respect and effective communication is something that I see lacking in longer-term partners when they start to hit the skids.

The relationships, the long-term relationships that are really surviving are the ones where they place each other at the top of the tree of priority.

That is with time, that is with respect and that is with tuning in to the needs of their partner. A minute we make that commitment to each other,

maybe officially or in verbally, that's not when the work stops. In fact, that's when the work starts.

Anna Williamson is a therapist. She's here to be your wise counsel as you navigate your romantic relationships in midlife.

A big welcome back to the Lizz Lizz L'Eil Well Being show. This is the

podcast helping us all have a better second half. I am Lizz Earl and my

mission, well as the title of my latest book says, it's for all of us to find

this better second half. Whatever age or stage of life, single, romantically together, whatever, wherever we are, we can do it better.

We can all find ways for us to thrive in later life by investing in our health and our well

being today on every level and that means also looking at our relationships.

So how do you feel about your romantic relationship?

Do you have one?

How do you even approach relationships and how has that changed over time for me personally for those of you who know me well here? Yes, there's been a lot of change. I've been married twice, divorced twice, single for a significant amount of time and I'm now back in a lovely romantic relationship with a boyfriend.

So lots of change and I think managing change is that difficult

stage isn't it? Well Anna is a counselor, therapist and psychotherapist who uses all of her skills to brilliantly offer advice and an incredibly friendly hand to hold on magazines on TV.

She got two brilliant podcasts, The Experian Cost of Loving

podcast and Lou Anna the podcast. And I'm really keen to chat to Anna here

because I know from my post bag just how many new questions can arise in our relationships as we hit midlife and

menopause of course let's throw that one into the equation too or in fact the issue that it

maybe it's all feeling a bit same old same old in the current relationship

So whether you're dating whether you are in a long-term relationship or maybe even considering divorce

...