As 2025 draws to a close, sex columnist Simone Paget reflects on a year of navigating complex intimacy trends, from saliva kinks to AI dating. In a recent article, she distilled crucial advice from leading experts to guide Canadians toward healthier connections in 2026.
Rethinking Communication: It's Okay to Sleep on It
One piece of conventional wisdom that experts urge couples to abandon is the old adage "don't go to bed angry." Relationship coach Dawn Smith argues this rule forces difficult conversations when people are least equipped for them. "We have about two hours of peak critical thinking time, starting roughly an hour after we wake up," Smith explained. Trying to resolve conflicts late at night, when anxiety is high and critical thinking is low, often backfires.
Instead, Smith champions the strategic use of time-outs. She encourages partners to pause heated discussions and agree to revisit them in the morning with clearer, more rested minds, leading to more effective and compassionate solutions.
Celebrating Ambition and Confronting Emotional Avoidance
The year's celebrity engagements, like Taylor Swift's, sparked conversations about ambition in partnerships. Dating expert Julie Nguyen highlights that a secure partner, like Travis Kelce, isn't intimidated by success but celebrates it. "A partner who can be in your world without demanding equal attention shows a deep sense of self-assurance," Nguyen notes. Therapist Reesa Morala adds that this support builds the safety and security essential for deep intimacy.
Paget also challenges the narrative around the male loneliness epidemic, suggesting the core issue is often a fear of vulnerability, not commitment. Dr. Anthony Silard, author of Love and Suffering, observes that emotional armour built to avoid pain ultimately blocks love. "Letting love in starts with learning to be emotionally honest with ourselves," he advises, a process where therapy can be invaluable.
The Real Divorce Predictor Isn't Money
While financial strain is often blamed for marital breakdowns, experts point to a more corrosive force: contempt. Divorce lawyer Holly J. Moore states that contempt, not cash flow, is the ultimate predictor of divorce. It manifests in dismissive language and eye-rolling, poisoning the relationship foundation.
"Contempt is basically like a slow-acting poison in a relationship," Moore explains. "Unlike frustration or even resentment... contempt is a deeper, more corrosive type of emotion." It erodes empathy, blocks problem-solving, and drives irreversible disconnection between partners.
The collective wisdom from 2025's experts underscores one universal recommendation: seeking help is a strength. Whether aiming to improve a relationship, navigate personal intimacy struggles, or simply find a supportive space to talk, therapy is a powerful tool. As Paget concludes, the world and relationships are complex, and we don't have to manage them alone.
