communication

Do you have what it takes to be in a relationship?

When we’re unhappy, unsatisfied, or unfulfilled in a relationship it’s the never-ending fight. Like a game of tag, the blame keeps getting thrown back and forth from one spouse to the other. Angry outbursts are sparked by seemingly unrelated events. The topic of debate is slightly altered with each passing round, but the core issue of conflict never seems to get resolved.

As children we learned how to tie our shoes, as teenagers we learned how to drive a car, but as adults, who teaches us how to be in a relationship? There is no class in school that teaches us how to behave or what to do to make a relationship successful. When it comes to acting on feelings of the heart, how do we know what we’re doing is right? If divorce rates are any indicator of our relationship proficiency, it may be fair to say that we could all use a little helpful guidance in the love department.

Taking preventative measures to teach couples how to develop a mindful attitude and lifestyle; Dr. Nina Solanki created The Mindful Relationship and Lifestyle Program, a mindfulness-based relationship enhancement program for couples. Earning her Doctoral and Master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology Dr. Nina Solanki has and expansive background in the healthcare profession ranging from private practice to crisis centers and everything in between. These days, Dr. Solanki is a therapist with Lepage Associates in Durham, North Carolina incorporating her work and knowledge of mindfulness and its benefits in relationships into both individual and couples therapy.

To find out more about Dr. Nina Solanki or her program, The Mindful Relationship and Lifestyle Program, you can visit Lepage Associates online at or call (919) 572-0000 for an appointment.

How can you make quality time for your relationship when you can’t even make time for yourself?

“I wish there were more hours in the day.” Every single one of us has uttered this phrase at least once in our lives. Between family, work and children competing for our attention and time, it’s easy to see how we often are unable to carve out time for ourselves, let alone our better half. All too often our relationships get pushed to the side while we focus on what’s directly in front of us. But how long can a relationship sit waiting in the sidelines before it runs out of gas completely?

When a night on the town or a movie date on the couch have become distant memories it’s time to take a hard look at your priorities as a couple and take back the quality time.

Dr. Gabriella Johr is a licensed clinical psychologist with Orenstein Solutions in Cary, NC. Over the last 10 years Gabriella has found herself working with people in various hospital, school and private practice settings. Specializing in child and family therapy, Gabriella has had a great deal of experience working with couples to manage their family and priorities while still finding time for their marriage.

To find out more about Dr. Gabriella Johr and Orenstein Solutions, you can visit them online at  or call 919-428-2766 for an appointment.

Does absence really make the heart grow fonder?

The modern day world of employment is a far more competitive place then it was only a decade ago. The 9-to-5 workday has seemingly disappeared, and with it the typical business commute. Today, it’s not uncommon to see married couples engrossed in the demanding nature of their jobs and saying “goodnight”, or perhaps it’s “good morning”, to each other from opposite ends of the globe, trying to keep their long distance love afloat.

Planes, trains and automobiles make the world a much smaller place; a beneficial feature that many companies take advantage of. With the physical distance between spouses growing, how can a relationship survive the absence? Exactly how distance is too much? When does absence stop making the heart grow fonder and start tearing apart a relationship?

Earning her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Regent University, Dr. Janet Savia has an expansive background in the healthcare profession. She’s worked in medical laboratories, as a high school teacher, in a Fortune 50 corporation’s health care division, and as a health care consultant. These days, Dr. Savia is a therapist working with individuals and couples at Sage Psychology Group in Durham, North Carolina.

To find out more about Dr. Janet Savia and her practice, Sage Psychology Group, you can visit them online at Sage Psychology Group or call 919-472-0637 for an appointment.