Blog

Notes on Relationships, Family, and Emotional Health

Reflections and practical guidance from Carolyn S. Riviere, LMFT, on the everyday realities of relationships, family life, and mental health.

Couples & marriage therapy

Open Marriage or Open Relationship: What Couples Should Consider Before Opening Their Relationship

The idea of an open marriage can bring up many different emotions. One partner may feel curious or hopeful, while the other may feel surprised, ...
Couple lying together in bed and reconnecting through calm, pressure-free intimacy
Relationships

Sexual Performance Anxiety: How to Stop “Spectatoring” and Stay Present

When people talk about sexual performance anxiety, they often describe a moment when intimacy suddenly begins to feel like a test. Instead of noticing warmth, ...
Relationships

Loving Through the Fog: Mental Diagnosis, ADHD, and the Fight for Balance in Partnership

When a client walks into my office and shares that their relationship is falling apart, they often point to standard culprits: money, communication, or a ...
Relationships

Partnering with a Diagnosis: Navigating Mental Health as a Couple

When you say “I do” or commit to a long-term relationship, you agree to walk alongside your partner through life’s unpredictable terrain. But when a ...
Relationships

The Silent Third Party: How Undiagnosed ADHD Can Unravel a Marriage

In many struggling marriages, there is a ghost in the room. It sits between the couple during every argument about the laundry, every forgotten anniversary, ...
Relationships

Beyond the Mars and Venus Myth: A Therapist’s Guide to Gender, Traits, and Connection

When couples sit on my office couch, they often bring a silent, heavy frustration with them. More often than not, they frame their struggles around ...
Couples & marriage therapy

The Silent Strain in the 30-Something Marriage: Why We Need to Talk About Mother-Son Enmeshment

If you’ve noticed a sudden surge of articles, podcasts, and social media discourse surrounding adult enmeshment, you aren’t alone. My previous blog on this topic ...
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