Relationships Archives

People-Pleasing: The Psychology of Prioritizing Others

What’s the problem with people-pleasing? How does trying to make others happy sabotage your own happiness? People-pleasers go to great lengths to make other people happy and to avoid conflict and confrontation. If you make other people’s happiness your main priority, it’s very hard to be comfortable and happy with yourself because it compels you to second-guess everything you do and to negatively judge yourself whenever you get unwanted feedback. Keep reading to learn about the psychology of people-pleasing.

Does Imago Relationship Therapy Work?

What is Imago Relationship Therapy? How does it help fix relationships? In Getting the Love You Want, Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt talk about their Imago Relationship Therapy. They created the therapy as a response to the failure of the models of marriage counseling prevalent at the time. Below we’ll see how couples can use Imago Relationship Therapy for a lifetime.

Plato’s Symposium: Diotima’s Speech on Love

What does Diotima say about love in Plato’s Symposium? How does her concept of love relate to beauty? In Plato’s Symposium, Diotima’s speech centers on the human experience of love rather than its purpose or benefits. She concludes that the main object of love is not beauty. Rather, it’s goodness. However, she argues that beauty is integral to a good life and introduces the concept of the “ascent”—a process of learning to appreciate beauty in all its forms. In this article, we’ll explore Diotima’s views on love by explaining what humans love, why humans love, and how humans should love.

What Is Imago? The Psychology of Dating Your Parents

What does Imago mean in psychology? Do you have your own Imago? According to Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt in Getting the Love You Want, an Imago figure is an idealized image that resembles the people who raised you. This image is sometimes used to find romantic partners to fill the void that your caretakers couldn’t fill. Read more to discover your own Imago, psychology’s history of Imago figures, and an example.

The Dating Timeline: The 3 Phases of Relationships

What does a typical dating timeline look like? How do you feel about your partner during these different phases? In Getting the Love You Want, Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt give a basic timeline of dating that is similar to a novel’s structure. These stages include the honeymoon phase, an unwelcome transition, and the beginning of the conflict. Keep reading for an in-depth look at Hendrix and Hunt’s three-phase dating timeline.

Effective Listening: A Vital Skill for Life

Are you a good listener? Why is listening more important than talking? People want to be heard. We want to feel like someone cares about what we have to say. Therefore, effective listening is a skill that’s vital for both business and life. Not only does it help us understand the other person better, but it helps them understand us better as well. Here’s how to listen well, according to communication expert Jay Sullivan.

How to Mend a Broken Relationship in 3 Easy Steps

Is your relationship broken? What steps should you take to fix your relationship problems? We all have a deep-rooted need to be loved, but often a rift opens between our romantic partners and ourselves. In Getting the Love You Want, Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt explain why this happens and how to rescue your failing relationship. Continue reading to learn how to mend a broken relationship in three ways.

Dating Someone With Childhood Trauma: How to Help

Are you dating someone with childhood trauma? How can you help them? Being in a relationship with someone who has childhood trauma isn’t easy. Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt suggest practicing “Parent-Child Dialogue” to help them overcome their trauma. Keep reading to learn how to use Parent-Child Dialogue to help your partner.

Why Changes in Relationships Are Completely Healthy

Have you hit a rough patch in your relationship? How can making changes mend your relationship? In Getting the Love You Want, Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt suggest that you and your partner need to make changes to fulfill your needs. These changes are important for personal growth. Here’s how to effectively make changes in relationships so you and your partner can be happier.

How to Change Your Core Beliefs: Marriage & Family

Can you change your core beliefs? What are the benefits of changing negative beliefs about marriage and family? As explained in Glennon Doyle’s book Untamed, she achieved freedom from her captivity by systematically deconstructing her beliefs and assumptions. By deconstructing prior beliefs, she can separate herself from social structures and institutions that do not reflect who she is and what she believes. Doyle built a new family, faith, and worldview based on consciousness rather than complacency. Read on for an overview of Doyle’s advice for embracing deconstruction and how to change your core beliefs about marriage and family.