Irina Zhuravleva

They vanished without a word three months ago — no farewell, no explanation, just silence. Then, in the small hours last night, at 2:08 a.m.,...

Have you ever stared at someone you adore and felt like your words were dissolving into emptiness? You reach for any sign of intimacy, any...

Many men leave comments accusing me of hating men or trying to put men below women, and nothing could be further from the truth. I...

“Marriages die in the conversations that never happen” — that line, attributed to Dr. John Gutman who has examined thousands of couples, sums up a...

Growing up in an environment marked by emotional neglect or cruelty trains your nervous system to respond by withdrawing. You stop crying. You stop protesting....

If you find yourself wondering, “Is this relationship worth salvaging?” it usually means you’re stuck in one of three painful scenarios. First, you may be...

Have you ever watched an avoidant partner disappear the moment things start to deepen, only to reappear weeks or months later as if nothing happened?...

I keep thinking there ought to be a simple checklist to tell you if the person you’re dating is a narcissist — that would be...

Healthy relationships always require the active participation of two people; there’s simply no shortcut. Intimacy, trust and emotional safety emerge when both partners contribute —...

Make no mistake. This isn’t a tale about a broken heart — it’s a judgment on poor choices, a meticulous bill itemizing every cost of...

I can say with absolute confidence: saying “I love you” alone won’t preserve a relationship. Love by itself is insufficient — intimacy demands far more...

Some people act difficult because they carry pain; others behave that way because inflicting pain gives them a sense of power. In both cases, if...

There comes a point when words begin to lose their power. You have spoken everything that could be said, named every feeling, justified every silence,...

I’ll always remember the moment I learned there was an actual label for the confusing feelings, odd actions, and repeated mistakes that had shadowed me...

If you want to move from “getting by” to genuinely great intimacy, it helps to understand the four broad kinds people often talk about: physical...

Many of the people I work with are hurting because they accepted the idea that if they long for a loving, committed partnership, having a...

There are two especially damaging ways that self-centered parents can shape how you relate to others: first, by not taking an interest in or supporting...

Men — please don’t let your relationship fall apart the way mine did. I’m sharing this as a warning: by the time you finally say...

Have you ever felt muzzled? You raise your voice about something important and instead of being listened to, you’re dismissed. Sometimes people laugh. Sometimes they...

If a child grows up without enough emotional care, they can be especially likely to channel their romantic energy toward people who aren’t actually available....

The single thing that terrifies a toxic person more than almost anything else is when you draw firm boundaries — because boundaries remove their power....

For a person burdened by psychological trauma, seeking support from the wrong people while trying to heal from childhood wounds can feel deeply unsettling and...

All right — if you arranged a spa day for your partner or encouraged her to spend Mother’s Day out with her friends, nice work....

Okay, we’re live — hello everyone, and thanks for being here. It’s me, the Crappy Childhood Fairy, and Rob has been collecting your questions for...