Is variety in a relationship the spice of life, or a groove-killer? LA-based therapist Carder Stout, PhD, weighs the pros and cons of the polyamorous movement. As a psychologist, I see so many couples on the brink of Armageddon. Close to 50 percent of marriages end in divorce, and much of the time it is…

If there’s a magic age to have kids, no one has found it yet. But psychotherapist Carder Stout’s account of approaching fifty with a pair of toddlers—and why he’s the better for it—makes a compelling read. Stout, who spent his thirties being single, getting sober, and developing a career as a therapist (see his insights…

Mental-health issues are becoming less stigmatized and easier to talk about by the day, especially with celebs getting real about their personal struggles. Still, articulating the experience of having conditions like depression or anxiety can seem confusing or even impossible, so larger scale conversations about defining, then researching and treating them can likewise suffer. A product of this…

No relationship is perfect—and even our very closest, best-of-best-friends-forever bonds can deeply disappoint us, or, worse, break apart. Whether it’s a case of someone saying the wrong thing, falling through on an important commitment, or simply fading away, we can’t always control what goes wrong in our friendships. But we can determine how the breakup—or…

Think your dreams are crazy? Chances are they’re more normal than you think. As you recount a strange dream to a friend, it doesn’t take long to realize how illogical and silly it can sound. The surroundings change without warning, the plot twists faster than a soap opera, and even the people in the dream…