Healthy relationships

Men and Women--Meant to Be Together

Men and Women--Meant to Be Together

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) I always end my LDS dating articles with the scripture from Paul that "…neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:11). And it's true. In today's world, there is a common thought that being single is fine, acceptable, normal, even preferred over being married together as husband and wife. However, this is not the Lord's way. Here are a

2017-05-21 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Healthy relationships, Marriage preparation, Spirituality
Pornography and Men

Pornography and Men

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) Today, access to pornographic material is as easy as turning on your internet carrying device and pushing a few key strokes. And then immediately you have access to millions and millions of pornographic sites all over the world. In our LDS church, men are in many was especially susceptible to pornography, as more severe sexual outlets involving live person to person interaction outside of marriage

2017-05-15 Randy Gilchrist Understanding men, Healthy relationships
Successful Marriages Are Those That…

Successful Marriages Are Those That…

This is a topic that I could write a great many things about and make many points. However, I choose to focus on a few points that I have found are very important. John Gottman is understood to be the world's leading expert in marriage and marital research from the University of Washington. For decades he and his research team have been studying couples in his "Love Lab": his research facility to video tape, record, and track and code behavioral interactions between couples. With this

2017-05-07 Randy Gilchrist Healthy relationships, Marriage preparation
Grieving the Loss of a Relationship

Grieving the Loss of a Relationship

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) One of the hardest elements of the LDS singles dating journey is heartache and heartbreak. The feeling of hurt and letdown when either a promising dating prospect falls apart, you discover something about the other than leads you to feel the need to break up with them, or you are dating and they break up with you. At the core of all of these painful scenarios is a mixture of frustration, hurt

2017-04-23 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Healthy relationships
Don't Put Your Happiness on Hold

Don't Put Your Happiness on Hold

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) Being single in the LDS community can be a lot of things. Hopefully, happy and enjoyable is what you will make it. Is everyone supposed to get married at some point? Yes, basically. However, until that occurs, what life will you lead and what kind of quality of life will you possess until that point? That is mainly up to you. In my psychotherapy office, I commonly have seen many mid singles share

2017-04-06 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Healthy relationships
The Single Friends You Choose

The Single Friends You Choose

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) In the LDS Singles world, it can take months, years, even decades before you find a partner to marry. In the process, sometimes you will have someone you are dating, other times you will not. Along the journey, having and enjoying fellow single friends--usually of the same sex--is an important resource and support. Not only do friends provide needed companionship, support, validation, and connection

2017-03-26 Randy Gilchrist Healthy relationships
Marrying Your Best Friend

Marrying Your Best Friend

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) What makes for a good selection in a mate and eternal spouse? Is it someone that you feel an enormously infatuated with? Someone you think about all day long and can't stand being without? Someone that excites and stimulates you? Someone that gives goosebumps and a fastly beating heart? Someone that entices you to be physically affectionate with? Perhaps someone who is very fun, exciting, and

2017-03-19 Randy Gilchrist Healthy relationships, Marriage preparation, Communication
Battling the Grass is Greener Attitude in Dating

Battling the Grass is Greener Attitude in Dating

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) Dating in the LDS singles community is influenced by a number of avenues that can lead to a "you're good, but I can do better" attitude. And where does this "grass is greener" attitude come from? Several possible areas. We are all bombarded with ideas of what more and what better we supposedly can have and deserve from numerous sources in life. Some of this challenge comes in the ideal, slick

2017-03-13 Randy Gilchrist Healthy relationships
Bonding Acting Together

Bonding Acting Together

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) I've heard it said as a psychologist that a relationships is like a living organism that, if you aren't careful, can die in a couple of possible ways. Either the relationship can be killed through conflict, fighting, resentment, and contention, or it can starve and wither away from a lack of bonding activities together: hobbies, affection, and doing things done together as a couple. Therefore

2017-03-05 Shawn Gordon Healthy relationships
Forgiveness in Relationships

Forgiveness in Relationships

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) In any casual, dating, or married relationship, offenses will come. Whether intentional or unintentional, eventually our partner will hurt us and offend us. At other times, we will offend them. Some of these offenses come from gender differences, different values, principles, or priorities, selfishness, insensitivity, and so on. At other times, neither side is necessarily right or wrong, but certain

2017-02-20 Randy Gilchrist Healthy relationships, Communication, Conflict resolution
When Will I Get Married?

When Will I Get Married?

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) Commonly in the LDS singles community, people desire to be married for many years or decades--but may not for a variety of reasons. Often marriage seems delayed. Some have never been married, others are divorced or widowed. Many if not most LDS singles would like to be married but they are often scared. While some fear possible rejection and failure, others suffer from social anxiety and the overall

2017-01-23 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Healthy relationships, Marriage preparation
What's Wrong With Me?

What's Wrong With Me?

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) A common statement I've heard from single LDS members frustrated with their situation is "what's wrong with me?" Or, "everyone else seems to be able to find someone. Why can't I?" This question, depending on how it is asked, can either be helpful and productive, or negative and self defeating. The Questions We Ask Ourselves The great self-help coach Anthony Robbins once said that "the

2017-01-05 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Healthy relationships
Doug and Debbie Downers

Doug and Debbie Downers

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) If you are single, looking to date, in a relationship, engaged, or married, there is one piece of advice I would like to give to help you hopefully attract and keep a great partner and spouse in your life. This is, be careful and watch to minimize your level of negativity. Negative comments and attitudes towards yourself, others, and life in general is draining, depressing, and an overall downer.

2016-12-18 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Healthy relationships, Unhealthy relationships, Communication
Rescuing the Damsel in Distress

Rescuing the Damsel in Distress

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) In a previous article, I wrote about how some women tend to be attracted to and choose to be in a relationship with "the bad boy". Men also have a tendency to get involved with a troublesome type of relationship choice: the damsel in distress. A damsel in distress is basically any woman who is very troubled emotionally, practically, or otherwise, which is attractive to some men. This usually

2016-12-08 Randy Gilchrist Understanding men, Understanding women, Dating, Healthy relationships
The In-Laws

The In-Laws

by Dr. Randy Gilchrist, LDS Psychologist www.LDSdimension.com (FREE LDS online dating site) It is said that when you marry someone, you also marry their entire family, for better or worse. To date and marry someone, it can be wise to pay attention to who and what you may be taking on with their extended family. Some in-law relationships are easy and harmonious, others are contentious with a lot of friction, and yet others are minimal or even non-existent, especially when they live far away.

2016-11-27 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Healthy relationships, Marriage preparation, Conflict resolution
Are All the Good Ones Gone?

Are All the Good Ones Gone?

A common refrain I hear in the LDS singles community goes something like "all of the good ones are already taken", "all of the good ones are already married", "there's nobody left", etc. That's not really true, but the assumption exists for a reason. It's true that when we pass our early 20s, the remaining singles will have lived more life and accumulated more experiences. These additional life experiences generally include marriage, divorce, children/potential blended families, sexual

2016-11-14 Randy Gilchrist Dating, Healthy relationships