Annakeara Stinson

You can’t pick your family, but you can pick how you respond to your family when they ask you why you’re single over the holidays.

The idea of a couples trip might first bring to mind things like, you know, a vibrating velvet covered bed, simultaneous massages, and wearing robes for a week straight. And while there is certainly nothing wrong with robe time, adventurous trip…

Going home for the holidays. It’s... a lot. Whether you get along with your family or y’all put the not-so-fun in dysfunction, being in the original homestead can be heavy. So if you’re bringing a partner home, having Christmas couple activities…

How Important Is Gift Giving In A Relationship? Experts Weigh In

Being alone in a new city during the holidays if you aren’t able to make it home, can’t afford to leave, or simply have nowhere in particular to go, can be extremely difficult. It can feel like you’re lost in the holiday wilderness, and forsaken by…

Does navigating a romantic relationship around the holidays fill you with anxiety and deep wells of dread? It’s a thing, those feelings — particularly if your relationship is in the fledgling stage. So many people have questions and concerns about…

Everyone’s got one. Some of us have many. Yes, toxic family members are such a thing — and they really find their time to shine during the holidays. So, how do you deal with a toxic family member at the holiday dinner table when you’re just trying…

The end of year is a time for reflection and celebration, yet the holiday season can be brutal emotionally speaking. How to say no to the holidays if they are too triggering for you is not usually the main topic of conversation as people string…

Intimacy is the arena in which all of our deep seated emotional tendencies seem to play out — and that is true even if we seem to struggle with reaching intimacy in the first place. But having “avoidant” tendencies in relationships is not uncommon,…

You keep making that movie date with your friend from high school, but you always cancel. You tell your coworker you definitely plan to stop by their birthday party on Friday, but deep down, you have no intention of showing up. It might be poor form…

The idea that therapy is only undertaken if something is wrong needs to be put to bed for good. Talking things out and getting guidance from a professional is a helpful, productive way to exist peacefully with other people, and that is doubly true…

You see each other from across a crowded cafeteria — you, eating a PB and J, them, mid-bite on a Lunchables. And that’s it. You lock eyes, you fall deeply, and fifteen years later, you marry your first love. Or hey, maybe you don’t fall in love for…

Your mother-in-law wants orchids, you want roses, and your dad wants a minimalist display of twigs. That’s just the half of it. It’s often part for the course that wedding planning can cause a rift with your in-laws and make for a generally tense…

“People were murdered for it for so long,” Melinda Lee Holm tells me, when I ask her about the history of witchcraft — a term, she says, that was first used to condemn people legally for practicing their traditional magic and spiritual rituals.…

When you get married, the whole process can end up being a real family affair — so much so that the idea of simply doing a Vegas drive thru might become more and more appealing. And particularly if you happen to have a mom or dad who really like to…

Relationships are hard work. You’ve no doubt heard people say this before. But the notion of “working hard” on love can be confusing. Exactly how challenging is it supposed to be? When can you tell if you’re actually putting too much effort into a…

It would be truly wonderful if we could have one job that takes care of all our financial needs, but so often, that isn’t the case.

If you use dating apps, you’ve probably noticed that you can get into quite the trance when you’re looking through all the romantic prospects. So, what is happening to your brain when you swipe right or left to keep you coming back for more, even…

Consent is the foundational aspect of a healthy sexual exchange, but it’s a concept that’s unfortunately, and dangerously, misunderstood. While good sex education in school can provide a comprehensive picture of consent, a new Bustle Digital Group…

If you happen to be on the shy side and hate apps — learning how to meet people to date the old fashioned way can feel particularly daunting. But let’s be real, in the age of smart phones meeting prospects IRL is not something many people are primed…