NEWSExclusive: Dr. Jenn Berman of VH1's 'Couples Therapy' Tells Taylor Swift to Date Someone "Older"
Jan. 29 2013, Published 5:01 a.m. ET
Taylor Swift is at the top of her music career and with her latest album Red going straight to number one, the country crooner has much to celebrate.
However, personally she can't seem to catch a break and the 23-year-old has now earned a reputation of a serial dating, which has tarnished her squeaky clean image. She has been receiving bad press for her string of brief romances with John Mayer, Jake Gyllenhaal, Taylor Lautner, Joe Jonas, Conor Kennedy, and Harry Styles and she has been the butt of many jokes as a result.
We love Taylor and don't want to see her get negative attention so we chatted with Dr. Jenn Berman of VH1's Couples Therapy and host of The Love and Sex Show with Dr. Jenn on 109 on Sirius XM who offers Taylor advice on dating, love and handling the paparazzi.
OK! Taylor Swift has become known as quite the serial dater. What are your thoughts on that?
Dr. Jenn Berman: I think that it’s human nature to seek companionship and to want to be special to someone. I think in particular when you have someone who is creative and successful, that kind of personality tends to be pretty intense and emotional. It makes sense that that person would seek out to have that sort of emotional intensity and focus with another person.
OK! Why do you think her relationships are so short lived?
JB: Because I think she’s young and what we’re supposed to do when we date is to try people on for size and see if they fit. When they don’t you’re supposed to put them back on the rack. Most of us are not in the tabloids when we do that.
OK! To be at the height of your career and trying to date in public must be so hard for her, so what advice would you give?
JB: Absolutely! She should try to keep her relationships out of the media for as long as possible. I think it’s important to be protective as best as you can.
OK! Paparazzi follows her everywhere though so it’s probably hard for her to keep things under wraps right?
JB: I think it’s got to be very difficult, but there’s also a difference between commenting about your relationship and talking about it in the press and being followed by the paparazzi. The paparazzi can draw their own conclusions, but it’s up to you to share information or not share information.
OK! What do you think about Taylor writing songs about people she’s dated?
JB: I think it’s got to eliminate a whole group of men for her to date in the future.
OK! She gets hit albums out of it which is great for her, so is it something you think she should continue doing or should she find new material to write about?
JB: Creatively speaking I think it’s brilliant! We write best about what we know best and what we’re most passionate about. Creatively it is a fantastic idea. In terms of relationships, that’s not such a great idea because I think that a lot of guys who might date her would feel worried about how public this is going to be. I also think that with celebrities there is a certain expectation that someone you date is not going to speak of you in the tabloids or in the media and that’s your hope, but I think you don’t get it have it both ways. When your expectation is that they’re not going to talk about you, but you might talk about them and share it with millions.
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OK! What kind of guy do you think Taylor should date?
JB: I think that probably she needs someone older than her and someone successful and understand the business she’s in. Probably someone who is creative, but not necessarily that’s not all that they do. She could use someone who is stable and well planted.
OK! Taylor is known for making grand gestures in relationships like buying a house near Conor Kennedy’s family. What do you think that says about her?
JB: It says that she’s very impulsive and that she needs to cut that out! It’s too intense too quickly, which is understandable at her age and with her financial situation, which she needs someone in her life to help keep her in check.
OK! Taylor seems to jump from relationship to relationship and that it’s hard for her to be on her own. Why do you think that is?
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JB: I think we all seek companionship, but I think it’s got to be very isolating to be her age and have that level of success. I image that aren’t a lot of other people or other woman that can relate to that. I think there’s probably a handful.
OK! Taylor has risen to the top of her career pretty quickly and she was viewed as America’s Sweetheart and now she’s been getting some bad press because of her dating style and she’s been the butt of many jokes lately. How do you think she should handle the media attention?
JB: I think that when you are at the level she’s at and in the media as much as she is, you have to walk a fine line in between not getting too invested in what the media thinks of you and what the stories say about you because you can’t control it. Also at the same time managing your public image so it’s a fine line and it’s a tough balance, but it’s something that she needs to be careful of.
What do you think about Dr. Berman's advice? Tell us @OKMagazine!
