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	<title>Better Relationships &#187; RELATIONSHIP THERAPY</title>
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	<link>https://www.better-relationships.com</link>
	<description>Marriage &#38; Couples Counseling, Psychotherapy, Premarital Counseling</description>
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		<title>Procrastination Hurts Relationships</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/procrastination-hurts-relationships-2/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/procrastination-hurts-relationships-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2020 03:14:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anxiety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ARGUMENTS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COMMITMENT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COMMUNICATION]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CONFLICT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DEPRESSION]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Divorce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIP THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WOMEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conflict]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[couples]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[procrastination]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[quarantine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.better-relationships.com/?p=4385</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Almost every relationship has been affected by procrastination at one time or another–when one or both partners put responsibilities off to another day or time, only to endlessly delay completing the task at hand. For some people it is a persistent problem, while for others it happens only in certain areas of their lives such as their relationship. It can cause suffering in a committed relationship, when one partner delays or avoids keeping promises or agreements, putting the relationship at risk. And relationships outside the home also requiring teamwork such as friendships; at work and in the community, can suffer. Being unreliable can jeopardize one’s personal reputation, making a partner, friend or coworker lose trust in the procrastinator. There are better ways of dealing with the demands of our everyday lives with needs of our partner, friends and coworkers, once we accept that we are a procrastinator and make a commitment to change. There is a relationship between anxiety and procrastination. It is no surprise that people who fear failure have the problem, as well as people with low self-esteem.  People who are easily frustrated or need instant gratification or cannot concentrate all have difficulty completing tasks. Those who have conflicts with authority figures and are rebellious are inclined to procrastinate. Procrastinators make excuses. When we procrastinate, we are neither carrying out things that need to be done nor are we confronting the underlying reasons for our procrastination. So, what do we tell ourselves to justify our behavior? We may use any of several excuses – and here are some common ones: Getting Bogged Down in Trivia We spend our time on easy tasks and say that we are so busy that we cannot get to the major project. We might answer phone calls, read e-mails, clean the living room, have lunch – anything that we find simple and are emotionally prepared to do – rather than facing the task that we really have to do. We tell ourselves that we simply had to clear up these trivial tasks before tackling our project and there was no time left. Thus, [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>When Partners’ Sex Drives Differ – 7 Coping Tips</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/when-partners-sex-drives-differ-7-coping-tips/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/when-partners-sex-drives-differ-7-coping-tips/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Apr 2018 00:12:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[ARGUMENTS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COMMUNICATION]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CONFLICT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[INFIDELITY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIP THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WOMEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[different sex drives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[intimacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[making love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sex]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sex drive]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=3997</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sex and sexual desire is a key part of many relationships. It provides a certain aspect of intimacy. So, what happens when your partner’s sex drive differs from yours? First, this doesn&#8217;t have to be an obstacle. Consider these tips to help you cope with this difference and still maintaining a healthy relationship. Tip #1: Communicate Expectations to Your Partner Communication is important for so many facets of a relationship. This includes intimacy. Have honest conversations with each other about your expectations in the bedroom. And don’t just make it a one-time discussion. Revisit the issue frequently to make sure you both remain on the same page. Hopefully, you had some of these discussions when you first started seeing each other. However, expectations can change over time. So it’s important to maintain an open dialogue. Tip #2: Listen to Each Other’s Perspectives Another important tip is to actively listen to each other. Keep an open mind and hold back from making prejudgments. For instance, if you want to have more sex than your partner does, listen to their point of view. (You can make sure you heard them correctly by repeating back what you heard.) As with many aspects of a relationship, when couples actively listen, they have a better understanding of each other. This means that they can still respect one another while holding different points of view. Tip #3: Refocus on the Relationship Although what happens in the bedroom is important, it’s not all that’s important in a relationship. If the relationship isn’t healthy, then your sexual experience won’t be healthy either. As mentioned above, you can start by communicating and listening. However, it may be necessary to get help with this from a professional therapist. A therapist can advise you on all aspects of the relationship, including intimacy. Tip #4: Don’t Nag or Guilt-Trip Your Partner If you are the one who wants to have more sex, don’t nag or guilt-trip your partner. Trying to convince your partner to have sex just isn’t sexy. It should be something that both of you enjoy equally together. Otherwise, when [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Positive Impact of Premarital Counseling – 7 Ways Your Relationship Can Benefit</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/the-positive-impact-of-premarital-counseling-7-ways-your-relationship-can-benefit/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/the-positive-impact-of-premarital-counseling-7-ways-your-relationship-can-benefit/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Mar 2018 01:38:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[COMMITMENT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COMMUNICATION]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CONFLICT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COUPLES THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FINANCES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIP THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[counseling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[couples counseling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[premarital counseling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sex]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wedding plans]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=3957</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Many couples consider premarital counseling as something for those who really don’t know what they want out of a marriage. Yet, that is far from the truth. In reality, premarital counseling should be a prerequisite for any couple looking to get married. How can it benefit and strengthen your relationship? #1: Refining Communication Skills Knowing how to communicate effectively is a never-ending challenge in most aspects of life. Even for people who are already experienced communicators, marriage poses its unique communication challenges. Some potential problem areas include: Listening Skills: While your partner can repeat what you just said, you still don’t feel that they heard you. Can you openly discuss your ideas, thoughts and feelings without being criticized? Do you have effective conflict resolution skills? Do you keep fighting about the same thing? Do you fight fair? What topics do you agree on and what do you fight about? Do you expect your partner to know what you’re thinking or feeling? (aka ‘mind-reading’) #2: Aligning Your Outlooks on Life Premarital counseling helps partners determine if their overall goals and outlooks on marriage are, in general, compatible and if not, is change feasible? Things to consider include: Lifestyle differences: Talk together about this example: One partner is energetic, socially active and fantasizes about running for public office. The other partner is more introverted and prefers a much quieter lifestyle. Could this couple be happy together? Are you both willing to accommodate the other’s points of view? What will happen if she or he cannot change? Who has more influence now and does this need to change after marriage? How are decisions made? Do you enjoy some of the same activities? If not, are you willing to try to participate in what your partner enjoys? Are both of you content with the amount of time you have to relax? Are you free to spend some time apart and enjoy your own friends and hobbies? Is your partner responsible for your happiness, and if so, how will he or she do that? The dating process helps with sorting out some of these issues. [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hooked on Porn? 3 Ways Porn Addiction Affects Your Relationship</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/hooked-on-porn-3-ways-porn-addiction-affects-your-relationship/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/hooked-on-porn-3-ways-porn-addiction-affects-your-relationship/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Feb 2018 01:17:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[ADDICTIONS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CONFLICT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[INFIDELITY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Porn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIP THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WOMEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emotional affair]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[infidelity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Porn Addiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sex]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=3907</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Porn has become a household subject within the past few decades. While most people aren’t sitting around the dinner table discussing it in detail, we are more aware of its existence now than ever. In fact, many people have invited porn into their lives “just for fun.” Maybe you thought viewing a little action to “spice” up your own libido wouldn’t hurt anything. Now, you’re hooked. You can’t get enough. When you first started watching porn you may not have intended for this to happen. As life plays out, though, it’s easy to see that porn is anything but harmless to a romantic relationship. Ways Porn Addiction Affects Your Relationship 1. Decreases Sexual Satisfaction It may seem like an oxymoron to say that porn decreases sexual satisfaction. This is a reality for porn viewers, though. It may even be a reality for you. For example, watching porn can quickly alter your expectation of sex. Meaning, you don’t think or feel about sex the way that you once did. Your partner used to turn you on, but now arousal is difficult for you. Furthermore, porn viewers learn to expect something new each time. It could be a new scenario, new characters, or new angle. Your partner can start to seem boring to you because he or she isn’t anything “new.” Sadly, your partner may feel cheated by the fact that you choose to view porn over making love to him or her. This feeling of betrayal can quickly pull the two of you apart. If you don’t address the issue, then the gaping distance in your relationship will progressively grow larger and larger. This leads us to the next problem. 2. Decreases Intimacy Many people use intimacy and sex interchangeably. They aren’t the same, though. While intimacy can be sex and sex can be intimacy, it’s not automatic. Sex is, however, one of the deepest forms of intimacy. This notion is what porn twists. In short, when you make love you make love to a person. When you watch porn you watch sex organs. Porn has diminished both men and women [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Time to Break Up? – Look for These Signs</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/time-to-break-up-look-for-these-signs/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/time-to-break-up-look-for-these-signs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Feb 2018 03:07:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[COMMITMENT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COUPLES THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[INFIDELITY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIP THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[breaking up]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ending a relationship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[should I leave]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[when to leave a relationship]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=3877</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We all know it, but it can be difficult to admit—love isn’t always enough to sustain a relationship. People grow apart, problems arise, and relationships can become stagnant. If you’re experiencing these issues or any of the following, it might be time to end things with your partner. You Aren’t Seeing Eye to Eye Conflict is an inevitable and healthy part of every relationship… but only to a certain extent. Disagreement becomes a problem when you can no longer see things from your partner’s perspective. Of course, you and your partner don’t have to agree on everything. But when you can’t even understand where they’re coming from, you cannot respect them. Conflict also becomes a problem when you have the same fight over and over and over again. Some things need to be put to rest. But if you keep coming back to the same problem, the issue might be bigger than you originally thought. It’s one thing to argue over the color your partner chose for the dining room walls, but it’s quite another to continually disagree about the big things. Whether or not to get married, have kids, or accept a job offer in a different state are all common reasons for terminating a relationship. You’re the Only One Putting in the Effort It takes two to tango, and both of you need to be active participants in the relationship. Do you feel like your partner can’t meet you halfway? Do you feel like you&#8217;re working alone to fix what doesn&#8217;t work? If so, this could be the sign of a big problem. Relationships aren’t always 50/50, especially when external stressors arise. The death of a family member, the loss of a job, or mental health struggles are all reasons the relationship may teeter to 60/40 or even 80/20. But it should always even out, eventually. You should never be the only one putting forth the effort. Things That Were Just Quirky Now Drive You Insane There are many traits that people push under the rug or don’t mind at the beginning of a relationship. But these things [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Overcoming Codependency</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/overcoming-codependency/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/overcoming-codependency/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Mar 2017 00:40:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[COMMUNICATION]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CONFLICT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COUPLES THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIP THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[codependency]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[codependent relatioinship]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=3812</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Codependency affects our relationships at home, work and in the community.  It is recognized by the destructive behaviors, attitudes, and feelings which are directly linked to the way we were brought up. Families are described as dysfunctional when the needs of the parents are so overwhelming that raising children becomes secondary to the parents’ needs. Codependency in adulthood emerges from these dysfunctional childhood experiences. How We Become Codependent The households we grew up in can have a powerful influence on the way we deal with life as an adult – often in ways that we never stop to think about. We simply keep on living, repeating the same mistakes and enduring the same conflicts over and over again. We may wonder why the same old patterns keep repeating themselves even when we change friendships, jobs and relationships. We wonder why our relationships don’t work and why is it that we keep finding the same type of partner. The answer may lie in a less-than-nurturing childhood characterized by neglect and other forms of abuse. When children lack the adequate emotional nurturing and loving guidance they will need later in life to function as independent adults, they experience a flawed or incomplete sense of themselves – a pattern which can last throughout one’s entire life. They are prone to having a vague sense of their own personal boundaries – they may not know where they leave off and the other person begins. They may have a need to make other people happy (a pattern they learned in dealing with their parents) and when they are not able to do this, they might feel “less than” other people. They probably see themselves as unselfish and compassionate, always there for others – but, lacking a clear sense of themselves, they may resort to the same techniques to get attention they learned in childhood. Thus, they may try to manipulate, control and change others in order to get their own needs met. When they give, it is with strings attached. Those suffering from codependency often are attracted to, and give to, people who show little [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Toxic Communication Patterns</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/toxic-communication-patterns/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/toxic-communication-patterns/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2017 02:40:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[ARGUMENTS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COMMUNICATION]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CONFLICT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COUPLES THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIP THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[counseling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dirty fighting in relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[supportive communication]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=3793</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Dirty fighting can weaken and ultimately break a relationship in the same way that rust weakens a piece of metal. Dirty fighting breaks the bonds of intimacy and causes cracks in the foundation of the relationship. These cracks spread and just like rusty metal eventually breaks apart, at some point the relationship collapses. Both of you ultimately suffer. Here are some toxic communication patterns to avoid: Timing You try to catch your partner off guard. You look for a time when your partner is least able to respond or least expects an argument, for example you call them at work and start an argument. Escalation You quickly move from the main argument to questioning your partner’s personality and then move on to wondering if the relationship is worth it. Overwhelm Instead of sticking with the original issues you bring up as many issues as possible in great detail. You try to overwhelm the other person so that they can’t argue effectively. Exaggerate You draw the worst possible conclusions regarding the relationship. The issue gets blown out of proportion and you talk about catastrophes. Question You treat your partner like a child, making them feel like they are incapable of an adult relationship. “Why can’t you just love me like he loves her?” Complain When your partner complains, you respond with a complaint of your own instead of addressing the issues. “So what if I forgot to make the bed. What about all the times you haven’t helped me clean?” Over-Generalize Instead of focusing on the issue at hand, you use words like “never” and “always” and try to force your partner to defend themselves. “You never do anything in the relationship.” Blame You take the position of &#8216;victim&#8217;. You don’t admit to your part in the conflict and refuse to change. “It’s always your fault. If our relationship is going to improve you have to change – not me.” Mind Reading You become the expert on what your partner is thinking or feeling. “You’re not really angry.” This way you avoid talking about your partner’s anger or taking responsibility for [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How to Find the Right Partner</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/how-to-find-the-right-partner/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/how-to-find-the-right-partner/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Jan 2017 23:42:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[MEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIP THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WOMEN'S ISSUES]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marraige]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=3678</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Although some people prefer to remain single throughout their lives, most people strive to connect with and live in partnership with one special person. There are many obvious advantages to finding a relationship partner – physical, economic, social – but there is another significant advantage in that working through the ups and downs of a relationship allows us to come to terms with many of our own personal issues. In fact, these personal issues may make or break a relationship, depending on whether we choose to work on them. If you are single now, you can use this time to learn more about yourself and what makes relationships work. There is evidence that the families we come from (our families of origin) have a profound influence on how we will behave in the relationships we create for ourselves in adulthood. How many times have you heard the phrase, “You are acting just like your father (mother).” Or, “I can’t believe that I am saying the same things my mother (father) said.” Sometimes we find ourselves acting toward a current relationship partner in the same way we acted toward a previous partner, as if there were a repetitive pattern in play. And if we look closely enough, we might discover that we have the same pattern of difficulty in every one of our relationships, as if we keep making the same mistakes over and over again. According to one school of thought, we all had imperfect parents or caregivers as we grew up, and the experiences we had as children left a lasting impression on us. We all went through stages of development in childhood. Sometimes our parents were there for us as we progressed through a developmental stage – and sometimes they were not (and this could be due to many reasons, like a parent having his or her own personal difficulties at the time, or the birth of another child). If we have difficulty at one particular stage of development, then we have a gap in our personalities that could follow us into adulthood unless we recognize and attend [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Building Trust in Relationships</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/build-trust-in-relationships/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/build-trust-in-relationships/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Nov 2016 01:15:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[COMMUNICATION]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COUPLES THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Porn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIP THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to trust]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trust]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trust in relationships]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=3623</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It is difficult to achieve intimacy in a relationship unless we have the ability to trust. We tend to focus on other people when we think about trust – that is, we might ask, who out there can be trusted and who cannot? But it may be more helpful to look inside ourselves and to think about trust as something that we either do well, or not. Some people grow up with a good ability to trust appropriately. Others, because of their early childhood and adult life experiences begin a relationship by mistrusting the other person or by placing their trust in the wrong person. Some people learn to trust for the first time during the course of professional psychotherapy. Having a good eye for trust involves having a healthy sense of our own identities. This means having a positive self-image, the ability to value ourselves and our decisions, and a good sense for protecting our own boundaries. We need to know what we stand for and what is best for us. Trust also involves acquiring a knack for making good judgments. When we have the self-confidence that comes with knowing and liking ourselves, as well as the ability to make life-enhancing decisions, we should be able to decide fairly easily about whom to trust. Trust between two people emerges from a process of mutual self-disclosure – we gradually reveal more and more about ourselves to the other person until the relationship achieves a sense of emotional intimacy. The first person self-discloses only to the degree that the other person has, in a series of steps. A good balance in communication is maintained between both people. If this balance is disrupted, it is difficult to maintain trust. For example, if one person reveals everything all at once and the other person reveals nothing at all, the balance is broken – and neither person will be able to trust the other. The building of trust is a mutual process that takes time. We feel comfortable revealing things about ourselves when the other person has shown that he or she is willing [&#8230;]]]></description>
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		<title>Infidelity &#8211; Can the Relationship Survive?</title>
		<link>https://www.better-relationships.com/relationships-sex/</link>
		<comments>https://www.better-relationships.com/relationships-sex/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Nov 2016 03:23:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jim Swaniger]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[INFIDELITY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MARRIAGE COUNSELING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Porn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIP THERAPY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RELATIONSHIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[divorce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emotional affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[infidelity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[office romance]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.better-relationships.com/?p=3611</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The single most destructive threat to a committed relationship is when one of the partners engages in an intimate relationship with another person. This is not an uncommon event. Conservative estimates suggest that about a quarter of women, and a third of men, have violated their marital commitment to their partners. About 65 percent of marriages struck by infidelity end in divorce. The impact on the lives of those involved with infidelity is enormous. It violates the integrity, trust, and commitment upon which marriage is based. When two people enter into a committed relationship, they make a promise to love and honor each other. This involves making a heart-felt promise to work through the problems that are sure to arise within the relationship. To break that promise means dishonoring the trust of the person who has agreed to live with you and build a life together. When an extramarital affair is discovered, a crisis ensues. Now the question is – can this relationship continue? In more than half the cases, the relationship does end – but, depending on how this crisis is dealt with by both partners, the relationship does have a chance to continue. In some cases, this relationship crisis serves as a watershed event that opens the door to self-examination and honest communication that may put the relationship on stronger ground. Whether infidelity leads to dissolution of the relationship or, at the other extreme, a more positive outcome with a stronger commitment and better communication depends on many factors. One important variable is whether the partner who is unfaithful came from a family with infidelity. People with parents who were unfaithful are at higher risk for infidelity within their own relationships – although this is certainly not always the case, and many people from these families are determined never to repeat their parent’s mistake. Yet we learn many things in our families of origin, and one of those is to copy the behavior of our parents – and sometimes to act out our unresolved issues. Emotional Significance of the Affair Another factor that may determine whether a relationship [&#8230;]]]></description>
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