Successful Relationships - Vivian Baruch

29/04/2026

Learning to say "No" in healthy ways. You may think that learning to say “No” is a simple matter. This is not necessarily true. We generally expect our partner to respond to requests pretty quickly after we make them. What we may not realise is that some requests are not so simple to fulfil.

Successful Relationships April newsletter out now https://vivianbaruch.com/2026/04/28/learning-to-say-no-in-healthy-ways-2/

17/04/2026

Watch Michael Shermer’s interview with Debra Soh on Why Men and Women Are Drifting Apart, Dating Apps, and Gen Z

The Michael Shermer Show # 597 Fewer people are having s*x, fewer are forming lasting relationships, and many feel more isolated than ever. Why?Michael Sherm...

21/03/2026

The Free Press, Joe Nocera: "Right now, there’s a lot of bad therapy going on in America—something that, here at The Free Press, we’ve written and worried about for years. There are psychologists out there changing lives for the better, but there are also those who tell gay men they should be straight, encourage girls to become boys, and accuse patients of perpetuating “white supremacy culture.” Meanwhile, social media is awash with “therapy-speak,” which influencers use to justify cutting off family members or accuse ex-lovers of being narcissists."

The therapists in ‘Shrinking’ cross nearly every possible boundary with their patients—and that’s a really bad thing, writes Joe Nocera.

18/03/2026

Two minutes of wisdom about relationships.

2 minutes of absolutely sobering truth

14/03/2026

Interesting discussion between Justin Garcia & Michael Shermer. "Why do people risk everything for love but treat s*x like it’s no big deal? Why is intimacy the most expensive thing in a brothel? And why do jealousy, infidelity, and heartbreak push otherwise rational people into behavior they later can’t explain?

Evolutionary biologist and s*x researcher Justin Garcia, executive director of the Kinsey Institute and author of The Intimate Animal, joins Michael Shermer for a candid conversation about the biology of s*x, the evolutionary logic of pair bonding, and why love—not lust—is what often pushes people past the point of reason."

About this episode: Why do people risk everything for love but treat s*x like it’s no big deal? Why is intimacy the most expensive thing in a brothel? And why do jealousy, infidelity, and heartbreak push otherwise rational people into behavior they later can’t explain? Evolutionary biologist and

20/02/2026

Attachment styles: One way to understand how you relate.

You and your partner most probably have different attachment styles. Couples can be together for many years and still not know what the other needs and wants in many different areas of life and relationship.

Successful Relationships February newsletter out now.

You & your partner probably have different attachment styles. Couples can be together for many years & still not know much about the other.

24/12/2025

My article is published in the Australian Counselling Research Journal. Below is a brief look:

I entered the behavioural health field back in 1981 because I genuinely wanted to help people. This article is about the path I’ve taken to figuring out when—and where—I’m actually making a difference. Decades of meta-analytic research show that psychotherapy works, with an effect size of about 0.8. What’s surprising though, is that this number hasn’t budged in more than 50 years. It doesn’t seem to change based on the problem being treated, the approach used, how experienced the therapist is, or even how complex a client’s situation may be—except in cases of severe, biologically based conditions.

Drawing on both a case study and meta-analytic research, this article makes the case that regularly using Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) is a powerful way to improve both outcomes and the therapeutic relationship in counselling. FIT keeps clients’ voices front and centre, offers built-in quality checks, helps catch when things might be going off track—especially for clients at risk of poorer outcomes—and supports ongoing professional growth and accountability.
https://www.acrjournal.com.au/resources/assets/journals/Volume-18-Issue-2-2025/Manuscript7%20-%20Here%20to%20help%20A%20therapists%20journey%20into%20Feedback%20Informed%20Treatment%20%20-%20FIT.pdf

22/12/2025

Good advice from Terry Real. https://www.facebook.com/reel/2041310653325211/?s=single_unit&__cft__[0]=AZYmwtGEr2WnOPg56jDfjGXD9g5wTog_SqYlV44Q_S1Eup9_Lmj4wfXmwXK1045B2edlPuzvIKPMM1TlNOzVO2yKj0A7BWRPmFabt6s0fKvla_mBrf7eFPlQX1J-04bJO2tsrXbkYap_Km-9hodmgYPrJ3scTcLtLmmWVHpQySpIZK99DzIr2j6KRswedW_nJjs&__tn__=H-R

22/12/2025

Will you help me & other Australians fight antisemitism by calling for a Commonwealth Royal Commission into the Bondi Beach terror attack?

Sign this petition to demand justice and safeguard our future, creating a nation free of hate and violence. Together, we can build stronger and more resilient communities for everyone in Australia.

Help by sending this to one other person.
https://www.change.org/p/call-for-a-commonwealth-royal-commission-into-the-bondi-beach-terror-attack?

Call for a Commonwealth Royal Commission into the Bondi Beach terror attack

17/12/2025

This is the time of year to review relationships. Two sets of feelings may be competing for your attention. First, you may be looking ahead with pleasure to the holiday season and the myriad of tasks, opportunities to connect and relationships to juggle.

On the other hand, this is also a time when feelings of loneliness, unease, and sadness about relationships come to the fore. We may feel disconnected from family and friends. We can view these uncomfortable feelings as an opportunity to review 2025 and make some decisions about the direction we hope our relationships can take for 2026.

Successful Relationships December newsletter out now.

Uncomfortable feelings are opportunities to review relationships & to decide about a new direction. Do this review in a holiday time.

18/11/2025

Let's Talk about S*x, Intimacy & Desire. A lively discussion with Jennifer Jefferies of The Present Day Wise Woman podcast.

She’s back, and we’re going there. Relationship therapist and wise woman Vivian Baruch returns to talk about the topics too many women were never taught to t...

24/10/2025

Relationships don’t come with a rulebook. In this conversation with Jennifer Jefferies on The Present Day Wise Woman Podcast, I speak about how singles can rebuild confidence, how couples can reignite intimacy, and what to do when you’re on the fence about your future together. We also dive into the wisdom of “wise women” and the power of mentorship across generations, because love, connection, and guidance are what truly hold us together.

Relationships don’t come with a rulebook. In this conversation, relationship coach and therapist Vivian Baruch shares how singles can rebuild confidence, ho...