Irina Zhuravleva

There is a form of silence that at first does not feel peaceful—it carries weight. It’s like standing alone in an emptied room that once...

Many people point out that relationship advice doesn’t help in abusive situations or with narcissists, and that observation is valid: guidance meant for mutual partnerships...

One subject that gets surprisingly little attention from trauma clinicians is how childhood wounds and prolonged trauma can lead to chronic under-earning. For many of...

Okay, gentlemen — let’s have a conversation about teasing our partners. I enjoy a good laugh as much as anyone, but here’s a simple guideline...

Being avoidant in relationships isn’t only the obvious signs — refusing to commit, swinging between warmth and coldness, disappearing when conversations about commitment start. You...

All right — how can you tell if something you said actually hurt your partner? That’s a vital question, because too many of us, myself...

There’s a repeating dynamic that quietly destroys many women’s lives, and it often goes unnoticed. You’re intelligent. You work hard. You’ve put effort into personal...

Okay — today I want to cover how to argue with a narcissist and actually come out on top, because few things are more maddening...

Research shows that the way couples repair conflicts can determine the fate of their relationship, so it’s important to know how to apologize well. Imagine...

Most women pick up on it, yet very few voice it: female friendships can carry a set of unwritten rules. These expectations aren’t posted anywhere...

That’s an important question and one that will touch a lot of people: why are narcissists often blamed instead of being seen as wounded humans...

If what you most deeply want is a steady, authentic love, honor that desire — it’s what you are meant to have. If you were...

Silence takes over. An unseen barrier slams into place. Every part of you wants to act—fix it, fill the gap, restore connection. You grab your...

Okay — let’s address this right now. I’m speaking directly to you. You’re here because it feels like your words keep hitting a brick wall,...

We live amid a constant clamor of prescriptions about how to live: everyone seems to have an answer. Some insist it’s all about willpower and...

Listen: marriage can sometimes feel even lonelier than single life, and it’s easy to be swept up in the fairy-tale emotions of the wedding day....

Do you ever notice something almost nobody will admit aloud? Some of the cruelest forms of harm in close relationships are quiet, nonphysical, and they...

Have you ever loved someone who withdraws each time closeness grows? Someone who appears composed on the outside, yet you can sense the quiet tempests...

Many people insist that they should never have to change for their partner. To be clear: change is often necessary. As Tim Keller observes in...

Avoidant partners can wound the psyche in deep and lasting ways — and often they do so without even realizing the harm they cause. It’s...

All right — many ask for communication strategies that actually help their partner hear them without becoming defensive, shutting down, or erupting. This is a...

People with avoidant tendencies seldom repeat “I love you” a hundred times a day, yet that fact doesn’t mean their feelings are shallow. Quite the...

People fall in love every day — it’s effortless and happens to anyone with a heartbeat — but staying in love is a different challenge....

Have you ever known you were being mistreated and reacted by trying to become exactly who you thought the other person wanted? Changing yourself completely...