Answer: I actually receive some form of this question several times a week! It is a very common concern from physician couples at all stages. While there are many elements that feed into improving intimacy in a relationship, I want to address three strategies you can begin to implement right now that can strengthen your physical…
Question: We are second year medical students. Our first year of medical school was rough and we have lots of layers to our situation. One of them is that we have two kids under 4-years-old and we live 2000 miles away from family. My main question is how to manage a relationship (romantic/connected/sexual and being vulnerable) with…
Finding a job–especially that first “real job” out of medical training–is stressful and exciting all at the same time. You’ve both sacrificed for so many years and are anxious to have the hard times come to an end. For many physician couples, the task of finding that golden goose “package deal” is filled with anxiety. It is…
Every week I receive several emails asking if I provide online therapy. There are many reasons why online therapy is a good idea. Online therapy allows people who live in small communities to reach specialists who may not live near them. Online therapy allows people the opportunity to work with therapists who specialize in a specific…
Holidays can be an especially hard time for couples, because each holiday inherently comes with its own expectations. One of the challenges everyone faces in their relationships is how to deal with the discrepancy between expectation and reality. When you expect something to go one way (having a quiet holiday dinner at home with your family)and the…
One of the most prevalent fears in relationships is the fear of disconnection, where individuals are deeply afraid of not feeling valued, important, or capable of meeting expectations. This fear can significantly impact how we perceive ourselves and our relationships. These overwhelming fears of disconnection and inadequacy are not limited to intense arguments alone. These…
I spent yesterday evening in the emergency room with my four-year-old son. Four kids, and I have never had to make an ER visit before. I realized that one of the reasons we have never been to the ED is because I have had access to medical opinions and knowledge at home. Whenever something about…
The fear of parallel living, of growing apart and becoming mere roommates, is a sentiment that many couples can relate to. It’s a fear born out of the realization that maintaining a deep and meaningful connection in marriage requires effort and intentionality. In a world where disconnection is often seen as inevitable, it can be…
Last month I had the privilege of speaking about Medical Marriages at the national 2015 AMA Alliance Annual Meeting. This was my first real experience with the alliance and I have to admit, it was different than I expected. (Donna Rovito on the left and Briana Wessell on the right) Let me back up…
All bleeding stops…eventually. So the saying goes. Medical residency is tough–it’s physically, emotionally and intellectually exhausting. The demands of medical training consume our time and our energy. It’s the nature of the beast. Add in a marriage and maybe a few kids (we have four) and finding balance between medical training and family relationships can…
Acknowledge Your Spouse’s Sacrifice After a year or two of medical school, I recognized my wife’s life would have been much easier had I chosen a different career. Our college friends had graduated and within a few years had solid jobs, new cars, fancy homes and a 40 hour work week. The years of poverty,…
Work at Work, Be Home at Home During my internship, I realized that residency is insatiable—there is never and will never be enough time to satisfy its demands. There are always patients to see, labs to check, notes to write, pages to return, articles to read, conferences to attend, presentations to prepare and research to…