The term is derived from the word empathy, which is the ability to understand and share the emotions of another. So an empath, as you might imagine, is someone who takes empathy beyond what most people experience. They are so attuned, in fact, that without proper boundaries, they can absorb others’ energy (which can be quite overwhelming). As psychiatrist and author of The Empath’s Survival Guide Judith Orloff, M.D., previously explained to mbg, empaths are also sensitive, loving, and have finely tuned intuition—but can become “an emotional and physical sponge, absorbing the negativity and stress of the world....

“A therapist knows how to help couples get to the real trouble [at the heart of the issue] and can teach skills or appropriate referrals to help them through it,” marriage therapist Linda Carroll M.S., LMFT, explains. Those skills include honesty, how to express emotional needs, and how to settle disagreements, for example. “Couples often come to get help with attachment injuries, growing apart, wanting more sexual connection, and needing to relate to one another differently,” licensed marriage and family therapist Lexx Brown-James, Ph....

Alas, patience is NOT a virtue for those with Venus in Aries. You want to know NOW: Are you into me or not? A lover who drags out the courtship process will likely get a taste of your extreme ghosting powers. They may cry with a clairvoyant or burn a Love Drawing candle, but it’s unlikely you’ll return. Nope, you’ll be off with an adventurous playmate exploring new positions and locations....

As ecotherapist Anna Cariad-Barrett, DMin, M.S., MFT, previously explained to mbg, “Butterflies show us how we can go within ourselves to dissolve old forms and morph, rebuilding and evolving ourselves.” They’re a reminder of the importance of surrender and trust, as well, “as part of the essential process of growth and renewal,” she adds. And so to see butterflies frequently, then, is most generally thought to be a symbol or metaphor for growth and transformation, whether you’re in the midst of a transformation right now or the universe is encouraging you to level up....

And, just as the infant must one day push against her mother to become herself, we, too, need to eventually create boundaries in our relationships, and make sure to preserve the edges of our individuality. Particularly at the beginning of a relationship, during the so-called “honeymoon phase,” pushing our lovers away is the last thing we want to do. We want to stay in what I call the “merge cycle” — and why wouldn’t we?...

The No. 1 reason people fall out of love is because they’re human. Yes. We are designed to fall out of love. And then, if the relationship is healthy and both people understand what real love is about, we fall back in love, deeper than before. And then we fall out of love and back in love. You get the picture. Falling in and out love is as cyclical as the tides of the ocean....

When your diet or environment has been less than ideal, you can turn to any or all of the natural detox methods below for the ultimate self-care. No gimmicks here, just science-backed ways to support detoxification, so you can “detox” your body naturally. Aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces in clear fluids or enough that your urine is very pale in color. Other dark leafy greens like dandelion greens, and beets are also detox-supporting superstars....