Everyday, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are objectified under the media's microscope. So when an act of PDA is rejected, we immediately jump to conclusions about their relationship. I discuss this further with Jeff McArthur on Global TV's The Morning Show. Read my advice and watch the video below!

1. Is it a big deal that she slapped his hand away?

It’s only a big deal because they were in public. And it was more of a rebuff than a slap of the hand. Every single one of us has felt this way toward our partner at some point in time, so let’s not single out Melania. I’m married to the nicest, most charming, most loving man I could imagine and I still don’t want to hold his hand at every moment in time. Whether or not you’re a fan of Trump or Melania, you have to admit that we’re often looking for opportunities to criticize their relationship oftentimes because we're insecure about our own.

I should note, however, that the most...

I joined Jeff McArthur this morning on Global TV's The Morning Show to discuss the benefits of bromances. Read my thoughts below and don't forget to watch the video!

What is a bromance?

According to a recent study that looked at undergraduate students, a bromance is a close non-sexual friendship marked by intimacy, love and openness. It’s a relationship that is free from judgment and ultimately one that defies cultural prescriptions of masculinity that preclude men from being vulnerable and sharing intimate details of their life.

Are they becoming more common?

Yes! And it’s a good thing. We see that men who acknowledge having had a bromance acknowledge the many benefits:

• The opportunity to divulge vulnerabilities without social ridicule.
• Increased social support (which is positively correlated with more positive physical and mental health outcomes & longevity).
• Feelings of brotherhood and family-like ties.
• Opportunities to discuss topics that were previously...

It’s road trip season! Pack up that car, rally the troops and get ready for the open road.

What fun!

That is, until, you get lost, take a wrong turn, take a few too many pee breaks and find yourselves hangry in a hot car with a backseat driver who can’t stop humming 80s pop songs. Jess discusses this roadtrippin' research on Global TV's The Morning Show. Check out her advice in the video below.

1. What are couples fighting about in the car?

71% of couples have fought in the car and the most common cause relates to getting lost. But no topic is off limits. Couples fight about a range of subjects including:

44% — directions/getting lost
37% — where to park
34% — driving too quickly
24% — driving too close to other...

France just elected a president whose partner is 24 years his senior. Donald Trump is 23 years older than Melania. We’re seeing more high-profile May-December relationships, so let’s talk about them. Much of the cultural disdain toward large age gaps between partners is fuelled by fear — the fear that relationships may be transactionally driven by money, sex, power, and lust. But age is but one factor that determines marital satisfaction and longevity — and money, power, sex, and lust are relevant in all relationship regardless of age.

Jess delved into the data on inter-generational relationships and shared her advice with Global TV’s The Morning Show earlier today. Here is a summary of the conversation:

How common are these relationships?

• They’re less common than close-in-age relationships; most people seek partners who are of similar attractiveness, socioeconomic status, and age. The average age gap in marriage in Canada at first marriage...

Today on Global TV’s The Morning Show, Jeff and I delved into the topic of morning sex. Watch the clip below.

1. Why is morning the right time?

• Testosterone and energy levels higher in the morning, so your body is primed for sex.
• It makes practical sense. By the end of the day, you can be both emotionally and physically exhausted, so if you love sex, get it out of the way before breakfast.

2. Is it true that it will put you in a better mood?

• Endorphins released during (good) sex help to ensure that you’ll begin your day in the best of moods and oxytocin increases will help to maintain the connection with your partner throughout the day. It’s not uncommon for a good romp in the hay to lead to reduced tension and stress in your relationship as your body and mind reset after orgasm.

3. And what about that glow - is that a real thing?

• Morning sex might just be the best part of your regular beauty routine, as increased circulation and spikes in DHEA have been...

Are you curious about open relationships? This morning on Global TV's The Morning Show, I discuss consensual non-monogamy in research and practice with the lovely Carolyn Mackenzie. Check out the video and full notes (we always run out of time!) below.

 

What did the study find?

• The study, conducted by the University of Michigan, involved 2100 people; they examined satisfaction, commitment, trust, jealousy and passionate love, which is the intense love feeling often described in new relationships.
• Researchers found no difference between monogamous couples and consensually non-monogamous (CNM) couples with regard to satisfaction and passionate love.
• CNM couples revealed lower levels of jealousy and higher levels of trust than monogamous couples.
• Overall, the researchers conclude that CNM and monogamous relationships offer similar benefits.
• To date, research that addresses CNM has been significantly biased with researchers using loaded terms like...

Barry Manilow came out of the closet yesterday to the (very little) surprise of his adoring fans. At 73 years old, Manilow’s coming out story is a late one, but it’s unsurprising given the reality of homophobia and heterocentric norms in the music business and beyond. Jess shares her thoughts in the video and text commentary below.

 

We still live with homophobia — and in terms of both policy and attitudes, the US is worse than Canada: while 77% of Canadians show support for same sex relationships, only 60% of Americans say the same.

But let’s not pretend that Canada is a utopia. We may claim that gay people have all the rights of straight people, but that’s just on paper. In real life the data says otherwise:

• Gay men with partners earn 5% less than straight men with partners.
• 64% of LGBTQ students in Canada feel unsafe at school.
• Hate crimes against LGBTQ people in...

Are attractive people more likely to divorce? This week’s headlines suggest that this might be the case, but you may want to examine the data before jumping to conclusions. Jess discusses her interpretations of four studies on The Morning Show with Jeff McArthur in the video below.

Summary of the research findings and Jess’ thoughts:

• The first study examined the marriages and divorces of 130 celebrities; researchers found that the best-looking couples were most likely to split.
• The second study looked 238 high school yearbook photos and found that those who were rated highly attractive had shorter marriage durations.
• The other two studies examined the  “derogation of attractive alternatives” concept, which refers to a relationship preservation strategy in which we rate attractive alternatives as less attractive (e.g. I look at someone attractive and I tell myself they’re less attractive in order to preserve my relationship). These studies...

Want more passion in your relationship? First you have to understand the science of passionate love and then you can make specific behavioural changes. In the video below, Jess breaks down the science of passion in relationships with Jeff McArthur.

The Science of Passion:

• Passion and love don’t always go hand in hand; you can love someone deeply without feeling passionate desire for them sexually.
• Experts believe there are two phases of love: passion & attachment and the former only lasts 6-18 months.
• During the passionate phase, you experience spikes in dopamine, adrenaline & serotonin.
• During the attachment phase, you remain connected via oxytocin and vasopressin
• Each phase involves a chemical process; you can’t stay in passionate love forever.
• If you want to work on attachment-based love, perform exercises to boost the attachment chemicals: daily physical affection, purposeful eye contact, expressions of gratitude, learning...

March Break is upon us which means that some of the busiest travel days of the year are just around the corner. And though vacations are supposed to be relaxing, many couples find that relationship strife spikes while they're on holiday. Jess joined Jeff McArthur to discuss the science of vacation fights and tips for enjoying a harmonious holiday. Watch The Global Morning Show segment replay below.

The Science of Vacation Fights:

• In airports, cortisol levels spike due to the stress and some research suggests that the noise of airports alone is tied to elevated levels of the stress hormone.
• When travelling, long lines and unpredictable wait times can exhaust your self-control “muscle”. You only have so much self-control and when this muscle becomes burnt out, you may not have any strength left for your partner.
• Research suggests that 1/4 of travellers find airports as stressful as moving! One-quarter consider airport travel as stressful as work.
• While on vacation,...