In this HuffPost feature on therapist-recommended date ideas, Tara Gogolinski, LMFT, offered practical, research-informed ways couples can rebuild connection outside of the therapy room. She explained that the usual culprit behind couples drifting apart isn't a lack of time together, but the kind of time they're spending — daily logistics quietly crowding out the moments that actually build closeness. Tara introduced her concept of the "side-by-side date," where partners engage in a shared parallel activity like cooking, pottery, or hiking, noting that this format reduces threat responses while still creating a positive shared experience.

Tara also spoke to the deeper emotional skills beneath a good date, not just the activity itself. She shared her "What I Never Said" date, where each partner shares something they've always wanted to say while the other responds only with "thank you for telling me," and her "No Fixing Walk," where one partner speaks uninterrupted for ten minutes while the other listens without offering solutions. She emphasized that couples often default to fixing because they love their partner and want to rescue them from pain, but that feeling truly heard, without being redirected toward a solution, is one of the most bonding experiences two people can share. Her contribution highlighted that novelty alone isn't enough to reconnect couples, it has to be paired with emotional safety, which is what allows real intimacy to take root.

In a recent Scary Mommy feature on the pursuer-distancer dynamic in relationships, Tara Gogolinski, LMFT, offered insight into why this pattern shows up so often between couples. She explained that one partner tends to move toward conflict — asking questions, seeking reassurance, wanting to talk things through — while the other moves away, going quiet or needing space. Tara highlighted that this is one of the most common cycles she sees in her therapy room, and that both partners are actually trying to connect, just through opposite instincts. Her contribution brought a steady, compassionate lens to a dynamic that can otherwise feel like blame or rejection, reminding readers that the pursuer's "attack" is really a cry of "I need you," and the distancer's withdrawal is really "I don't want to hurt you."

In a recent Her Campus feature on the emotional complexity of losing a close friend, Tara Gogolinski, LMFT, offered insight into why these breakups can feel so disorienting and painful. She explained that many friendship endings create a form of ambiguous loss — there’s no clear rupture, no conversation, and often no chance to repair or say goodbye. Tara highlighted how this lack of closure can leave people replaying moments, searching for answers, and struggling to make sense of a relationship that quietly changed shape. Her contribution brought a steady, compassionate lens to an experience many young adults navigate alone, reminding readers that grief in friendship is real, valid, and worthy of care.

In a recent Newsweek feature exploring why so many people remain in relationships that feel more practical than emotionally nourishing, Tara Gogolinski, LMFT, offered a clarifying counterpoint to the viral “settling” discourse. Drawing on 15 years of clinical experience, she reframed the conversation away from the myth of a perfect match and toward the deeper forces that shape how couples stay, struggle, or grow together. Tara emphasized that what often looks like “settling” is more accurately a mix of fear, identity, cultural pressure, and the very real investments people make over time—factors that can cloud clarity but can also be worked with when couples have the right tools. Her contribution brought nuance, compassion, and a grounded understanding of relational dynamics to a conversation that had been dominated by oversimplified takes.

Tara Gogolinski, LMFT, was featured in TIME discussing the subtle but impactful signs of emotional unavailability in relationships. She offered insight into how partners often protect themselves through distance, shutdown, or over‑functioning — and why these patterns can leave couples feeling disconnected even when the love is still there. Tara highlighted the importance of emotional safety, curiosity, and attunement as the foundation for rebuilding closeness.

In this HuffPost feature, Tara Gogolinski, LMFT, shares why the strongest couples stay curious about each other’s inner worlds — not just their routines. She explains how thoughtful questions help partners deepen emotional attunement, build secure connection, and navigate stress with more clarity and compassion. Her insights highlight how small, consistent check‑ins can transform the way couples understand and support one another.

In this Realtor.com feature, Tara Gogolinski, LMFT, shares the essential money conversations couples should have before they begin house hunting. She highlights how transparency, emotional context, and shared decision‑making help partners navigate finances without slipping into blame, shutdown, or power struggles — and how these early talks set the foundation for a more grounded, collaborative home‑buying process.

In this AskMen interview, Tara Gogolinski, LMFT, explains how a “dating audit” can help people break old patterns, date with more intention, and build connections that actually align with their long‑term goals. She highlights the emotional skills, self‑reflection questions, and mindset shifts that move dating from autopilot to something more grounded, aware, and meaningful.