Dr. Erin Leonard discusses relationships and what it takes to maintain close relationships over time.
Common interests, financial status, intellectual ability, and educational level have little to do with whether you and your partner will remain in love for the long haul. The single, most important factor in whether your love will last and remain satisfying and loving is whether the two of you are at the same emotional level, meaning that both of you are emotionally evolved. If one person is emotionally unevolved, and the other is emotionally evolved, the emotional gap between the two of you will widen with time until the relationship becomes a lonely, depressing shell of its former self. And if you have children under this veil of emotional desolation, it is probable that the emotional distance will cause them a great deal of pain and set a dysfunctional example which they will be prone to perpetuate.
Dr. Erin Leonard has been a practicing psychotherapist for 15 years. Currently, she practices in Indiana with Dr. Sonego and Associates. During her time at Children’s Memorial Medical Center, she was awarded the Shaw Research Award. She was recently a contributing expert to Time for a special feature on the 12 Worst habits For Your Mental Health. Dr. Leonard has also appeared on WGN and FOX affiliates in Dallas, Boston, Memphis, Atlanta, and Phoenix.
Dr. Leonard graduated with her Master’s degree from The University of Michigan, and her Doctoral degree, with a child and adolescent specialization from The Institute of Clinical Social Work. She has also written a guest blog titled Improving Relationships One Step at a Time.