Many relationships have taken a beating over the past months.  The preoccupation and distraction of COVID has had consequential impact on couples everywhere as their relationships have slipped out of focus.  As a couples therapist, I’ve witnessed firsthand the impact of stress, more time together than ever, social worlds reduced to rubble and family challenges on marriage and long term relationships.  We’ve had to adapt and think anew about so much and many couples are more irritated with each other and possibly just doing their best to manage their own individual emotional health.
Pandemic fatigue is legit but thankfully, there are slivers of hope and rays of light on the horizon.  Hope can be a powerful ally in moving us all forward as signs of what “could” be materialize.  For many couples, this is allowing them to shake off the dust and refocus on what’s important and possibly missed.  I see this manifesting in my private practice as the heavy tilt from individual clients has begun the shift to couples seeking help in finally addressing the issues that have been back burnered.
Valentines Day, the holiday of love, romance and intimate relationships is almost here.  While this heavily marketed holiday can be

Originally published at http://loveandlifetoolbox.com