Relationships blog

How to Feel Beautiful: 7 Tips to Feel Better in Your Body and More Beautiful

Do you find it hard to feel confident and comfortable in your body? You’re certainly not alone. In a world inundated with harmful beauty standards, it’s challenging to foster a genuine love for ourselves. True confidence and comfort with our bodies are rooted not in surface-level changes but in the profound inner work we do.…

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Embracing Self-Compassion and Body Confidence

Let’s face it, we live in a world that constantly sends us messages about how we’re “supposed” to look. For many women, the weight of these beauty standards can feel like an exhausting load—hence the term “Beauty Load” (which is the title of my book) This constant pressure can leave us feeling inadequate, insecure, and…

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5 fun ways to reconnect with your partner

Life can get hectic, and amidst the chaos of work, kids, and daily routines, it’s easy to forget to nurture your relationship. Many of us fall into the trap of assuming that love should be effortless, but the truth is, every relationship needs some TLC to thrive. The good news is that reconnecting with your…

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When to come to couple therapy

When should you come to couple therapy or individual relationship therapy? People seem to have the wrong impression of couple therapy. A lot of people seem to think that couple therapy is a last resort. They come when they are so angry,  hurt and disconnected that they are seriously considering separation. They think, “let’s try…

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5 big communication mistakes that couples make

There are 5 big communication mistakes I see nearly every couple make that create havoc, mistrust and tension. In this free live workshop, I will teach you easy ways to avoid them. In my therapy practice I see couples making the same mistakes over and over again and causing hurt and upset that can cause…

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How do I calm down in an argument?

Do you find it hard to calm down in an argument? Do you ever regret what you say or do in the heat of the moment? Getting angry and having disagreements with our partners are normal and natural parts of intimacy. Problems arise however, when we say rash things, stir things up and do damage in the heat of the…

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50 questions to ask your partner to deepen connection

I have created these 50 Couple Questions as life as a couple often involves a great deal of logistical planning, housework, childcare, and a multitude of other responsibilities. It’s easy to get so caught up in these everyday tasks that we forget to make time for the more enjoyable aspects of our relationship. finding a…

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It’s time to stop gaslighting ourselves

….about our own beauty Load struggles We need to stop gaslighting ourselves over our body image struggles as it is causing us angst and insecurity. Many of us are now familiar with the concept of ‘gaslighting’ within toxic relationships — a form of emotional abuse in which someone manipulates another person into doubting their own…

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My partner has sex tantrums. What do I do?

Understanding sex tantrums in relationships Does your partner have sex tantrums? They might exhibit signs of frustration, anger, or distance when they are not satisfied sexually? If so, you’re not alone. As a couple therapist, I often come across this phenomenon in couples seeking therapy. For men, this issue seems to often be significant enough…

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The Beauty rules are different for women and here’s why

In 2015, Karl Stefanovic, a morning TV presenter on the Today Show in Australia, did an interesting experiment to see if there was any bias between the expectations on him and his female co-host. For a full year, Stefanovic wore the same blue suit and not a single audience member noticed. Meanwhile, his co-host Lisa…

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Nicole Mathieson

Hi, I'm Nicole Mathieson, a relationship and body image coach, couple therapist and author.

This blog is designed to help teach couples practical ways to cultivate a deeper understanding of one another, find safety and connection in relationships, navigate difficult conversations and repair after conflict.