Love is a top priority when thinking about entering into a long-term committed relationship. In fact, 88 percent of Americans report that love is the most important reason to consider getting married. We want to feel loved by, and be in love with, our partner.

Relationships are faced with more pressure than ever before. In addition to the long-standing stress of things like finances, life transitions and family dynamics, couples are also faced with challenges of emotional bonding and keeping intimacy alive.

We look to our partners for comfort, reassurance, and closeness and feel hurt when we are not experiencing that kind of connection in our relationship. Partners can find themselves stuck in unhealthy patterns of disconnect and, over time, start thinking that they are no longer meant to be together.