Dr. Kate Roberts’ Expert Tips for Navigating Valentine’s Day

Monday, February 10, 2014

GoLocalWorcester Lifestyle Team

Dr. Kate Roberts

Valentine's Day is nearing and for many people it's not all hearts and roses. For many people February 14th can cause anxiety, but Dr. Kate Roberts has ways to help you get through this romantic day whether you are single or in a new or struggling relationship.

Advice for singles

“Try to do something about being single in anticipation of Valentine’s Day,” advises Dr. Roberts. “Sign up online for dating sites or try a seven minute dating event. Push yourself to strike up a conversation with people when you have opportunities.”

New relationships

Valentine’s Day can be tricky for those in a new relationship but Dr. Roberts suggests keeping it light, “Clearly you're not yet each other's Valentines so decide together if you want to acknowledge the day.”

As for new couples deliberating what type of gifts to buy on another, Dr. Roberts offers the following advice. “It's always a challenge to buy gifts for a partner who is new and unfamiliar and that you don't have a lot of history with. You want to impress them because if it’s new you’re excited, but it needs to be appropriate and simple to fit the occasion of a new romance.”

Dr. Roberts recommends buying a small gift that has meaning to the person who’s giving the gift. “If you're a fan of a certain band you might want to give your new partner your favorite album. Or if there's a book you love you might want to buy that book and share it with your partner. A small token acknowledgment indicating that the person is special and meaningful to you but not where you're going to invest a lot of time and money into their present.”

Trouble in paradise

For couples that are having difficulties, Dr. Roberts suggests that this could be a great time to reconnect. “Think of three things that made you fall in love with your partner and highlight them in a card or gift on Valentine's Day.”

And what about a troubled relationship that is on the verge of ending? According to Dr. Roberts, an individual should never prolong a breakup because it’s nearing Valentine’s Day.

“If somebody wants to end a relationship it's hard to hide it from his or her partner. The risk of their partner knowing that something is wrong or that they're not being told everything is high and so therefore it's best to end a relationship if you know it’s over and not wait for Valentine’s Day to come and go. Additionally, ending a troubled relationship sooner than later allows you to be more sensitive to your partner’s feelings," argues Dr. Roberts.

Dr. Kate Roberts

For more than twenty-five years, Dr. Kate Roberts has helped children and families navigate through the ever evolving world of relationships. As a licensed psychologist, family therapist, and couples counselor as well as a wife and mother of two, Dr. Kate offers a unique and highly qualified perspective in her practice, in the media and in her blogs on Psychology Today, Empowering Parents, and Nobullying.com.

Related Slideshow: Valentine’s Day Events in Central Mass

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Valentine's Music Fest

Jillian's, Worcester

Grab your favorite cowboy (or girl) and take them to Jillian's on Feb. 14 for the Valentine's Day Country Music Festival. The event features acoustic country singer Lisa Marie and Bobby Hogan and Sugar Creek. The concert goes from 7:30pm to 1:30am.

Click here for more information.

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Valentine's Day Workshop

Crompton Collective, Worcester

The Worcester Historical Museum and Crompton Collective will partner for a special valentine workshop on Saturday, Feb. 8 to teach participants the history behind Valentine's Day cards. Individuals can learn the real story and make their own cards in the style of Esther Howland – the artist and businesswoman responsible for popularizing Valentine's Day greeting cards in America.

Click here for more details.

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Parent's Night Out

The Children's Workshop, all MA locations

Would you like a night out for Valentine’s Day? Bring the kids to The Children’s Workshop! They will provide supervision, fun, entertainment and snacks for the kids while parents enjoy a night off. This service is FREE and open to the community! You do not need to enroll to take advantage of this great event. Space is limited. Please RSVP by February 7th.

The Children’s Workshop has 7 locations throughout Massachusetts.

For more information, click here.

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Valentine's Day Symphony

University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center, Worcester

The Seven Hills Symphony's Winter (Valentine's Day) Concert, which will take place Feb. 14 from 7:30pm to 9pm, features an all-Romantic program. The concert will showcase the winner and runner-up of SHS's concerto competition. Winner Spencer Kim will be the soloist for the first movement of Dvorak's Cello Concerto and runner-up Miranda Waltz-Peters will be the soloist for the first movement of Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1.

This is a free event, but donations are encouraged.

Click here for more information.

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A Lesson in Chocolate

Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston

Make the most of your Valentine's chocolate and learn which chemicals elicit biochemical reactions in the human brain. During the presentation, you will also learn how to taste chocolate for quality and the best way to enjoy it. The event features presenter Mike Cross, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Northern Essex Community College.

Click here to register.

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Ice Skating

Buffone Arena, Worcester

Are you looking for a romantic and fun activity this Valentine's Day? Look no further than ice skating at Buffone Arena. In honor of V-Day, Buffone will host a live, ice-slide DJ event so you can skate and rock the night away.

Admission is $5 and an additional $5 for rental skates.

For more information, click here.

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Valentine's Day Ball

Bull Run Restaurant, Shirley

Enjoy a romantic night of dining & dancing at the Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley, just 20 minutes from Worcester. Enjoy dinner and the upbeat music of Bellevue Cadillac, known as "The Most Danceable Band on the Planet." Doors open at 6pm for dinner & seating. Showtime is 8pm.

Tickets for the performance $25 in advance and $30 the day of the show.

Click here to buy tickets.

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Valentine's Day Dinner

Publick House, Sturbridge

The historic Publick House in Sturbridge will be offering a special Valentine's Day Dinner Menu on Feb. 14. Entrees include roasted prime rib, pan-seared salmon, roasted duck, and lobster pie. Click here to view the menu in its entirety.

Click here to make reservations.

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Valentine's Day Massacre

Lucky Dog Music Hall, Worcester

Why not do some head banging this Valentine's Day? Rock out with your mate from 8pm to 2am on Feb. 14 at the Valentine's Day Massacre at the Lucky Dog Music Hall. The event features six metal bands: Deception Of A Ghost, A Faylene Sky, It Lies Within, Kerrigan, Shred Of Salvation, and Promise Of Fire.

Click here for the details.

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Historic Valentines

Old Sturbridge Village

On Feb. 8th and 9th, children can make their own valentines and visitors of all ages can "meet" the local woman responsible for the popularity of sending valentines in the United States – Esther Howland.

Admission is $24 for adults and free for children under 17.

Click here for more information.

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Dinner for Two

7 Nana Japanese Steakhouse, Worcester

Did you know that many components in Japanese cuisine have long been known to be natural aphrodisiacs? Ingredients such as rice, wasabi, ginger, unagi, sake, even shitake mushrooms can fuel romance. So if you’re looking to start your evening with some natural and edible sparks, join 7 Nana on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, and either choose from their regular dinner menu, or make your reservation for one of their special prix fixe menu seatings and enjoy a special Valentine’s Day menu.

To make reservations, click here.

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Chocolate Making

Old Sturbridge Village

Learn about the history of chocolate - from bean to beverage - on Feb. 8th and 9th at Old Sturbridge Village. OSV historians will demonstrate processing chocolate by hand using cacao beans in the original manner of ancient Mexico, where chocolate originates. They will use a "metate" to grind freshly roasted chocolate "nibs" to make a hot, spiced chocolate drink.

Admission is $24 for adults and free for children under 17.

For more information, go here.