intimacy Archives | Gary Brown

Those Other Three Words

April 21, 2021 by Dr. Gary Brown

There’s a lot of talk about when to say those special three words – “I love you” – in a relationship. Some say a relationship can be doomed if they are shared too soon or not at all, and experts often weigh-in on the best timing. However, that’s actually not the subject of this article. I’m talking about the other three words that can be ...read more

Filed Under: Relationships Tagged With: child, children, communication, connection, family, friends, intimacy, loved one, parents, relationships, support, trust

50 Conversation Starters to Help Grow Your Relationship

March 29, 2021 by Dr. Gary Brown

Life can be so busy that we don’t always sit and talk, really talk, to the one we love the most. There’s so much happening with work, family, friends and household errands that all too often we forget to take the time to connect with our partner and really tune into them and to provide an opportunity for them to tune in to us. Everyone likes to ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Relationships Tagged With: communication, connection, intimacy, love, trust, vulnerability

The Core Foundations of Real Love and True Intimacy – Part 6: Gratitude

March 19, 2019 by Dr. Gary Brown

We’ve talked about several of the core foundations of love and intimacy, that I have outlined in this series: vulnerability, trust, courage, self-awareness, and kindness. However, one more remains to complete the solid foundation for the basis upon which we can expand our ability to experience the many benefits of being in a loving ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Foundations of Love, Relationships Tagged With: couples counseling, intimacy, love, marital therapy, marriage, premarital counseling, relationships

The Core Foundations of Real Love and True Intimacy – Part 5: Kindness

March 16, 2019 by Dr. Gary Brown

Ok. You might be looking at the title and why I am highlighting something that should be obvious – we need to be kind to one another. And you would have a point. It should be obvious but you might be surprised to learn that so many partners have actually lost sight of just how important kindness is. Here’s why. We’ve talked about ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Foundations of Love, Relationships Tagged With: core foundations, couples, intimacy, kindness, love, marriage, relationships

The Core Foundations of Real Love and True Intimacy – Part 4: Self-Awareness

March 12, 2019 by Dr. Gary Brown

Have you ever been in a relationship, but wanted something more? Your partner may have all the boxes checked when it came to height, looks, education, income, and all the other things that we initially may find important. But then at some point, you may start to get the sinking feeling that you’re settling or you begin to realize that ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Foundations of Love, Relationships Tagged With: intimacy, love, marriage, relationships, self-awareness, trust

The Core Foundations of Real Love and True Intimacy – Part 3: Living Courageously

March 9, 2019 by Dr. Gary Brown

Do you know that feeling when you are so vulnerable and scared about something, you can barely bring yourself to even look at your partner in the face? This situation can be very painful because we may be locked into feeling shame, guilt, embarrassment, fear, sadness, or anger. And we feel that we have to keep it inside because if we talk about it, ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Foundations of Love, Relationships Tagged With: core foundations, courage, intimacy, love, marriage, needs met, relationships, strength, tears, vulnerability

The Core Foundations of Real Love and True Intimacy – Part 2: Trust

March 5, 2019 by Dr. Gary Brown

There are those moments in every relationship when you may be looking into your partner’s eyes and wondering if you can trust them with your inner world. The ability to trust ourselves and our partner is the true cornerstone - and most important pillar - upon which to build a foundation of love and intimacy. The ability to experience trust in ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Foundations of Love, Relationships Tagged With: counseling, couples counseling, couples therapy, intimacy, love, marriage, marriage counseling, relationships, trust

The Core Foundations of Real Love and True Intimacy – Part 1: Vulnerability

March 2, 2019 by Dr. Gary Brown

In relationships, we talk about taking them to another level. Maybe it’s the first time you say those three special words, maybe it’s when you take your loved one to meet the parents over the holidays or maybe it’s moving in together. No matter what phase of your relationship you’re in, you can always take it to another level of depth and ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Foundations of Love, Relationships Tagged With: core foundations, counseling, couples counseling, intimacy, love, move slowly, relationships, tough conversations, trust, vulnerability

The Core Foundations of Real Love and True Intimacy – A Six Part Series: Introduction

February 26, 2019 by Dr. Gary Brown

Having been in private practice for over 25 years, I have met hundreds and hundreds of individuals and couples who are struggling in their relationships…or lack thereof. Their challenges are many and as diverse as the people I work with. Each person and situation is unique. Having said that, I have learned – and, really, my clients ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Foundations of Love, Relationships Tagged With: couples counseling, courage, gratitude, intimacy, kindness, love, marriage, marriage counseling, relationships, self-awareness, therapist, trust, vulnerability

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

Sexual Desire Discrepancies and What To Do About It

February 6, 2018 by Dr. Gary Brown

Do you feel like your partner wants sex all the time? You hate to say “no” (again), but then, why should you be having sex if you don’t want to? Sexual desire discrepancy is when one partner wants sex more frequently yet the occurrence of actual intercourse doesn’t match the desire. “I’m sorry, honey, not tonight,” is a common area of ...read more

Filed Under: Couples Tagged With: conflict, couples, desire discrepancy, he wants sex more than me, intimacy, marriage, passion, relationships, sex, sexual compatibility, sexuality

The Wisdom & Art of Flirting

November 28, 2017 by Dr. Gary Brown

As a therapist, I see both singles looking for a relationship and couples trying to rekindle a spark. You know what both groups of people need more in their lives (and more practice at)??? Flirting. Flirting is to behave as though attracted to or trying to attract someone, oftentimes for amusement rather than with serious intentions...well, ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Dating, Individuals Tagged With: body language, conversation, dating, eye contact, flirt, flirting, intimacy, marriage, relationships, self-confidence, self-esteem, sex, sexual compatibility, touch

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 ...read more

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

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

Recovering from an Affair: Learning How to Cope

June 6, 2017 by Dr. Gary Brown

You may be in a situation where you have suspected or recently discovered that your partner had an affair. If so, it is more than understandable that this can be a very painful and scary time. Given the circumstance, how could you not be having those feelings? It is certainly true that affairs can happen for a variety of reasons: loneliness, ...read more

Filed Under: Couples, Relationships Tagged With: affair, avoid unnecessary feelings, cheating, divorce, don't make any major decisions after an affair, embrace self care after an affair, embrace your feelings, family, having an affair, how to cope after an affair, how to recover after an affair, infidelity, intimacy, listen, marriage, rebuild respect, rebuild trust, recovering after an affair, respect, self care, self care after an affair, separation, trust, what to do after an affair