by Sarah Louise Ryan, Relationship Expert & Psychotherapist. There is a particular silence that settles between couples when sex disappears. It is rarely dramatic. More often, it arrives quietly, in postponed intimacy, in polite goodnights, in bodies turning away rather than toward each other. Many couples describe this experience as a sexless marriage or a relationship with a lack of sex, but what they are really describing is a disconnection that has grown subtle roots. And

The end of a year often arrives quietly. The calendar changes, routines resume, and yet most couples never pause to ask what the year actually did  to them — or what it revealed about how they relate, cope, and connect. In couples therapy, I often say that reflection is not about fixing the relationship; it’s about listening to it . As this year comes to a close, here is an invitation to slow down together - to take stock of where you’ve been, and to consider how you want to

by Sarah Louise Ryan, Relationship Expert & Couples Therapist. When couples reach out to me, it’s rarely because they’ve stopped caring. More often, they are simply worn down from trying again and again without seeing the change they hoped for. Many have spent months or years talking, avoiding, arguing, withdrawing, making promises and watching old patterns quietly return. By the time they arrive for couples counselling in Oakham or online, they often feel disconnected, uncer

Intimacy is a core element of healthy relationships, but it can be uniquely shaped by the presence of ADHD. While ADHD is often described in terms of attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, its influence expands far beyond those traits. It affects emotional regulation, sensory processing, communication, and how individuals experience closeness. Understanding these layers allows couples and individuals to approach intimacy with greater compassion and clarity. Intimacy is no

The holiday season carries an emotional charge that few other times of year can match. Even in strong relationships, December has a way of amplifying underlying tensions. Expectations increase, schedules tighten, family dynamics resurface and the pressure to perform togetherness often becomes heavier than the connection itself. For couples, the difficulty isn’t usually love or commitment - it’s the way external stressors strain emotional availability and communication. What i

By Sarah Louise Ryan , Psychotherapist & Relationship Counsellor. Porn addiction or excessive porn use is more than just a personal struggle -it’s a relational one. For many individuals and couples, pornography becomes a silent wedge that distances partners emotionally, physically, and energetically. The pleasure of porn for one, can be the relational pain for another. Ultimately, any behaviour that doesn't serve the relationship and energetically let's air out of the tyre as