Olympic couples are mixing romance with competition in Paris. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, says a psychologist.

Competing in such a highly-charged environment as the Olympics might sound daunting for anybody, let alone for those doing it while in a committed relationship with someone as competitive as them.

But that doesn’t mean these relationships are doomed, said clinical psychologist Isabelle Morley. They may even become stronger.

“Talk about a great opportunity for intense social bonding,” said Morley, who provides individual and couples therapy in Boston.

“It’s an incredible shared experience to have.”

Another potential hurdle in the relationship is the extensive time the partners spend apart during training sessions.

In a 2022 interview published on FC Bayern Munich’s website, German soccer player Lea Schüller and her partner, Austrian sailor Lara Vadlau, talked about competing in the Olympics for the first time together.

“I find it really helpful because both of us understand what you have to do for your sport, that you’re away a lot and don’t see each other that often. Otherwise, it would be really hard,” Vadlau said.

“On the other hand, if I wasn’t a sportswoman we could see each other a lot more often,” Schüller said.

Speaking about the issues or outsourcing it to a third party like a therapist, family member, or friend could help process difficult feelings that could hinder the relationship, said Morley.

In Morley’s opinion, however, it is very possible for couples to come out of the Olympics stronger than ever — together and as individuals.

“There is so much room for individual work and growth if you’re in this situation,” she said. “Why is this getting to me so much? Is their success actually eclipsing me and making me less valuable in this relationship, or is that my own stuff that I have to work on? Am I not seeing myself having enough value just being a person in this relationship?”

What is more, the shared experience of going together to the highest competition in the world is one that cannot be forgotten easily.

“Not just the wonderful outcome with all of the bells and whistles, but to have someone notice the bad parts of it — training however many hours a day, crying at night because they’re not feeling ready, wondering if they should back out fighting with teammates — we haven’t seen any of that, but their partner has.”

“And that’s incredible.”