There are many ways relationships can work
There are many ways they can become dysfunctional, but here’s what I’ve found to help us make them healthy.
A lot of what I have learned is specific to my relationship. I try to be specific enough to be useful, but understand it may not make sense to use in your own toolbelt. Context is important in relationships, but I also value our privacy. I hope lack of details doesn’t de-rail too heavily the lessons we’ve gleaned from our struggles.
Healthy conflict: It’s not you vs me, it’s you & me vs The Problem Co-dependency from lack of Boundaries Don’t fall into Compulsive kindness
Meta-relationship: The third entity in a relationship Where is the weight in the relationship? Competing narratives The relation of the two people in the ship is all that matters
Communication: Communication with guards up is pointless The cultures of men and women Objective reality has no place in human relationships