Most of us can probably relate to what it’s like to deal with someone who stonewalls us. We want to talk; they walk away. If a difficult topic arises, they avoid the issue or distract us with unrelated criticisms. Maybe they just change the subject in an effort to avoid real communication. Unfortunately, this practice […]
Learned helplessness is a psychological concept that refers to a state where people feel unable to change their circumstances, even when opportunities for change exist. In the context of relationships, learned helplessness can lead to feelings of powerlessness, resentment, and a lack of motivation to improve the relationship. Learned helplessness can doom a relationship. But […]
We humans are social creatures. We crave companionship and interaction with others. Besides satisfying these needs, healthy friendships, marriages, partnerships, and relationships with other family members provide us with love, support, and companionship. At times, however, negative feelings can overcome the good, and the result is an unhappy relationship. When this happens, we can begin […]
Relationships are an essential to our happiness and well-being. However, not all relationships are healthy and fulfilling. Some relationships are worse than merely unhealthy – they are downright dangerous and threatening to both our emotional and mental health. Understanding the signs of a toxic relationship is critical, because detecting these issues early makes it much […]
Do you believe in love at first sight? We’ve heard fairy tales about it, read books, heard songs, even watched movies where love at first sight is the main premise. Whether we believe them or not, people we know claim to have experienced it. Or perhaps we have experienced it ourselves. Do You Believe in […]
Relationships help us stay connected to the people we care about and provide us with a sense of belonging. However, relationships can also be challenging, especially when it comes to setting healthy boundaries. Boundaries are important, if not essential. They help us establish our needs, expectations, and limits. For the best outcomes, it’s key to […]
Relationships play a significant role in satisfying our needs for companionship, support, and human interaction. In this way healthy relationships bolster our physical and mental well-being. Unfortunately, relationships can also be a source of distress. Especially when our partner is unwilling or unable to satisfy our personal emotional relationships needs. Or unwilling to respect healthy […]
Relationships are challenging. People have different priorities, opinions, strengths, challenges, faults, skills, and idiosyncrasies. With all the different attitudes, thoughts, and feelings we each bring to a relationship, it’s kind of a miracle that any relationship is successful! But, despite all these complexities, it’s actually quite simple to predict the relationships that will thrive. Because […]
Do you have a secret? If you’re like most people, you may have up to a dozen! We keep secrets for all kinds of reasons: shame, embarrassment, insecurity, to maintain privacy, or to protect someone else. Having a secret, in and of itself, doesn’t necessarily hurt us. It’s whether we dwell on it, and how […]
Emotional blackmail is a form of manipulation that is used to control an individual’s emotions, actions, and behavior. It is a tactic that involves the use of fear, guilt, shame, and obligation to get someone to do something that they may not want to do. Emotional blackmail can come from anyone, including family members, friends, […]
