It’s important to forgive those who hurt you for reasons that have nothing to do with them. At the same time, forgiveness should never be forced.

I first learned the term “monologuing” from the book Complex PTSD by Pete Walker. Rather than the opening scene of a talk show, this type of monologuing happens when people monopolize conversation.

If you ask most people, they would call “love” the most important element of a relationship. But respect in relationships is equally important if you want to feel valued and cherished.

Relationship boundaries are parameters you set that tell other people where they end and you begin. They tell the world what you will and won’t tolerate. And help you understand your wants and needs to get them met.

As we grow into adulthood and our responsibilities increase, we forget how to be playful. Many experts tell us to remember what we loved to do as children to retrieve that playfulness.

Have you ever been in a relationship where you felt scared to open up and be vulnerable? When you expressed your feelings, the other person shut you down.

Due to the circumstances of my childhood, I’d adopted the belief that love is something you have to work for. The truth that love doesn’t have to be earned escaped me.

Women Who Love Too Much by Robin Norwood took the world by storm in 1985. It told countless stories of women who stood by men whose love fell far out of reach.

If you’re over responsible you have trouble asking for help, give more than you take, and listen more than you share. You say sorry more than most people and tend to look out for the needs of others more than your own.

Have you heard of love addiction? It’s different from sex addiction and affects women more than men. The most common reason for this behavior is childhood emotional neglect and abuse.

Personal standards are like boundaries that keep you safe. They let the good people in and keep the bad people out. Or at least the people who may not be best for you.

Nobody’s perfect, but toxic people can really hold you back and make you question yourself. They come in many forms, but here are four major red flags.

Disorganized attachment results when the main source of support (a parent or caregiver) is also a source of terror. You may also hear it called fearful avoidant.

Avoidant attachment is the inevitable result of a childhood in which closeness was dangerous because someone abandoned you or withdrew their love.

Anxious attachment results from inconsistent parenting. The child never knows whether the parent will be supportive or unavailable. So, they become confused about the relationship and never know what to expect.