Relationships

Infidelity: Other Losses

Whether the relationship ends or not, when infidelity occurs some serious losses are felt. Losses can be physical or symbolic and may include: Loss of trust Loss of security Loss of hope/dreams Loss of faith Loss of intimacy and affection Loss of self esteem The obvious loss is that of trust in the other partner. […]

Series: Coping with Infidelity

What exactly defines infidelity? Most of us believe that infidelity is the act of intercourse occurring with an external person outside a relationship. Interestingly, feelings of hurt and betrayal can be equally intense on discovering that your partner has been having secret regular coffee dates with a work colleague. People Magazine asked readers to define […]

Relationship Breakdown and Continuing Friendship

It’s the dreaded four-word phrase? “Can we be friends?” It’s a classic break-up line, but it’s also an issue that must be faced when a relationship hits the rocks. In reality, the questions ought to be “should we be friends?” And, if so, “how will we define that relationship?” Below are some points to ponder […]

Learning From a Relationship Breakdown

A divorce, separation or, in general, any loss of an important relationship is a painful experience. Such pain can seriously diminish our peace and happiness. We can, however, use this inner discomfort for our spiritual benefit. If we are thinking of separating, there are many lessons we need to examine before we can come to […]

Relationship Goals

“Our destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.” Henry Miller If you have made the choice to work at the relationship, even though it appears to be breaking down at the moment, it is important to make communication your top priority. Setting goals in all areas of your […]

Couples, Intimacy and Sex

For many couples, ‘making love’ involves a sense of intimacy and emotional closeness. An intimate sexual relationship involves trust and being vulnerable with each other. Closeness during sex is also linked to other forms of intimacy. It is important to share a whole range of emotions with a partner, otherwise some people begin to feel […]

Obstacles to Creating Relationship Healing

Even if you have a desire to create a healing environment, you or the others in the environment may be unable to do so because of an inability to forgive and forget or an unwillingness to accept personal responsibility or to accept the consequences for one’s actions. An unwillingness to admit to personal mistakes, failures, […]

Relationship Healing

It is important to create a healing environment within the relationship even if there is anger, criticism or condemnation, as it is this very environment that may calm the atmosphere and allow clarity and purpose of vision to thrive. You know you have created an environment of healing when you show respect to one another […]

Stages of a Relationship

There are a variety of stages within a relationship, where in the initial stages the mixture of emotional excitement brought the couples together, six or sixteen years later the love that has evolved is very different. The various stages that transpire within a relationship are quite normal, and are necessary for growth and development. Every […]

Warning Signs of a Relationship Breakdown

One of the most useful recent research findings is the work which has identified the early warning signs of deterioration of an intimate relationship. Based on these signs, researchers have been able to predict with a very high degree of accuracy (about 90%) which relationships are likely to end within a few years. This information […]

Series: Coping with Relationship Breakdown

In this series of posts, we’ll explore the elements involved in a relationship breakdown, from its early stages to post-break contact. Hopefully this will be useful to the many couples who are faced with relationship challenges and suffer the emotional consequences derived from it. Follow-Up Posts: Warning Signs Stages of a Relationship Relationship Healing Obstacles […]