are wired for connection so the possibility of coming apart makes things feel real scary — and that makes it rife for analysis paralysis. Let’s take a minute to look at some myths and misconceptions I’ve heard as a therapist, and hopefully make the specter of relationship therapy a little less scary.

This post explores how a variety of cultural differences and power imbalances show up in interracial relationships and how couples can increase their awareness of these challenges and address them together to create more empathetic, authentic connection.

Kindman & Co. has now been up and running for 4 years! Amanda, our care coordinator, sat down with our co-founders, Kaitlin and Paul, to finally share the story of just how our practice got started and the importance of the social-justice, relational approach that we take. Click here to read more!

We get asked a lot here at Kindman & Co. if insurance benefits will cover relationship or couples therapy. The short answer is: probably not, and we’re not happy about it. From the perspective of insurance companies, problems in your relationship are not considered issues that impact your overall health to a degree that necessitates they pay for medical treatment. We disagree! Read more about our stance that couples therapy should be covered, too.

Is anyone else feeling like their partnership is all over the place right now? As a couple therapist I can comfortably proclaim: partners are not meant to spend all of their time together. There is also opportunity during this time to learn more about what hasn't been working and where to start to make changes. Read on for more!

Being in an intimate relationship is one of the most challenging and rewarding of all of the experiences of being a human. Love relationships are the subject of countless novels, songs and movies. Yet, we are all taught to be worried about being codependent or losing our independence within a partnership. Interdependence is essential for healthy, successful relationships, here's where to start!