Maintaining Your Relationship During COVID19

Stay inside, they said. Couples are facing a new management of romantic relationship with their partners, especially those who may have children. Maintaining your relationship is an important. The following tips can help your relationship thrive without relying on the additional date night activities that may have been the norm in your relationship.

Keeping your relationship healthy is one important aspect that most couples need to remember during this time. This could also be an opportunity to rekindling the flame if you felt your relationship had been lacking recently.  You may not be able to go on dates outside the home, but you can get creative in keeping the dating experience alive.  One of my favorite dates is encouraging couples to download from the App Store – CardDecks by Gottman Institute. There are all kinds of great card decks in this App that can help deepen your relationship with your partner.  The Love Map deck or Open-Ended Questions deck can help deepen your emotional connection.  The Mild, Medium and Hot Salsa can spice up your intimate life, while the Sex Questions to Ask a Women or Man can enhance your overall intimate life. I encourage couples to light some candles and open up a card deck and go through a dozen or so cards and see what sparks.  

Engaging in board games and card games is something that can bring back the fun to your relationship.  It is good to have some good old fashion fun with our partner. Usually when relationships are new, we tend to have more fun, overtime we can get caught up in the business of life and forget to have fun with each other.  

Another one of my favorites ideas is to create in your backyard or on your patio a favorite memorable past date.  You could put up a sign that represents your favorite restaurant and try to recreate your favorite meals.  One couple shared with me they recently decorated the backyard for a luau with items left over from one of their teenager’s summer parties and acted as if they were on their honeymoon again in Hawaii. They pulled out photos and reminisce while they dined on Hawaiian BBQ they had delivered by their local restaurant. 

Looking for more date ideas while at home, check out this list: 10 Tweaks to Help You Thrive as a Couple

The advent of new media has created endless possibilities of socializing for singles. Singles can use such platforms to continue to date during such pandemics. Taking someone on a video chat date is popular.  Send the person you like to take on a date delivery from the same restaurant as you. You can dine and video chat together. Having such virtual date interactions enables an opportunity to find if there is a possible love connection. Get creative with your virtual dates – maybe consider playing a virtual game, encourage the other person to light candles as you video chat, each of you sit in the back yard and look at the night sky.  Depending your local Stay at Home orders you may be able to order through drive through and both sit in your cars with the safe 6 feet distance and eat in your car and talk through the open window.  

During this time it can be helpful to lessen anxiety by creating ways to enhance your relationships.  Remember have fun, be creative, and you might just find through this time your relationship may become stronger. 

Is your relationship struggling? Talk to a trained couples therapist via video therapy session. Contact our Burbank Therapy or Santa Clarita Therapy offices.