Don't Get Lost in Transition

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For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health—your marriage vows hinted that you'd face hurdles along the way, but successfully navigating them as a couple can be harder than it seems. Whether it's because one of you becomes the caretaker of an aging parent, or because you have to uproot your family and move cross-country, major life transitions can put a strain on any relationship.

But whatever stressor or life upheaval you're going through, "it matters less what the problem actually is, and more how you deal with it," says Samantha Litzinger, Ph.D., clinical program director of the Supporting Healthy Marriage program at Montefiore Medical Center in The Bronx, N.Y. With this in mind, we spoke with experts to discover ways to navigate nine common life transitions together—and come out as a stronger couple on the other side.

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