​Cheating, whether in a monogamous or polyamorous relationship, is sometimes so difficult that relationships have difficulty withstanding the hurt and pain of cheating, and sometimes the relationship will end.  For some, cheating is a limit or boundary that cannot be accepted because of one’s values and beliefs, and as such, the relationship cannot be recovered.

​When I used to hear “emotional manipulation,” I’d usually think of a five-letter word that I despise - abuse. Four years later – I now think of myself.

​By: Kelly Halonen, MSW, RSW

​You often see it in movies, the main character is going through a breakup and listens to sad music as they cry into a pillow on their couch. You probably do this too. Whenever you’re feeling sad or down about something, you may listen to music that is also sad or slow. So why do we do this? Wouldn’t this just make us sadder? Yes and no. 

​Often after a breakup, you’ll see people cut or dye their hair, get a piercing or tattoo, or change their wardrobe. I, for one, am guilty of all of the above. But why do we do this?

By: Cassandra Nordal

For those of you that don’t know, a Situationship is a romantic relationship that’s undefined or maybe even uncommitted. It is NOT the same as “friends with benefits.” It may be someone that you’ve been comfortably hooking up with for some period of time, or someone that has close intimacy with you but doesn’t refer to you as a partner. Sometimes, having undefined relationships is super fun, sexually satisfying, and liberating, even. Plus, a Situationship gives you time to get to know somebody without feeling pressured to make a big decision about commitment.
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So how do you know if you’re in one? What’s the difference between an “open relationship” or “friends with benefits?” 

By: Laura Groulx, MSW, RSW

​I don’t have answers, only thoughts. I’m not a lawyer, but I do speak with a lot of people about relationships and family dynamics. Recently, with everything happening in the world, I’ve been wondering how co-parents are handling shared custody and access regarding children that are currently in isolation; after all, some children have more than one family. 

This article topic was requested and I have been thinking long and hard about the meaning of this quote, and how to discuss it. I have recently come across examples of people making decisions to further their careers, or make steps towards their goals that as a side effect, harm others.  When I say harm others, I do not mean bodily harm, but more of an emotional wound, relational injury or impacting others’ beliefs.  Some of the sentiments related to this topic that have been relayed to me include: hurt feelings, breach of trust, and feeling as though they have been stabbed in the back.  None of these things have a positive impact on a person, unless it is to increase their resilience.  However, if you are one of these people who have been affected by another’s decision to better themselves, then I have some recommendations that you may want to try out to ease the pain.
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I may start sounding like a broken record, but I truly believe we need more of this in our world: try on some empathy for size. What I mean by that is, put yourself in the other’s shoes.  Can you see how they might have come to this decision?  Do you think they intended to hurt you personally? Might this have been a once in a lifetime opportunity for them? Usually, this technique can help us to understand both sides of the story instead of being stuck in a one-sided loop, creating more resentment and anger towards the situation and the person who had ‘wronged’ you. Also, it is a great exercise to practice that may cause you to have a deeper understanding of the human psyche.

Another idea is not to take it personally.  Of course, this is easier said than done. As humans we are hard-wired for survival…however, sometimes these reflexes work to our detriment.  If a person has wronged us, we are weary to let them do it again by putting up walls to protect ourselves.  Learning from our mistakes is a great thing, but not if it means closing yourself off to the world.  Instead of keeping it to yourself, isolating, brooding, emotional stuffing, or passive aggressive behavior—try talking about it to someone you trust, increasing your positive relations with people in your life. However, there is a thin line. Some venting can be beneficial, but don’t become engulfed in the negativity--get it out and move on. Try to challenge yourself by coming up with a different way you may be able to view the situation, such as finding a silver lining, or a positive flip-side. Changing your negative thoughts to a more positive framework can go a long way in increasing your overall happiness.