Relationships | Gary Brown

Three Phases of Romantic Love

February 5, 2019 by Dr. Gary Brown

People often ask in one way or another, “Should love change over time?” My response is always, “I certainly hope so!” Why do I say this? It’s fairly simple. I see far too many couples who settle for so much less in their love life. They may have initially fallen in love but after a while, it doesn’t seem to progress much beyond that. People ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Relationships Tagged With: couples, dating, Dr. Gary Brown, DrGaryLATherapist, individual therapy, Los Angeles therapist, love, marriage, mature love, relationship therapy, relationships, romantic love

How to Decide If It’s Time to Move In Together

November 6, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

Sara (not her real name) came in for her appointment a while ago and I could tell something, other than the usual, was on her mind. She has been seeing her boyfriend for a little over a year. She’s 24 and he is 27 (not their actual ages). Sara’s been thinking about the future lately and believes she is ready for things to go to the next ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Dating, Relationships Tagged With: commitment, compromise, cons of living together, living together, pros of living together, relationship, should we live together, should you live together, what are the pros and cons to living together

3 Common Relationship Fears and How to Move Beyond Them

September 11, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

We all have fears in our relationships. It’s absolutely normal. I was recently interviewed by Elite Daily about what are the most common fears and how to best address them proactively with your partner. If you are in a relationship where fears are starting to get in the way of your togetherness or you simply need some relationship advice and ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Relationships Tagged With: couples, couples counseling, fear, insecurity, marriage counseling, relationship advice, relationships, troubled marriage

How Do You Know When It’s Not Right to Trust Your Gut

July 17, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

Do you always and should you always trust your gut? Has your gut always been right? ...or all too often wrong? Bustle reached out to me for an interview about these gut-wrenching and mind-bending questions that people sometimes struggle with. I hope you find it helpful. Please feel free to contact me if you are currently dealing with this ...read more

Filed Under: Individuals, Relationships Tagged With: Bustle, intuition, relationships, therapy, trust your gut

How to Know If You Are Marrying the Wrong Person

July 3, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

One of the biggest things that happen in our lives is finding a mate and getting married. This event is a pivotal moment for many people, and something they look forward to long before the event happens. Getting married can also be stressful and scary. But if you have the right partner along for the ride, then things should still be fun and ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Relationships Tagged With: affection, argue, aruguing, closeness in relationships, communication, fight, fighting, intimacy, laughter, marriage, marrying the right person, marrying the wrong person, personality, pre-wedding stress, relationships, sex

5 Signs You’re In A Great Relationship

June 5, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

Theodore Roosevelt once said that comparison was the thief of joy. If you are the kind of person that compares your relationship with friends, family, and social media strangers, you'll want to take a look at this. You’ll find some very common things that so many great relationships have in common. I was recently interviewed by Elite ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Dating, Relationships Tagged With: couple, dating, happiness, marriage, relationship

Give Your Relationship a Fighting Chance: 23 Tips to Fight Fair and Effectively

May 1, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

It goes without saying that even in the best of relationships, that there are going to be the inevitable conflicts. This is perfectly normal and natural. Sometimes our disagreements with each other can escalate into arguments, and we experience intense hurt, scared, and angry thoughts and emotions. When discussions turn into full-on ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Relationships Tagged With: abuse, arguing, communication, conflict, couples, couples counseling, domestic abuse, Dr. Gary Brown, fight fair, fighting, individual therapy, Los Angeles therapist, marriage, relationship therapy, relationships

Navigating Fertility: 9 Practical Tips to Help You Cope

April 24, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

Navigating the emotional issues that naturally occur during your fertility journey is not always an easy path – as an individual and as a couple. And you are definitely not alone, although it may feel that way at times. Fertility issues impact 1 in 8 families in America. The stress can be enormous. Not just the societal pressure to have a family ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Relationships Tagged With: anxiety, conversations, couples, couples counseling, family, family planning, fertility, infertility, marriage, relationship therapy, relationships, self care, stress, support system

When to Stop Talking About Your Ex So You Can Move On

January 9, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

It's the beginning of a new year. You and your ex broke up late last year, and one of your New Year's resolutions was to get over them so that you could move on. The problem might be that moving on is turning out to be actually much harder than you thought it would be. Kimmy Foskett, a writer from Elite Daily, was doing an article on this very ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Individuals, Relationships Tagged With: break up, dating, divorce, Elite Daily, moving on, relationships

What To Do When Politics Are Wrecking Your Life

October 24, 2017 by Dr. Gary Brown

Recently Women's Health approached me and other therapists to contribute to an article they wanted to do on a very hot topic: love and politics! If ever you find yourself in a sticky situation where you love and appreciate the relationship that you have with someone but really dislike their politics and the conversations that go with them, you ...read more

Filed Under: General counseling, Relationships Tagged With: conversation, politics, relationships, trump

What To Do If Your Partner Works Too Much

September 12, 2017 by Dr. Gary Brown

“It may not be another woman, but it sometimes feels like it.” Are there late night texts, phone calls that are “just a quick minute” during meals, and long late hours at the office? I’ve had a number of female clients through the years express their sadness, frustration and even loneliness because they felt their husbands and partners work too ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Family, Relationships Tagged With: career, change, communication, date night, goals, love languages, make requests, priorities, relationships, stress, vision, workaholic

Having A Baby – Part 4: 12 Tips To Enhance Your Relationship After Your Baby Is Born

August 1, 2017 by Dr. Gary Brown

You’re exhausted, you’re not having sex (that may be the last thing on a new mother’s mind) and emotions vacillate wildly. Is this the blissful time you were expecting? And what about you, new dad? How is your life changing now that you are a parent? What do you need? If you’re concerned that you’re not yourself or feeling that maybe you’re ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Family, Parenting, Relationships Tagged With: alone time, ask for help, baby, coping, date night, divorce, family, grace, gratitude, intention, intercourse, laugh, love language, loving kindness, make requests, marriage, me time, parenting, patience, perfection, relationship, sex, support

How Important Is Chemistry?

July 25, 2017 by Dr. Gary Brown

In my practice, I am frequently asked this question by dating singles. The answer is simple…and not. For the vast majority of us, chemistry is important. This can be especially true at the beginning of a relationship. I remember when I was dating and how important it was for me to feel chemistry with whomever I was seeing at that time. ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Dating, Relationships Tagged With: attraction, chemistry, love, physical attraction, relationships

What Is Your Love Language?

July 18, 2017 by Dr. Gary Brown

Relationships can be hard. Sometimes it’s even a challenge to remember that you’re on the same team. You may only be seeing the things that drive you crazy. You know, those little things that get under your skin. Those things your partner may (or may not) be doing that you feel are driving you apart. You may find yourself asking, “What were the ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Relationships Tagged With: Acts of Service, book, couples, Gary Chapman, giving gifts, love, love language, physical touch, quality time, receiving gifts, relationships, The 5 Love Languages, touch, Words of Affirmation

Why Physical Touch Is So Important in Relationships

July 11, 2017 by Dr. Gary Brown

One of the many issues that my clients – and couples in particular – present with are related to the experience of touching and being touched. For a variety of reasons, it seems that we are losing touch (pardon the horrible pun!) with our desire for physical contact. What I am seeing is that electronic “connection” is actually replacing ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Relationships Tagged With: connection, flirt, intimacy, nonverbal communication, relationships, touch, touching