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Writer's pictureLouis Williamson

Distinguishing between Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships

Updated: Oct 28, 2022

How Therabridge assists in relationship counselling.


Sometimes, it can be difficult for couples to know whether they are simply going through a rough patch or in a web of toxic relationship dynamics. Establishing the true position of the relationship may help in recovery. Although it is impossible to know what the future holds for everyone, one can say that a healthy relationship has a greater chance of enduring a lifetime. The key question is, how do you know if you have a healthy relationship? This article presents some of the attributes of a healthy and an unhealthy relationship.





Romance Pattern

Even when they have a lot going on in their lives, healthy couples make time for one another and prioritize passion and intimacy in their relationship. In dysfunctional relationships, partners frequently become preoccupied with their professional or parental commitments, and as a result, they fail to prioritize making time for one another. This behavior has the potential to drive spouses further apart.


It's possible that as couples age, their sexual wants and desires become divergent. It becomes difficult for them to satisfy each other. Healthy couples may struggle to adjust to such circumstances. In toxic relationships, one partner may harbor resentment toward the other for failing to live up to the individual's expectations. They might engage in sexual intercourse with other people outside their relationship or marriage to satisfy their sexual needs.


Disagreement Outcomes



Arguments occur in every relationship. Despite this, healthy couples continue to treat one another with respect and affection while arguing. They search for opportunities to reach a consensus or compromise to figure out how to solve the issue. When one is upset with their partner, they tend to focus their criticism on the partner's actions rather than their entire personality.

When a couple's relationship is unhealthy, both partners are likely to be dismissive of the other's points of view, verbally and in their body language. A partner makes fun of the other by insulting them or holding a grudge beyond the argument. When one partner perceives being attacked, they become protective or stonewalled. When threats, emotional manipulation, and physical aggression are present in an unhealthy relationship, the relationship can progress from toxic to abusive.


Self-awareness

Relationships have the potential to be an essential source of both one's self-esteem and emotional support, as well as one's sense of identity. However, even the most perfect partner won't be able to satisfy all of a person's requirements. Strong couples continue cultivating relationships with their extended families, close friends, and the greater community. They can spend time with others without feeling competitive or insecure toward one another. Two people can love each other even if they do not share everything in their lives. They are not required to discuss all of their interests or opinions with one another. If one partner constantly tries to exert dominance over the other or controls every aspect of the partner's life, the relationship has likely become unhealthy.


Individual Contributions

A common source of contention in relationships is the question of who does what share of the household chores, finances, or parental responsibilities. One party may think they're putting in significantly more effort than the other. They might have feelings of being overburdened, disgruntled, or unappreciated. These disagreements can become even more complex when one of the parties suffers from a physical or mental health condition that interferes with their ability to carry out their regular activities. In a healthy relationship, each will discuss their respective duties in a manner that is fair and in good faith. A fair distribution of the task can take many different shapes.


THE THERAPY

When relationship issues start to hit the couple's way of life or when they reach the point where they consider ending the relationship, it's common for couples to seek professional counseling. Marriage counseling is something that many married couples do. Premarital counseling is typically sought by couples currently dating, cohabitating, or engaged.

When couples go to counseling, they frequently expect that the therapist will lead them right. At Therabridge, we assist each spouse in communicating their needs more effectively and attentively, listening to the other partner's perspectives. We identify areas of miscommunication in a relationship and advise our clients on how to make it work. Our objective is to assist couples in finding constructive ways to resolve their differences.

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