Advice

Dear Dr. Brian:

My partner and I have been together for 9 years and we have a problem with control in our relationship. My partner says that I’m too controlling and it’s gotten to the point where I feel like I have to watch everything I say for fear that he’ll think I’m trying to overpower him. He says that I try to control how he thinks and feels in most situations of his life. read more >>

Dear Dr. Brian:

My partner of 9 years lost his job a year ago after having downloaded some pornography on his computer at work. He hasn’t had any luck since then securing new employment and the longer that time goes on without his finding a job, he’s become increasingly more depressed and hopeless. He’s gained a considerable amount of weight, his health is suffering, and he sleeps all day and contributes very little to the household maintenance. read more >>

Dear Coach:

I have been in a relationship with my partner for going on 4 years now and up until the past year it has been great. About six months ago, we moved to a different state across country; I protested the move, but my partner is originally from there and all his family is there and I decided to give in because I thought I owed it to the relationship. A few months into the move, my partner’s ill father started visiting for weeks at a time until it reached a point to where he never went back to his own home. It’s extremely difficult, particularly since we live in a small one bedroom apartment and our bedroom has been relegated to sleeping in the living room since my father-in-law’s move-in. read more >>

Dear Coach:

I met my boyfriend 4 years ago and he has 2 children. About a year into the relationship, I knew there was something not adding up. Well, I found out the hard way that he is still married to his wife! I tried many times to talk to him about this, and get different answers each time.

He’s been living with me and pays very little since he has kids and college expenses for them; but I have to say, it does bother me sometimes and it leaves me wondering where my future will be heading in this situation. Please help! read more >>

Dear Coach:

My boyfriend seems to have a television addiction.  We met earlier 
this year, and he moved into my house a couple of months ago.  
Although my boyfriend does participate in a group sporting activity 
one day during the work week, his greatest interest is watching 
television from the time he comes home until the time goes to sleep.   read more >>

My partner and I have been together a while, and everything’s great with him. However, for some time I have been thinking seriously about becoming a sperm donor. I want to continue my line, and I wouldn’t be involved in raising the child at all. So why is my partner so completely against the idea? Is my relationship more important than my legacy? Should I do it behind his back? Help!” read more >>

Dear Coach:
My boyfriend and I have been in a relationship for two years now and are very much in love. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see each other much because he goes away to school at a college in a different state; he comes home during the holidays and summers. This year has felt a lot different to me in that he has stopped putting forth effort to try and talk to me every day like we’ve always done before. He says he’s always “busy”, and when we do talk, we only get five minutes before he has to go because of some interruption. He’s also doing other things while we talk on the phone, like playing with his myspace account on the computer, and he doesn’t pay attention to anything I’m saying. I’m getting worried because he never seems to have time for me anymore, but always drops everything for all his friends at his dorm when we’re on the phone together. I’m beginning to wonder if he’s cheating on me and he hasn’t been very sexual with me lately. It just kills me because I don’t feel like I’m in the same relationship anymore! I don’t know what to do. How do I get the point across to him that I need him to do his part in our relationship without getting him mad and what can we do to spice things up? We have cameras..would that help?

Lovelorn

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Dear Coach:

I’m 23 and have recently come out of the closet (although not completely yet!). I met a great guy and we’ve been in a relationship now for almost a year and a half. Unfortunately, it seems like we’ve lost the spark we had before and we can’t go a week without fighting. It’s really started to take a toll on us. I love him so much, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it anymore…what do I do?

23 and Confused

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Dear Coach:

I’m in a 3-year relationship with a man whom I love very much. We’ve lived together most of that time but he’s recently moved out for financial reasons. Now that we aren’t living together, I’m having a hard time getting him to respond to my phone calls or getting him to schedule some time for us to be together. His changed behavior is making me a little nervous and my trust for him is slipping. How can I make him see that spending time together and communication are key to sustaining a lasting relationship? Or should I decide that moving on may be my best option to avoid feeling invisible any longer. Please help!

Feeling Abandoned

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Dear Coach:
Here’s my problem. I’ve been in a relationship for 16 years and it seems we only have eating and sleeping together in common. I know who I am and what I deserve out of life, but I am just too lazy to step out of my comfort zone. I mainly stay with him because he pays most of the bills.

Kornered

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