The one thing that has helped me this year, and could help you too? Radical self-acceptance

During lockdown I embraced my spinsterhood and turned my back for ever on the pressure to pursue self-improvement and adventure. It has been a genuine relief, writes journalist Bidisha

Improve your relationships – with advice from counter-terrorism experts

Emily and Laurence Alison specialise in communication and co-operation with criminal suspects. But their methods work in the home and at work, too

How can I stop being attracted to deeply damaged men?

My father was an abusive alcoholic and everyone I have been involved with in recent years has had addiction issues. How can I escape this negative pattern?

‘Dad’s a dictator, anything goes with Mum’: how masks and distancing rules are dividing Britain

What do you do when your loved ones flout the law – or nag you about going out? As lockdown eases, attitudes to Covid-19 seem more polarised than ever

The psychological toll of coronavirus in Britain – a visual guide

From anxiety to grief, our charts illustrate five areas of mental strain faced by people across the country

Welcome to the Guardian’s Power of Touch series

Stories and poems full of loss, longing and tenderness

The power of touch: having sex with another woman shook my brain and restarted my heart

I had known her for a month or so, and ending up in bed seemed inevitable. The experience elevated touch to a whole new level

Lockdown has been a bumpy ride towards rediscovering the joy of our marriage

I looked forward to spending more time with my wife – but it took a while before romance found its way back in

I like the sound of my own voice – but does that make me a narcissist?

Millennials are said to be more narcissistic than any other cohort of society. A self-confessed self-obsessive works out whether that’s a problem

​Lockdown is straining so many relationships. ​A lot of people need help

Romantic and family ties are facing new kinds of challenges. Maybe there’s something the state can do, says Observer chief leader writer Sonia Sodha