relationships
TikTok stars Nicky Champa & Pierre Boo explain breakup in new video
TikTok stars Nicky Champa and Pierre Boo have reunited in an effort to give their fans “closure”. The influencers announced their shock divorce last month after nearly nine years together, two of those married. “With social media, it’s a bit complicated. Our relationship became a brand,” Champa told Out at the time. “I want to …
Wired for survival: why relationship attachment styles matter
Since John Bowlby introduced it in the 1950s, Attachment Theory has arguably become the most utilised tool in the Relationship Counsellor’s toolkit. Understanding your own ‘attachment style’ is a vital step towards building healthy, happy relationships. From the moment we are born, we are hardwired for a relationship. We attach to our primary caregiver and …
The ‘holy trinity’ of relationship myths, and how to avoid them
Three powerful relationship myths, left unexamined, will invariably sabotage our intimate relationships, writes relationship counsellor and life coach Chris Pye. But the good news is that all three relationship myths are entirely avoidable. Myth #1: If our partner loves us enough, they will read our thoughts and emotional needs. It can be quite the shock …
Don’t let trauma sabotage your relationships
Around 75% of Australians will experience trauma. It affects each person differently and will often impact our intimate partner connections. But there are things we can safely do right now to prevent trauma from hijacking our relationships. WARNING: This article discusses the impacts of trauma Psychological trauma can result from exposure to life-threatening or significantly …
Walls & Bridges – Emotional Connection with your Partner
Why on earth would anyone attend relationship counselling and open up about their emotional connection with their partner? What could possibly entice a person to render themselves emotionally naked in front of a total stranger? As a counsellor, many of my new clients are individuals, paving the way for a reluctant partner. It happens so …
Sex in Relationships: how to keep the spark alive
Sex in relationships often starts with an animalistic erotic intensity far beyond anything ever captured on film. (Sorry, webcammers.) This usually shifts to a less frequent and intense exchange of bodily fluids. Paul Martin says relationships require time and effort. This can be lost in the exhausting reality of day-to-day life. Paul Martin is the …
Five stages of grief: Better to have loved and lost…
Chris Pye writes on the five stages of grief. He echos Tennyson on the subject of lost love – better to have loved and lost. English poet, Alfred Lord Tennyson’s reflection on the death of a dear friend led him to write an immortal line. ‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to …
The Science of Love – What Makes a Good Relationship?
Most of us grow up besieged by morals, models and myths about what makes good relationships. They come from well-intentioned parents and playground peers, teachers, preachers, and popular media. But can science assist our love lives? For queer or non-conforming folk, these dominant narratives and social prescriptions can fit as well as a poorly tailored …
Happy Endings: 3 Keys to Uncoupling without Trauma
Relationship Counsellor and Life Coach Chris Pye suggests three keys to uncoupling without trauma. “We really need help”, she began. “Not to stay together, but to separate.” It was one of my free introductory counselling sessions. Prospective clients connect for an exploratory half hour, to find out how I might support them. This was not …
Feel the Feels: 3 Essential Tools for More Connected Relationships
When it comes to living a full and rich life, we’ve been sold the idea that feeling miserable is the result of not trying hard enough to be happy. Apparently, nobody likes a misery-guts. A vast array of confectionery, alcoholic beverages, fashion accessories, and self-help books, promise to miraculously transform our melancholy into merriment. And …
