Stefanie Stahl is a bestselling author and psychotherapist, Lukas Klaschinski is a podcast star and psychologist. Here the two talk about singles and the ideas of a relationship.
Lukas Klaschinski: Steffi, you are in a happy relationship, but it wasn’t always like that. Have you had phases in your life when you were happily single?
Stefanie Stahl: Absolutely, that was me. Sometimes very consciously, sometimes simply because there was no interesting man in my life at the time.
Lukas Klaschinski: There are many different reasons why you lead a single life, voluntarily or involuntarily. Some have made a conscious decision to do this because they want to focus their energies on work or have just been through a difficult breakup. Some choose a life that is not oriented toward romantic partnerships at all, but rather toward friendships and family. And then there are people who want a relationship but are unsuccessful in finding a partner or are unsure whether they even want a relationship.
Stefanie Stahl: Yes, some people feel a lot of ambivalence about committed relationships. You long for closeness and intimacy, but are afraid that a relationship will be stressful or even fail. Some even believe they are incapable of being in a relationship. I think we should dedicate this column to these people.