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The Couples Company

Guides

Relationship guides, backed by research.

The big relationship questions, answered in plain English: attachment styles, love languages, prenups, the honeymoon phase and more. Every guide is built on published research, and we link every source so you can check our work.

  • Built on researchEvery number and finding links to its source: peer-reviewed studies, official data and the law itself.
  • Written for twoPlain English, no therapy-speak, and something you can try together tonight.
  • Honest about the evidenceWhen the research is thin or mixed, we say so. We never invent a number.
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Featured guide · Attachment

Avoidant attachment: why closeness can feel like a lot, and what helps

What avoidant attachment is (and isn’t), dismissive vs fearful, whether it changes, and how to get closer without pushing.

  • Avoidant attachment is a protective habit of leaning on yourself when closeness gets intense, not a lack of love.
  • Research suggests it’s a sliding scale, and the dismissive and fearful versions differ mainly in how people see themselves.
  • It tends to soften with time, especially when depending on a partner keeps turning out to be safe.
12 min read · 23 sourcesRead the guide

Every guide

All relationship guides

Each one is written for two people, from the research up. More are on the way.

Two partners on the couch, one resting in the other's lap, each on their own phone

Attachment

Anxious attachment: when love comes with worry, and how to feel steadier

What anxious attachment feels like from both sides, the common triggers, and research-backed ways to feel more secure together.

11 min readRead the guide
A woman smiling as she reads a handwritten note at the kitchen counter while her partner watches her reaction

Love languages

Words of affirmation that actually land

What they are, what the research actually says, and 50 original things to say on ordinary days, hard days and in writing.

14 min readRead the guide
A man bringing his partner a mug of tea as he works at a laptop, a hand on his shoulder

Love languages

Acts of service that actually lighten the load

What it means, what research on chores and the mental load says, and 50 ideas that help without keeping score.

12 min readRead the guide
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Agreements

What is a prenup? What it covers, what it can’t, and how it holds up

What a prenup covers, what it can’t do, what makes one hold up, and how it compares with a postnup or a relationship contract.

13 min readRead the guide
Two women laughing as they write a list on a moving box in their new apartment

Agreements

Cohabitation agreement: what it is, and what to put in yours

What a cohabitation agreement is, how US law treats unmarried couples, what to put in one, and when to call a lawyer.

11 min readRead the guide
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Relationship stages

The honeymoon phase: how long it lasts, and what comes next

How long the glow lasts, why it fades, what comes after, and the research-backed ways to keep the spark.

10 min readRead the guide
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Relationship stages

The stages of a relationship: what research says, and where you two are

Where the five-stage lists come from, what research supports, and a stage-by-stage map of the talks that matter.

10 min readRead the guide
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Connection

Emotional intimacy: what it is and how to build more of it

What emotional intimacy is, how closeness actually forms, the signs it’s thinning and the everyday habits that build it back.

11 min readRead the guide
A couple laughing over an old photo album on the living room rug, with cake and a wrapped gift beside them

Celebrations

Anniversary ideas: 60 ways to celebrate that feel like you two

Sixty original anniversary ideas for nights in, nights out, tight budgets, big milestones and long distance, plus gifts by year.

13 min readRead the guide

The Couples Contract

Turn your answers into a contract.

The guides explain the research. The Couples Contract turns it into a plan you make together: 21 sections, from dates and chores to money and the what-ifs. Answer together on one phone or apart on two, reveal side by side, agree, and sign. It isn’t legally binding, just honestly useful.

  • Reveal your answers side by side
  • A signed PDF for both of you
  • Revisit reminders, so it grows with you
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