Recognize the signs. Photo by Sweet Life on Unsplash Have you ever been in an exchange with a partner, and it seems you can never win? Even more, you feel so weakened that you have to win. Somehow, you presented an issue, but by the end, you apologized because frustration boiled over. The first time I heard of these scenarios, I thought my therapist was in the room listening to my day-to-day life in my prior relationship. Before we move on, I do not write articles so you can weaponize them against your partner. I don’t write articles so you can throw a parade and put y ..read more

Experts share less obvious signs of a toxic relationship. Image courtesy of Unsplash It was like a lightning bolt went off in her head, Jennifer fell upon an online support site for women in difficult relationships. Those types of relationships will make you want to bury your head in the pillow from sheer emotional exhaustion the moment your partner leaves the house. That type of relationship. The relationship that drains the life from you, the spark you once had for life; the relationship where a verbal backhanded insult would immediately follow one nice comment. Jennifer was h ..read more

The science of love: how contempt is the biggest killer of relationships, as explained by The Gottman Doctors on The Diary of a CEO Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash Contempt. If you had tuned into the ‘The Gottman Doctors’ episode on Steven Bartlett’s podcast, The Diary of a CEO, you would have heard how contempt can be the biggest killer of relationships. Drs. John and Julie Gottman explored how this negative emotional response may be the most significant indicator for divorce. What is contempt, and why does it have such a monumental impact on relationships? Let’s delve into ..read more

And say they deserve it…abusive men do. Photo by Budgeron Bach: On Pexels I’m up late night talking to a friend. She’s the sweetest of the sweet. She’s someone who feels things deeply, almost to her detriment. She could use protection. It reminds me of a moment, during my divorce. I’m devastated and crying. “Colleen,” says my friend. “You are missing a protective coating.” Her words catch me off guard. Not because she speaks them. Not because they may not be true. Especially, during the most devastating time in my life. But because under other circumstances, I might ha ..read more

Ex-Partner Who Is Married Contacted You…What Would You Do? A discussion on reconnecting with ex-partners and ethical considerations. Before we delve into today’s topic, it’s important to establish an understanding that relationships are complex, and the decision to reconnect with an ex-partner who is now married can evoke a myriad of emotions and considerations. The scenario of receiving communication from an ex-partner who is married can elicit a range of responses, each influenced by personal experiences, values, and circumstances. Some may view it as an opportunity to reminisce, catch ..read more

There’s a risk with always needing to have the last word. Photo by Keira Burton As a fellow “stubborn” person, I know that most of us are aware we possess this trait. For some, it’s even a badge of honour! After all, the positive effects of stubbornness include a determination to reach goals, advocacy for self and others, confidence in conversations, etc. It’s not all bad. However, there’s a steep downside when it comes to interpersonal dynamics. In healthy, adult relationships, a stubborn person can throw off the balance over time. It may be so gradual that it acts as a slow de ..read more

You don’t have all the time in the world to find love! Yes, I said that right, no clickbait, no bullshit. I believe this. You don’t have as much time as you think you do to date. Father time has no time to waste. I’m going to break it down. I’m so sick and tired of all these modern dating cliches, and I got continually frustrated by them when I was dating. Women would all tell me the same thing when I would be on a first date. “I’ve had my fun and and I’m ready to settle down.” “I don’t need a man, I want a man.” “I’m very happy to be single, I don’t need s ..read more

How could I have been so blind? Image by Alena Darmel on pexels I was a total rookie in relationships with the fair sex at 18. My love was a gal with a heap of problems I was trying to solve. It strikes me now, half a life later, that we were playing victim and saver. Stress at work = stress in a relationship My girlfriend, let’s call her Jane, grew up with a single mother. They were poor. Jane heard more than once in adolescence her carefree days were counted. I thought her mother was unfair to put her daughter under financial pressure. Jane enrolled in a university a ..read more

Winning her back is never going to be a walk in the park. Photo credit: iStock By Zayn Osman It’s clear that women are often the ones that bears the brunt of heartbreak. We’re well aware of the effort us guys put in to win a girl’s heart and it can be tough and downright exhausting. But when they do let us in, they love deeply, at least the responsible ones do. That’s why when they experience heartbreak, it hits them hard emotionally, and winning them back is never going to be a walk in the park. So, if you’ve broken her heart and realized she’s the one for you, trying ..read more

Your delulu fantasy is a survival skill with an expiration date. Photo by Luis Machado on Unsplash I used to call myself an incurable romantic. It sounded so much better than hopeless. But if I’m honest with myself, it would have been more accurate to call myself a delusional romantic because I could take any relationship and add a glow to it that was all in my head. Telling myself a story and believing it isn’t hard. I’ve always been imaginative. For years, I lived more inside my head than out of it, so it makes sense that when life wasn’t working out the way I’d hoped, I’d spi ..read more