Relationships

Boundaries are a popular topic right now, especially on social media. But if you consider yourself a people pleaser, you might find it stressful—if not impossible—to set them. I’m here to convince you that setting healthy boundaries is worth the effort, both for your own well-being and your ability to…

Romantic relationships can be a wonderful part of life, but they aren’t without their complications. Throughout a relationship, a variety of emotions can come up — from profound happiness and elation to deep despair and anger, and everything in between.  The key to creating a healthy and happy relationship is…

Healthy relationships have the power to bring joy, connection, and improved self-esteem. However, anxiety can disrupt those feelings and take a toll, both on the person experiencing it and their partner.  By understanding the roots of anxiety and its impact on the relationship, couples can create emotional safety and develop…

Childhood trauma can cast a long shadow over a person’s life, affecting how you connect with others well into adulthood. It can make it difficult to navigate conflict, develop an effective communication style, build trust, and overcome fears of vulnerability. If early traumatic experiences are affecting your adult relationships, it’s…

Relationships offer many rewards—support, love, acceptance, belonging, companionship, and understanding. However, they also come with challenges. As time goes on, people change, and it can be hard to adjust to these changes, whether in your partner or yourself. You might even find that you’re no longer attracted to your husband…

There may come a time when someone with a mental illness — like depression, anxiety, or PTSD — needs your help. While mental health conditions require proper treatment from a mental health professional like a counselor or psychiatrist, you can provide help in the form of comfort, reassurance, and support….

Whether it’s about location, career goals, kids, religion, money, or something else, realizing you and your partner have different visions for the future can make you question everything. It can cause you to worry about whether or not you truly belong together or if you can have “it all”. And…

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a condition that can make trusting other people and establishing lasting relationships extremely difficult. This can make coping with BPD in relationships frustrating for the person carrying the diagnosis, as well as for a loved one trying to understand and be supportive.  While navigating borderline…

Being in a romantic relationship has its ups and downs. But what about dating someone who has a mental health condition like bipolar disorder?  As it so happens, dating someone with bipolar disorder I or II may not be so different from dating anyone else. Although it’s true that people…

Overthinking in a relationship is something we all do from time to time. However, if it happens all the time, it can become unhelpful and even detrimental. The constant internal chatter can make you believe thoughts that are not necessarily true, such as convincing yourself that people you love don’t…

Trust issues are characterized by fear of betrayal, abandonment, or manipulation. And this fear is often triggered as a result of betrayal (such as infidelity), abandonment (think: leaving a child or foregoing a relationship with them), or manipulation (for example, dishonesty or gaslighting). If someone you trusted — a partner,…

Attachment disorders in adults often stem from childhood issues and impact how a person relates and connects with others and themselves. If you think you have an adult attachment disorder, it can be worthwhile to explore the causes and symptoms. Once you better understand attachment disorders, you can begin healing…