Therapist Charisse Cooke says mornings are the perfect time for sex. “The feel-good hormones that flood our system are healthier than caffeine and also longer lasting.”
Charisse Cooke (HUFFPOST)

Hot Off The Press

Here's the quick links to some of my latest press clippings... enjoy!

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The Anxious-Avoidant Dance: What Happens When Insecure Attachment Styles Combine?

welldoing.org

Adult attachment can complicate our relationships enormously. In our partnerships, each other’s attachment styles can impact the quality of the relationship, the communication that takes place within it, and even how long the relationship is likely to last.

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Is Whatsapp Intimacy Your Love Language?

huffpost

So, why is this style of communication so addictive and where are its pitfalls? We spoke to Charisse Cook, a relationship psychotherapist, to find out how to navigate different love languages where one partner is online more than the other.

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Tips For Addressing Your Need For Alone Time With Your Partner

glam

Psychotherapist Charisse Cooke told the outlet that we expect our similarities to guarantee less conflict in the long-run, but that this assumption is actually misguided and can lead to a dead-end.

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How To Handle Your Friend Hooking Up With Your Ex

glamour

"[Your ex and friend hooking up] can raise some difficult questions within the friendship," therapist Charisse Cooke tells Glamour U.K. "Have they always fancied each other? Was there emotional infidelity when you were in a relationship with them?"

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Woman Leaves Family Trip After Eavesdropping On Husband’s Conversation

boredpanda

“When relationships are toxic, we are not living in reality. We are either living in a fantasy, where we believe, despite all evidence to the country, that a good relationship is possible, or we are addicted to the toxic dynamics within the relationship, and can’t give it up", says Charisse.

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How to use dating apps like a pro

The Face

“Give something specific about you in your profile to start conversations,” says relationship therapist Charisse Cooke. ​“It’s hard getting in touch with a stranger and saying something that will be interesting and able to give you both an opportunity to put yourselves across in a good light. 

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How to deal with intense crushes on fictional characters as an adult

metro

Relationship Psychotherapist Charisse Cooke tells Metro.co.uk: ‘Fictional characters offer us an insight into their thoughts and feelings in ways we just don’t get to with our real-life friends and partners.

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Can a friendship ever really survive if you sleep with her ex-boyfriend?

GLamour

Charisse Cooke, a qualified therapist with over 10 years experience in the industry, points out, “It can raise some difficult questions within the friendship: Have they always fancied each other? Was there emotional infidelity when you were in a relationship with them?"

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Queer couples give tips to straights on break ups

woo

It strikes me as pretty mature and emotionally intelligent for former couples to manage to navigate a way through all this and remain friends. Relationship psychotherapist Charisse Cooke tells Woo that the current generation has never been more “relationally” intelligent. 

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Sex helps men live longer - and has surprising health benefits for women.

irish mirror

“Many people do not recognise the vast array of health benefits sex has,” says Charisse Cooke, relationship psychotherapist. “Of course, psychologically, sex is about bonding and connection, reassurance and feeling close to our partners. But..."

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Four tips on dating while grieving the loss of your partner

woman alive

Losing your partner is the most difficult experience and continuing with every day life can be daunting. Allowing someone new into your life can feel overwhelming too and possibly impossible to consider, here relationship therapist Charisse Cooke explains what to consider.

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'Breadcrumbing': The dangers of the dating trend

yahoo life uk

The reasons why people's words or number of messages don't seem to match their actions may run deeper too, explains Cooke. "Research shows that 25% of us are anxiously attached and 20% of us are avoidantly attached in our romantic relationships. 

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How to stay in the moment and not let your mind wander during sex

metro

Charisse Cooke, sex and relationship therapist, says it’s not uncommon for your minds to wander during certain parts of sex. ‘Intense sexual experiences cannot happen each and every time, and that’s OK,’ Charisse tells Metro.co.uk. ‘

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Expert Reveals Couples Trends Expected For 2022

GDI

In the lookahead for the next twelve months, Charisse Cooke has shared a number of goals that couples should be setting themselves to keep their relationship strong throughout what she believes could be a turbulent 2022 – including a trick taken from the board room.

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Tattoos Don't Make Someone A 'Bad Boy', Says Dating Expert

TYLA

Relationship therapist Charisse Cooke says associating bad behaviour with tattoos, even if you find rebellious guys attractive, is outdated. “To our parents' generation, tattoos symbolised an act of rebellion," she tells Tyla.

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My Long Engagement Has Been Hard – Here’s How We’ve Made It Work

REFINERY29

"If there are no time restrictions, long engagements can be a special time. A time when couples feel secure within their partnership so can enjoy each other and have no insecurities about the future," relationship therapist Charisse Cooke tells R29.

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How the ‘divorced guy’ became a meme and an identity

GQ

Therapist Charisse Cooke has worked with many clients at different stages of divorce. She tells GQ that, generally, she sees two prevailing emotions in men: sadness and anger. Both of these can manifest in different ways and prompt “dramatic changes” in behaviour.

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5 Romantic Hotels For A Steamy Date Night In London

METRO

Online relationship therapist Charisse Cooke echoes this: ‘Being in a hotel allows us to tune into each other again, reminding ourselves of the importance of our partnership. It primes us to be a little bit more romantic and to prioritise sex.'

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Kanye West’s recent behaviour is a magnification of what we all go through after a break-up

independent

Relationship therapist Charisse Cooke explains that there is an element of a “honeymoon” period at the end of a relationship similar to that at the beginning. During this time, both parties may be in agreement about their separation and feel at peace with moving forward. “But after a period of time, the loss and grief will kick in,” Cooke says.

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Why Is Everyone So Obsessed With The Friends Reunion?

marie claire

Here is what Charisse had to say, "It was a comforting and important lesson in relationships and its popularity is in part down to the kindness and forgiveness the characters displayed – something that isn’t necessarily a given in many people’s friendship groups or families in real life."

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12 Morning Habits That'll Make You Energised For The Day

HUFFPOST

Therapist Charisse Cooke says mornings are the perfect time for sex. “The feel-good hormones that flood our system are healthier than caffeine and also longer lasting,” she says.

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We Love This Relationship Advice From Mae Martin's Feel Good

HUFFPOST

“I love gardening and flower analogies when it comes to relationships,” says Charisse Cooke, an online relationship therapist. “They are brilliant at showing us the care that is required, but this concept of being the gardener or the bonsai is a good one.”

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Seagulling: You Don’t Want Them But No One Else Can Have Them

METRO

Why do we want to be with someone we know we’re not compatible with, or keep things going even if there’s no spark? According to Charisse Cooke, Online Relationship Expert: "It’s called anxious attachment".

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Gaming With My Husband Made Our Marriage Stronger

WIRED

“As humans we are naturally competitive,” Charisse told WIRED. “In a situation where couples are either competing against each other, or joining as a team against others, this can be a bonding experience."

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Dating Can Be Tough - Expert Tips For Rebuilding Confidence

iNDEPENDENT

“I suggest my clients start off slow, going for a drink or coffee date that lasts no longer than an hour or two. If weather permits, a picnic or bike ride could be a great way to get the chemistry going,” says Charisse Cooke, relationship therapist.

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Does Revenge Actually
Make Us Feel Good?

METRO

If we decide to hurt another individual, this is likely to mess with our moral compass further down the line. Online relationship therapist Charisse Cooke says: "The human in us will struggle with feelings of guilt, regret or bitterness as a result."

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Reset Days: What Are They And How Can They Help You

stylist

“Our lives today have very few boundaries. There is no demarcation between work time and personal time, business and play,” explains Charisse Cooke, a relationship therapist.

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How To Tell The Difference Between Instinct And Anxiety

metro

Psychotherapist Charisse Cooke says to trust anxiety before big moments in your life. "Anxiety isn’t always negative. In fact, we experience anxiety and excitement in exactly the same ways," she explains.

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How 'Golden Penis Syndrome' is ruining dating for university women

mailonline

Relationship therapist Charisse Cooke told FEMAIL: 'Golden Penis Syndrome speaks of the delusional belief that you are unusually and uniquely gifted as a man, sexually or otherwise, and are above established norms of good manners, respect and dating etiquette.

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Why Short-Term Relationships Can Hurt Just As Bad When They Fall Apart

tyla

Relationship expert and therapist, Charisse Cooke says, "Research has shown that the ‘intensity of feelings’ and the ‘treatment we receive’ during a relationship dictates how we feel about it, rather than just the length of time."

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Is there such a thing as a ‘chill breakup’?

metro

Relationship therapist Charisse Cooke says: ‘People who feel relaxed and unemotional about ending a relationship, particularly a serious relationship, are likely to have an avoidant attachment style.’

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Relationship guru's sex tips for keeping the spark alive in 'tough' festive season

MIRROR

Charisse believes a healthy sex life is the most important factor in maintaining a strong relationship - and if couples are ignoring issues in the bedroom, those issues will almost definitely spill over into other aspects of the relationship.

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How to avoid festive frustrations
in your relationship 

THE IRISH EXAMINER

Relationship expert and psychotherapist Charisse Cooke says sex is often the first thing to go when couples hit busy times like Christmas. She recommends making time for more frequent sex over the festive season to combat relationship conflict and tension.

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How to deal with a heartbreak from a girl who’s been through way too many

kindred

“Often we're too scared to see the writing on the wall,” Cooke says. “We bury our heads in the sand or rationalise incompatibilities away. When we're dating, or seeing, or even living with someone, we're in research mode. We can really challenge ourselves to collect all the research: the good and the not-so-good.” 

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Why women should propose to men – surprising psychological benefits

HELLO

Charisse explains: "A woman considering proposing to her partner usually represents a woman who values her independence and autonomy - as well as the ability to have control over her own life."

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How To Enjoy Spending Time Alone This Winter

creative impact

Online therapist Charisse Cooke encourages you to find your way to “treat yourself”. You might go for a walk and watch the sunset. You can make or order a delicious, nourishing meal. Or have a long bath listening to calming music.

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I admit it. I’m a serial ‘ghoster’. Did I have the guts to say sorry?

mailonline

Ghosting isn’t new, but online relationship therapist Charisse Cooke believes the internet has made it more prevalent. ‘Being online makes it easier to have a lack of normal manners and etiquette. You are less accountable and distance means you can avoid difficult conversations or responsibility,’ she says.

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