Being that relationships play such a huge part in the quality of our lives, I am expanding beyond my relationship coaching practice and monthly newspaper column to host a local television show. It will be called “Let’s Talk Relationships,” the same name as this column. I want to provide you, my readers, as well as others in our local community, an additional resource where you can benefit from the discussions we will be having about important, relatable relationship topics.

Each month, I will be joined by a few local guests, who will have the opportunity to voice their thoughts, experiences, successes, and questions about relationships, in the spirit of boldness and openness. The purpose is to engage our community around important topics that are not talked about enough.

Whether you are in a new relationship, have been in one for decades, are somewhere in between, or single, you have probably experienced some of the difficult and unhelpful dynamics that commonly occur between partners. Often, it may seem that there is no way to turn things around. If you are dealing with ongoing, perplexing dynamics that are causing distance, fighting, staleness, and/or erosion of the bond you once celebrated, you are not alone. Relationships are hard. My new show will enable us to explore these complexities together.

Developing an intimate relationship with another person is enormously compelling, since our brains are physiologically wired for closeness, connection, and a sense of belonging. Yet, in reality, the very thing we crave and long for ends up being incredibly complex and challenging. As a relationship coach, couples come to me with some level of distress. You don’t need to be a professional in the field, however, to know that so many couples struggle. According to the American Psychological Association, approximately 40% to 50% of first marriages end in divorce, with 40% of children experiencing parental divorce before the age of 18.

There is clearly a need for more discourse on the topic of partnership and marriage. My new show aims to provide support and information about how to develop and maintain healthy, thriving relationships in which there is more joy than pain.

We will be discussing topics such as: when the “honeymoon” phase is over; handling differences; communicating effectively instead of fighting; healthy boundaries; the balance of closeness and autonomy; sexuality; managing anger; infidelity including emotional affairs; how to really listen; repairing after a fight; emotional intimacy; co-parenting; when to stay or leave; being single.

I want to extend an invitation to anyone who would be interested to take part in a casual and honest conversation with me on the show. No matter what your circumstances, I believe that any guest will have a lot to offer. You matter and are welcome to participate on a topic of your choice. To talk with me further about the possibility of coming on the show, please email me at amy@coachingbyamy.com.

The new television show will be filmed mid-February and will be available to watch: anytime on GCTV’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/greenfieldctv, starting approximately Feb. 20; on the GCTV Comcast channel (available in Greenfield, Shelburne, Buckland, Montague and Gill); on FCAT (available in Conway, Deerfield, Whately, and Sunderland), on E-Media (in Easthampton); on BNCTV (in Amherst); and on NOM (in Northampton).

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My hope is that you, dear readers, will be touched by the upcoming lively conversations and feel inspired to bring more love, health, and vitality into your relationships. I have the utmost enthusiasm for helping people find their way back to each other. Let us begin!

Amy Newshore is a couples therapist/coach who earned her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Antioch New England University and went on to train in the Developmental Model for Couples Therapy along with NonViolent Communication which serve as the foundation of her work as a Relationship Coach. For more information visit her website at www.coachingbyamy.com.