How can you tell if you’re in lust or in love? Is “love at first sight” real? When is the right time to say “I love you” in a relationship? And how do you keep love alive long-term? Today’s episode is all about the science of love, and we’re going to talk about so many important and fascinating questions!

My guest is none other than “The Love Doctor” herself, Dr. Terri Orbuch. Terri is a distinguished professor at Oakland University and a research scientist at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. She has been studying the science of love and relationships for more than three decades and her latest book is called Secrets to Surviving Your Children’s Love Relationships.

We cover a lot of ground in this show, including:

The four signs that distinguish love from lust.
How to get the lust back in your relationship after the initial passion starts to decline.
The truth about the “5 love languages” (is there actually any science behind this idea?).
Tips for maintaining happy, healthy, loving relationships for the long haul.
When it’s the right time to make your relationship “official” and to say “I love you” to a partner.
When too much closeness becomes a problem, and how to maintain your individuality in a relationship.
Tips for dialing down the pressure on Valentine’s Day and enjoying a stress-free holiday.
How parents can help their kids to cultivate healthy relationships.

This is such an important (and fun!) episode! To learn more about Terri, visit drterrithelovedoctor.com and be sure to check out her latest book, Secrets to Surviving Your Children’s Love Relationships.

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Thanks to Promescent (promescent.com) and the Modern Sex Therapy Institutes (modernsextherapyinstitutes.com) for being sponsors of this episode!

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Credits: LEGIT Audio (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.

19: Why We Love, Lust, and Live