Long-distance relationships (LDRs) are on the rise and bring different challenges to couples. Cheers to Erinne from GoodHousekeeping for the opportunity to collaborate on your piece! Check out the full article at:

Here’s a few of my nuggets on LDRs:

NEGOTIATE
“Take some time with your partner and negotiate how often and what modality you want to use to connect,” says Catalina Lawsin, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in California. “The key word here is negotiate. You each may have different needs around how often you’re connecting. Each partner needs to identify their needs, and the two need to come to a compromise that’s realistic and they can stick to.”

CHECK-INS
“Check in with one another about how your decision as a couple to be long-distance is affecting you individually,” Lawsin says. “Integrate these occasionally so that these conversations aren’t seen as threatening or a sign that something’s wrong, but that instead your checking on how the other is coping with the distance and what may need to be adjusted to maintain and grow the relationship.”

KEEP IT SEXY
Just because you may not be physically together, doesn’t mean you can’t establish intimacy. “Keep sex alive, no matter how you do it,” Lawsin says. “Appreciate that you both have sexual needs, and be open to talking about these to negotiate how each partner’s needs can be met.” We’ll let you take it from there.