emotional health

Is There a Path to Healing and Wholeness Following an Unhealthy Partnership?

Is There a Path to Healing and Wholeness Following an Unhealthy Partnership?

Many of us either have or will, unfortunately, experience unhealthy partnerships in our lifetimes. Research studies have showcased that 33% of young adults are likely to experience an abusive or unhealthy relationship (Davis, 2008), and up to 80% of individuals nationwide ultimately encounter emotional abuse in a personal relationship (Carney & Barner, 2012). Unhealthy connections cannot only lead to serious short and long-term complications physically (I.e., heart disease, headaches, eating disorders), mentally (i.e., anxiety, depression), and emotionally (i.e., low self-esteem, self-worth, social withdrawal) but show up in multiple arenas amongst friends, family, coworkers, bosses, and romantic couples.

First Step to a Better Outcome

First Step to a Better Outcome

Acceptance is a topic that is often discussed in the mental wellness world but there are different concepts of acceptance. In psychology, acceptance generally means accepting present time thoughts and feelings. This means that we need to learn to accept our emotions and feelings and sit in those emotions and feelings instead of brushing them off. This may sound confusing or counterintuitive to a happy life but learning to accept yourself exactly where you are in each moment has positive outcomes. Learning not to be too hard on yourself for experiencing negative emotions in certain situations can be hard but it is an important skill. It is equally important to accept in the present moment how you feel emotionally or about a certain situation but then allow yourself to move forward.

Accepting Yourself

Accepting Yourself

Acceptance is one of those words that can have positive and negative connotations based on its context. When I think about acceptance, I come up against questions that I’ve wrestled with myself and witnessed my clients wrangle in therapy sessions. Is acceptance the same thing as forgiveness?