Yahoo Lifestyle 
Why are so many couples breaking up in 2023?
Divorce season is upon us, but why?
Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've probably heard that a lot of celebrity couples are breaking up right now.
No one is safe from the latest Hollywood divorce curse: from longstanding couples like Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness, to young parents like Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner, things are looking grim in La La Land.
So what is with the rise of celebrity divorces in 2023?
Relationship expert Melissa Ferrari says to not discount the impact the Covid-19 global pandemic had on couples young and old.
'People are struggling since Covid'
"We experienced something that almost felt like going through, for some people, another World War Two. So it really has shaken people up," Melissa told Yahoo Lifestyle.
"And I think what happened is that people who were potentially vulnerable to mental health issues, it really created a climate for it to emerge. And the impact that it had on children around things like homeschooling... it created some difficulties within the families and in some cases, division between partners."
Melissa also explained that people's normal lives and schedules being interrupted had an effect on relationships.
"For many people imagine that somebody really keeps themselves happy through attending the gym every day," she explained. "But so many people, that kind of stuff was taken away there for a little while. And so the impact of that really affected them individually, and I think in turn, affected relationships as well."
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What to do to get your relationship back on track
Before we all exclaim "love is dead!" and throw in the towel, Melissa has some words of advice for couples struggling to reignite the spark after years of stress.
And it turns out, it's one often used on MAFS.
"A very, very powerful exercise is actually eye gazing. That's where, daily, you gaze into each other's eyes, even if it's only for a few minutes. People tend to find that that does excite the nervous system a little bit more, and people can start to feel more connected," she shared.
"But I think also what we call joint attention, finding things that excite both of you, whatever that might be, and use that to see the relationship. A lot of what we feel in a relationship is actually about our mood. And if we're able to elevate our mood together, that can be a real powerful experience in helping in the longevity," she said.
"A lot of people navigate their relationships without full agreements as to why they're even together, or agreements around what they both want from the relationship. I think coming back to agreements is really, really important," Melissa finished.
So go forth, friends. Gaze into your loved ones' eyes and hold them tight.
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