Unlocking Relationships

The Art of an Apology—And the Grace of Receiving One Why Saying “Sorry” Isn’t Enough Relationships aren’t defined by how often we get it right, but by how we repair when we don’t. A sincere apology, when delivered well, can pull two people closer. A poorly delivered one canpush them even farther apart. Most people […]

“I Want Spontaneity, but I Need Consistency” Why This Common Relationship Dichotomy Creates Friction — and How Couples Can Work With It Every long-term relationship is built on two competing forces: our desire for security and our longing for excitement. Most people need both. Yet when couples sit down in therapy, they often don’t realize

Emotional Intimacy in Long-Term Relationships — A Two-Part Series What Emotional Engagement Actually Looks Like Part 2: How Couples Build Connection Day to Day   The Confusion Around Emotional Engagement In Part 1, we explored why emotional disconnection happens. This article shifts the focus fromwhy emotional disengagement occurs to what emotional engagement actually looks like

Emotional Intimacy in Long-Term Relationships — A Two-Part Series When Men Say, “We’d Be Fine If We Had More Sex” Part 1: Why Sexual Conflict Is Rarely About Sex   The Moment the Important Work Begins In my experience as a couples therapist, men often arrive at therapy resistant to the process.During the first session,

Is Honesty the Best Policy? Defining Honesty The foundation of every intimate relationship is honesty. However, not all honesty is created equal. When it comes to our thoughts, can there be such a thing as too much honesty? We owe our partners fidelity, prioritization, follow-through on our commitments, and help where necessary. However, do we

Trust Means More Than Faithfulness How Trust Gets Reduced To Fidelity For many people, trust in a relationship is measured almost exclusively by sexual faithfulness. This is a point that often surprises people. When we hear the word trust, many of us immediately think of romantic exclusivity—Did you cheat or didn’t you?—as though that single

Part-Time Partners One Foot In Many people in relationships want the safety, comfort, and emotional security that partnership provides—without fully committing to the responsibilities that come with it. They show up as a partner when it is convenient, affirming, or emotionally rewarding, but revert to acting as if they are single when a desire, impulse,

Prioritizing Our Partners When Prioritization Fades Most of us would agree that prioritizing our partners is important. However, how many of us actually do it? Better yet, how many of us do it consistently? Even more importantly, how many of us do it to the extent that our partners feel prioritized on an ongoing basis?

Relationships Are Work Why You Should Read This Blog My first article explained why I created a blog about relationships.  This second entry describes why you should read it.  Relationships, like any meaningful pursuit, require effort. This blog will explore the skills and tools needed to strengthen your relationship.  But here’s the catch – using

Unlocking Relationships: An Introduction to the Blog: My name is Edward Bowz. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, working in private practice for over a decade. I have taught psychology at the university level and was the Director of Behavioral Health for BioCorRx, a publicly traded pharmaceutical company that focuses on medication-assisted treatment