Making love last: Bend therapist weighs in

Love is in the air on Valentine’s Day, but why should you go all out for your partner just one day out of the year? You shouldn’t, says Bend Family Therapy licensed marriage and family therapist Kristin James.

James says only about half of all relationships last more than seven years, and one of the reasons so many don’t is the loss of friendship.

Life stressors cause couples to take their frustrations out on the person closest to them, James says, but those actions can slowly drive your partner away.

James recommends most couples in a rut like that work on rebuilding their friendship. One way to do that is act like it’s Valentine’s Day all year long.

“Going on vacations and doing fun things that don’t involve a lot of time,” said James. So the key is “making time like you would with your best friend to just go out, have fun, no stressors attached and enjoy each other company.”

James also recommended making life goals as a couple.