Difficult Relationships / Rod E. Smith

“Our daughter has a great boyfriend. They are being wise. She has concerns about his feelings of insecurity and poor self-image. She is sometimes inclined to break up with him. However, he is very kind and they get on very well. I’ve recommended that she challenge him to get help as a pre-condition to marriage [...]

Filed under: Difficult Relationships, Growing up, Happiness, High maintenance relationships | 1 Comment »

“A diabetic family member injects himself with insulin several times a day. He exposes his belly and then administers his dose using a pen-like syringe. He often does this at the table and at family gatherings, which I don’t have an issue with. However, he also does it openly in public at restaurants and I [...]

Filed under: Authentic love, High maintenance relationships, Toxic Relationships, Voice | Tagged: crass public behavior | No Comments »

Jealousy will remove purity from your relationship. Since jealousy expresses the very opposite of trust, once the jealousy virus entrenches itself (which it usually does perversely in the name of love) you and your relationship will become something you do not want to be. Freedom will be displaced by resentment.
The jealous person will behave in [...]

Filed under: Abuse, Anger, Attraction, Authentic love, Betrayal, Control issues, High maintenance relationships, Jealousy, Victims, Violence, Voice | Tagged: controlling behavior, Jealousy | 3 Comments »

“My ex-wife still tries to dominate me and interfere in my life. I have moved on and have a new woman. My teenage daughter and I have a very good relationship but whenever my ex-wife is around I am reminded why I divorced her. How do I get her to understand she is divorced and [...]

Filed under: Authentic love, Communication, Differentiation, Difficult Relationships, Divorce, Family, High maintenance relationships, Insight, Interpersonal intimacy | Tagged: boyfriend, Dating, ex, girlfriend, Past relationships, sex | 2 Comments »

1. Be aware of the unique, honored position I have in your life, and regard it with the respect it deserves.
2. Hear you, even if you are telling me things I’d rather you not say.
3. Be willing to disagree with you, when, in my estimation, you are wrong, off target, or unfair in your actions [...]

Filed under: Authentic love, Boundaries, Coaching, Communication, Differentiation, Difficult Relationships, Family, Friendship, Growing up, Happiness, High maintenance relationships, Interpersonal intimacy, Listening, Personal growth, Reactivity, Recovery, Relationships, Responsive people, Teenagers, Victims, Voice, Womanhood, Young Love | Tagged: Family, Friendship, Love, men and women, power of friendships | 2 Comments »

My elderly mother was very upset at Christmas because my brother (32) and I (29) are not speaking (to each other) and so we came to Christmas Day at her house at different times to make it easier for her. We didn’t plan to come at different times: it is something we’ve worked out without [...]

Filed under: Family, Happiness, High maintenance relationships, Toxic Relationships | Tagged: Brothers at war, Christmas, Family, feuds, siblings, traditions | 1 Comment »

“My friend and I talk on the phone a lot. Yesterday I was very busy and I forgot to phone. When I did he reamed me out like I was a schoolboy who did not do his homework. What do you think I should do?”
Apologize. Call him exactly on time the next time. Tell him [...]

Filed under: Authentic love, Difficult Relationships, Growing up, Happiness, High maintenance relationships | Tagged: apologize. school boy, calls, friend, insensitve, phone, sorry | No Comments »

Deliver your own news – good or bad. Don’t use others as carrier pigeons.
Try not to keep people waiting. While it is sometimes unavoidable, effort on your part to be punctual will speak volumes about you.
Find a way to remember people’s names. You’ll be surprised how much it will do for you.
Spend less than you [...]

Filed under: Authentic love, Growing up, Happiness, High maintenance relationships, Love, Relationships, Responsive people | Tagged: getting better, hope, Love, Relationships, Trust, truth, wellness | 4 Comments »

“I want to save my marriage. Our situation has risen to a new level with issues of jealously and trust. He takes my car keys, he checks up on me, I no longer have friends around, and am no longer allowed ‘ladies nights.’ My brother is not allowed to visit. My husband doesn’t want children. [...]

Filed under: Abuse, Alcoholism, Anger, Attraction, Authentic love, Betrayal, Boundaries, Communication, Community, Compatibility, Control issues, Differentiation, Difficult Relationships, Divorce, Domination, Double standards, Grief, High maintenance relationships, Interpersonal intimacy, Intimidation, Jealousy | Tagged: better life, Counseling, counselling, future, husband, Marriage, passionate marriage, pre-marriage, Schnarch, wife | 4 Comments »

Are you dating or married to a man who could physically harm or kill you, or harm or kill someone you love?
Dangerous relationships are easier to endure than to address, so it is not surprising that the murder of a wife, an ex-wife or lover usually takes everyone by surprise.
Secrecy, cover-up and denial are the [...]

Filed under: Abuse, Affairs, Anxiety, Attraction, Authentic love, Betrayal, Control issues, Dating, Differentiation, Difficult Relationships, High maintenance relationships, Toxic Relationships, Victims | Tagged: Anger, husband, Love, Manipulation, Marriage, murder, sex, trouble, venting, Violence, wife | 4 Comments »