Interview with Raquel Peel. Singles Find Creative Ways to Date during the Pandemic.

Love in the time of coronavirus is a challenge, with social distancing measures keeping singles from mingling in the usual ways. that hasn't stopped some people from getting creative to get to know each other, including via candlelit dinners on zoom and facetime. Raquel Peel, psychology and counselling lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland, says people do want to stay connected. I think it's inspiring us to be more creative and imaginative. and that can be a really helpful way to express love, to communicate love.

So, we are talking about singles at the moment, let's talk about singles who are in a relationship, but they are not living in the same house or under the same roof stop how do they maintain that physical intimacy or that romantic intimacy at all?

I think people are following the rules of the states in which they live, and provided they can go live with each other, then it's again, about having a think, is this the best situation? Could we possibly be moving in together, maybe that is because always needed to take that next step and join toothbrushes. that's a lovely way of saying it was not a very romantic way of saying it.

Talking about singles, let's now talk about couples who are actually living in the same space as well, usually, if you are living in a small space, you are bound to get on top of each other at some point. tension is going to build. how do you either that -- is that tension?

Tensions will build but it's a great opportunity to set up things in your relationship or marriage. think about how you relate to one another, yes, we have to be on top of each other and work together. Still, we also have more time with one another — so using more positive interactions throughout the day, validating each other's feelings and acknowledging each other.

In the end, this will actually improve people's relationships. and when you throw some kids on top of that small space as well, how do you get some private space to yourself? how do you keep that intimacy with your partner? yeah, it's all about managing routine. talk to the kids, if you communicate them, you can say mummy and daddy need time to work on their own hobbies, you could put it that way.

It's all about communicating and thinking about how you can manage that routine. it isn't a juggling game, and I want to talk about something I  read earlier. calls to divorce lawyers have risen during this time. what is it about spending so much time with your chosen one, your special soulmate, what is it about spending so much time with them that really gets on your nerves?

That you realise maybe this relationship isn't actually working? yeah, I am concerned about that. I have written articles about what do we do. I think the fact we are not used to spending as much time with our partners because we are at work and doing other commitments. it's again because we need to look at different ways to relate. we need to change the way we are doing things.

If we don't, there is the rescue could be walking relationship breakdown. -- the risk you could be walking towards relationship breakdown. and we ask you how you and your significant other spending this time.