Relationship Expert Tag Archive: Amy Osmond Cook
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By Marisa Gooch
Most of us typically view work as a place to acquire skills, earn an income, and build a social circle. But for some, work can also be a place to find their happily ever after.
Take Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, for example. They met while judging for The Voice in 2014. What began as a simple friendship soon sprouted into something more. Now, Stefani and Shelton have been dating for three years and are still going strong.
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Oprah Winfrey does it. So does Reese Witherspoon, Bill Gates, Barack Obama, and Emma Watson. Not only are they world leaders and superstars, but they are also super readers.
Nearly 25 percent of Americans have not read a book in the last year, and adults over age 50 were more likely than their younger counterparts to let their books collect dust. While you may think you don’t have the time to read a good book, you might want make reading a higher priority in your life.
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When the smell of spring is in the air, it can only mean one thing. No, not the spring sale at Neiman Marcus. Instead, for many of us, the end of winter ignites a passion for cleaning. But along with hauling old furniture and clothing to the curb, let’s take a look at our emotional well-being and the relationship we have with others.
So, in the spirit of renewal, here are four areas where we can benefit from some mental and emotional spring cleaning. Don’t miss the expert relationship advice below!
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For many of us, a lost opportunity at love or the end of a long-term relationship can sometimes make us feel like a second chance just isn’t in the cards. And when Valentine’s Day is focused on romantic dinners for two or coupled walks on the beach, it can be a painful reminder of what we lack.
Let’s face it. There’s no substitute for young love, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy being loved again later in life, especially for seniors. “Fortunately, in some ways, there has never been a better time for women over 60 to be in the dating world,” says Margaret Manning. “The rise of divorce among ‘silver splitters’ means there are more single older men — and there might be more great guys out there than you might expect at first glance, especially if you give them a chance.”
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Hello, holidays! Aside from the huge boon this season is to retailers, there’s no other time of year when online dating sites see their biggest spikes in activity. Romance-seekers start wondering: Who do I bring to my company party? Who should I enroll in my family’s festivities? Who’s my plus-one to my coupled best friends’ snowsport weekend? And who’d be in for the ride if they knew I couldn’t have intercourse?
Make no mistake: There are millions of people who remain silent and grapple with that question, and it’s confidence-shattering enough to cause them to dodge dating altogether. Health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, cancers and related treatments, traumas, congenital abnormalities, and even PTSD can preclude individuals from engaging in sexual intercourse — as would be expected in the course of a romantic relationship.
Related Link: Expert Relationship Advice: First Comes Love – Now What? Creating Intimacy Without Intercourse
This makes modern-day dating especially tough. There is one online dating site, RomanceOnly.com, that completely eliminates the need to disclose this dilemma. Afterall, Sex-C (sexually-challenged) men and women are no different from anyone else in their needs for affection, companionship, and attraction-based physical connection. Sex-C individuals are also in the same holiday-ting quandary as the rest of singledom. Rather than sidelining the pursuit of someone special, here is some dating advice to improve the Sex-C adult’s chances of kindling a real connection this season.
Jingle, Jingle: Get Out and Mingle!
A person who sees themselves as different in a shameful way can experience crushed self-confidence, which in turn can cause them to avoid social interactions. But in truth, getting outside of oneself, if even just to smile at a stranger, can really make a difference in restoring self-confidence. Talk to that person in line next to you at the grocery store. Accept invitations to parties — and don’t hesitate to go alone! Join a local Meetup group. You’ll not only meet fascinating people, but by being open to being out there, you’ll increase your chances of meeting someone special.
Related Link: Expert Relationship Advice: Four Survival Tips When Bah Humbug Meets Father Christmas
“Remember it’s a numbers game,” says Laura Brashier, the visionary behind the world’s premier Sex-C dating website. Any measure that helps you to be open and upfront from the beginning about the awful quandary of “when and how do I share my secret” serves as one less stressor in dating. But it all starts with building confidence, and that starts with meeting people and finding a common interest. Shared commonalities are the cornerstone of any fulfilling relationship. “True pleasure can be found in a variety of social connections and relationships.”
Spread Holiday Cheer: Go Volunteer!
When people desire a deeper and more satisfying relationship, character counts. You’re not defined by your inability to have intercourse! The holidays abound with opportunities to work alongside other volunteers looking to help those in need. It’s another wonderful chance to get out and do something good for others that will make you feel even better about yourself. If the person next to you is attractive or interesting, don’t hold back in asking them out! Start with something simple, like a coffee date — you’ll know in 30 minutes if there’s a connection.
Date ideas like hiking, dancing, attending concerts, pairing up to take an art or cooking class, spending a couple hours at a museum together, or trying a restaurant that’s new to both people are all ways to gauge common interests. They’re great avenues by which two people can share interesting and meaningful things together, which are building blocks for a solid relationship — friendships and romantic partnerships alike!
“The benefits of such activities extend beyond the immediate pleasure of being together,” says HealthyWomen.org. “The new interests will stimulate your brain and provide numerous new opportunities for conversation.” Finding things in common makes for a nice beginning.
Related Link: Dating Advice: New Year’s Resolutions to Rekindle Your Relationship
Naughty or Nice: Sex-C Delights
Once you feel you’ve found that special someone to take beyond the mistletoe, there are plenty of options for physical delights outside of intercourse. When you think about sexiness, the authentic allure of a desired person goes beyond the temporal desire of sex itself and rests on a physically sensual connection. It’s a spark, an undeniable urge to share yourself physically with another. RomanceOnly.com offers articles that cover alternatives to intercourse that can spice up any couple’s physical connection.
According to Michael Castleman, M.A., great sex without intercourse means experimenting, which can feel strange. But he says, “Novelty is key to sexual zing. Doing things differently stimulates the brain to release dopamine, and dopamine heightens erotic intensity. Once you get on board with sex without intercourse, it’s pretty easy. It involves the same leisurely, playful, whole-body touching, caressing, and massage that sex therapists recommend to all lovers.”
So for all you Sex-C people, make your holidays merry and bright by putting yourself out there. You have nothing to lose but being alone! Go to some of your local community events, listen to music, and just put yourself out there. Say yes even if you’re tired! When you do meet someone, and even if that the person doesn’t seem like The One, go and just have fun. Always date safely with exit options. The bottom line is that you deserve the companionship you’re after, and you can’t find it until you connect with others.
Cheers to 2018!
For more information about and articles by our relationship expert Dr. Amy Osmond Cook, click here.
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When Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) took the job as an assistant for the infamous Miranda Priestly, (Meryl Streep) in the 2006 hit, The Devil Wears Prada, viewers knew things would get rough in the workplace. But this movie also illustrates the impact a stressful work environment has on a relationship. Studies conducted by relationship experts show that more than half of women are kept awake at night by job-related stress, according to Metro.co.UK. Fortunately, not all bosses have this negative influence on employees, and many leading companies place employee engagement and job satisfaction as top priorities. Here are three things to look for in a company that values your personal life as well as your work life so you can avoid relationship problems.
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Katy Perry has a new look, and her new attitude is the cherry on top. Between her sassy new song dissing Taylor Swift and her poorly reviewed album that just came out, Katy Perry has taken some heat in the past few weeks. Say what you will about Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and any of the other celebrities caught up in the drama relationship problems, *cough Nicki Minaj cough;* but there are a few notes we can take to apply in our lives about being petty. Think about these four key pieces of relationship advice before you take any rash actions against your significant others, especially when it comes to breakups.
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What do actresses Bonnie Hunt, Julie Walters, and recording artists Paul Brandt and Tina Turner have in common? They were all trained as nurses! In honor of the “Year of the Healthy Nurse,” now is a great time to recognize the role nurses play in our lives. The demands placed on nurses every day are huge. Our nurses are committed to providing the best care possible, and they try their hardest to meet that challenge every day. And sometimes that commitment means being brutally honest about a patient’s symptoms or habits. Your friends may not tell you that your moodiness has hung around for weeks, or your jeans are fitting a bit tight — but a nurse will tell you. In the spirit of good health and valuable relationship advice, here are five things your nurse is willing to discuss that your friends aren’t.
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Congratulations on your new relationship! It’s an exciting time to join two lives together to build a bright future. You brought the pets and furniture while your partner brought along a big screen television—and bad credit history. Is this union doomed from the start? Not always. But the road to repair can be rocky. A bad credit history can be fixed, but it takes time, patience, honesty, and a lot of self-discipline to change the habits that got you in this financial situation in the first place. If you want to avoid relationship problems and change your spending habits, here are three ways bad credit can impact your love life. With the following relationship advice and dating tips, you can prevent heart ache and an empty wallet.
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More people do this than you may think.Taylor Swift does it. Kendall Jenner does it, too. Some people have caught Katy Perry and Demi Lovato doing it, and supermodel Heidi Klum credits it as one of her best beauty secrets. What are they doing? They nap. And they make sure to get a good night’s sleep. With less than40 percent of Americans getting a satisfactory amount of sleep each night according to gallup.com, it is evident we have a love/hate relationship with sleep. What happens when we sleep? And why is it so important for our well-being? “While we doze, our brains and bodies aren’t slacking off, they’re at work, repairing us after the day’s battles and refueling us for tomorrow’s slog—in more ways than you likely realize,” prevention.com writer Sarah Klein says. The brain and heart are recharging, the liver is detoxifying the day’s activities, and skin cells are reproducing and repairing. With the role of sleep being such an important part of our wellness, it’s time we build a healthy relationship with sleep. Here are four ways to do it.
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By Amy Osmond Cook for Divorce Support Center
This time of year is filled with holiday magic and festive gatherings with friends and family. But for many, the holidays ignite staggering levels of anxiety that paralyzes the sufferer with fear. Celebrities such as Emma Stone, Oprah Winfrey, and Jennifer Lawrence have been candid about their struggles with anxiety disorder while balancing public life. The road hasn’t been easy. “The first time I had a panic attack, I was sitting at my friend’s house, I thought the house was burning down,” said Stone. “I called my mom, and she brought me home. For the next year, it just would not stop.” How can you create a feeling of normalcy with your partner when the circumstances are far from typical? “For the majority of our residents, the holiday season brings family together and cheerful memories of Christmases past. But for some, this time of year brings on higher levels of anxiety and depression,” said Mark Hymas, executive director of Copper Ridge Health Care. “We watch for changes in behavior and initiate conversations where we can talk about his or her feelings and find a solution that can best help during this stressful time of year.” If anxiety is a large part of your relationship, here are three pieces of relationship advice to understand when the person you love suffers from an anxiety disorder.
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By Amy Osmond Cook for Divorce Support Center
“For great things to happen— get out of your comfort zone,” that is the mantra of famous personalities like Danica Patrick- as she cruises through industry stereotypes to actors like: Charlize Theron and Jared Leto, who made a career out of avant-garde movie roles. Testing the boundaries of convention is the secret sauce for those hungry for change in their lives. But what about breaking out of your comfort zone in relationships? “When it comes to relationships, some feel it is best to date someone who has the same morals, taste, traditions, and beliefs as them,” wrote relationship expert and contributor Elizabeth Aguirre. “But rest assured it is quite okay to step outside of your comfort zone and explore someone from a different background as a potential partner.” If it’s been two weeks since the date with Mr. McDreamboat, and your texts have gone unanswered— again. Here are four reasons why going outside your comfort zone may be just what you need, and some dating advice to improve your chances in finding “the one.”
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By Amy Osmond Cook for Divorce Support Center
Depression is so much more than sadness. And for those who love someone battling depression, the effects are all encompassing. “It’s like this thing that engulfs you,” said legendary music artist Bruce Springsteen in a celebrity interview with CBS Morning News. “I got to where I didn’t want to get out of bed,” he said. Springsteen credits his celebrity relationship with wife Patti Scialfa for giving him the motivation to rise above it. “She’d say, ‘You’re going to be OK. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but it’s going to be all right.’” With the following relationship advice, I’ll provide you with tips on recognizing signs of depression and how to support your partner through this troubling time.
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How does she do it? You know who I mean. She’s the one who makes achievement look easy—and her hair looks great in the process. As women, our relationship with the demands of work and home have been a historically tenuous balance. More often than not, we lose sight of our anticipated goals for the day and end up whipped by daily demands. But it doesn’t have to be this way, and we are surrounded by influential women who demonstrate that strength every day. While their personal strategies may differ, the most common game plans for keeping our work and home life in balance include the following six pieces of relationship advice.
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By Amy Osmond Cook for Divorce Support Center
When viewers tune into HGTV’s Fixer Uppers each week, many wonder how TV hosts and real-life celebrity couple Chip and Joana Gaines manage to balance their personal life and professional careers. When considering the challenges of running a business, you want to surround yourself with people who share your vision and provide a comforting degree of trust. Many entrepreneurs turn to their spouse. Though the number has likely increased, in 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners reported there were 1.4 million firms “jointly owned and equally operated by a husband and wife.” And while the organizational chart for your business venture may appear standard, the fact that a member of the executive board has seen you naked presents a unique set of challenges and rewards. How can husbands and wives go into business together and still like each other? It’s something that my husband, Jeff, and I are managing carefully. Here are four pieces of relationship advice that have worked for us.
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By Amy Osmond Cook for Divorce Support Center
It’s a familiar scene; we watch a friend wallow in a doomed relationship for a while only to hear him or her declare their true love was found in a brand new relationship. For example, as fans watched multi-platinum recording artist Taylor Swift switch from her celebrity relationship with Calvin Harris to cozying on the beach with new squeeze Tom Hiddleston, it makes one wonder if this truly was perfect timing for a new love to grow, or simply a rebound relationship? Sometimes it’s hard to know for sure. But if your new relationship feels a little too good to be true, here are some dating tips and relationship advice to determine if you could be somebody’s rebound.
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By Amy Osmond Cook for Divorce Support Center
If you listen to the relationship experts, the seven-year itch can just as easily be called the three-year itch, four-year itch, or the twelve-year itch. “There’s no consensus among experts as to why the seven-year itch may occur,” explained relationship expert Jennifer Nagy. Experts identify irritating contributors like hasty marriage proposals (Pamela Anderson or Khloe Kardashian), declining interest in his or her’s partner, and growing family responsibilities. But with married couples facing a 50-50 chance at success, it makes one wonder how to extend the rather short shelf life of a marriage, despite the growing needs of maintaining a life together.
Fortunately, society is filled with celebrity couples who have defied the odds. Will and Jada Pinkett Smith will celebrate twenty years together next year, Bill and Melinda Gates have been married over twenty years, and Billy Crystal and his wife, Janice, have been together forty-six years. If you and your partner are truly committed to making a marriage work, here is my relationship advice where I provide three ways to scratch that seven-year itch. Follow these dating tips to increase the longevity of your marriage.
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By Amy Osmond Cook for Divorce Support Center
“I wanna know what love is. I want you to show me.” The rock band Foreigner made that desperate request thirty-two years ago, and we are still wondering about the answer today. With summer romance in full swing, many are looking for relationship advice on how they can keep the fireworks flying in a relationship that is worth protecting. A common truth behind some of today’s most enduring relationships is that it takes work to keep that spark alive, and these four dating tips will help ensure your love is a total blast.
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By Amy Osmond Cook for Divorce Support Center
A dim room, calming oils, quiet music, two masseuses, you, your significant other, and a few hours away from the world: A couples massage sounds hard to beat. While couples massages are known for being a relaxing and romantic date idea, have you ever considered the real health advantages of them? It turns out the power of touch plays a very important role in massage therapy and health. Follow my relationship advice and learn how a couples massage can provide you and your love with real health benefits that can ultimately strengthen your relationship.
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By Toni Coleman, LCSW, CMC for Divorce Support Center
It’s that time of the year when young adults are graduating from college, returning home for the summer break, or have decided they want to step back from their lives and return to their parent’s home to rethink their options and future direction. During their absence parents often have a nice rhythm going and fear their life and relationship may be upended and they will end up back in parenting mode now that their adult kids will be under their roof again. If you are facing this challenge right now, the following relationship advice and parenting advice could help you transition to this new adult-to-adult relationship and avoid falling back into old ruts, conflicts, or dysfunctional dynamics.
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By Amy Osmond Cook for Divorce Support Center
Most would agree that Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson is the picture of good health. When paired up with his beautiful fiancee, Ciara, they are the image of a healthy celebrity couple. Finding the perfect gift to celebrate your loved one, however, never gets any easier, even for famous couples. Do you go with chocolates or flowers? How about a fancy dinner? When you do find the perfect token of love, it will most likely cost you a pretty penny to celebrate your beautiful mate. With summer love heating up, my dating advice is to make your heart the focus of your enduring love. Here are five ideas that stem from the heart — for the heart.
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By Amy Osmond Cook for Divorce Support Center
Despite what the tabloids may say, not all celebrity relationships go down in flames. Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman were happily married for 50 years; Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan found lasting love; and Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson are still going strong. It may take a little extra effort to keep the love alive through the years, especially if you and your significant other have forgotten how to connect or are stuck in the same routine. But with some relationship advice, the passion is sure to ignite again!
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By Amy Osmond Cook for Divorce Support Center
In 1653, a Mughal emperor shared with the world a token of his tragic yet enduring love for his favorite wife Muntaz Mahal, who died during childbirth. Today, the emperor and his wife have all but blended into the annals of ancient history, but the symbol of his love remains as the gleaming white marble 42-acre structure known as the Taj Mahal. While most public expressions of affection don’t end up being a timeless wonder, many of today’s celebrities make their mark in different and extravagant ways. As a relationship expert, I wanted to give you some unique ideas to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Here’s some relationship advice on how to say “I love you” to the special person in your life, like these celebrity couples.
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By Amy Osmond Cook for Divorce Support Center
In light of John Legend and Chrissy Teigen’s exciting pregnancy announcement, I couldn’t help but take a look at when John knew he was ready to propose. In an interview with Oprah, the gushing celebrity couple gave the inside scoop on their relationship and love and John recounted exactly how he knew it was the right time to propose. Check out the relationship advice below for what questions you should ask yourself to see if you’re ready for your man to put a ring on it and start a life of bliss together.
