Irina Zhuravleva

When someone says they want “closure,” I tend to be wary—often what they really mean is they’re still obsessively in love with someone and are...

Not every obsessive bond takes the form of a romantic affair — sometimes it’s a friendship that fills the void left by childhood neglect and...

Decades of study by Drs. John and Julie Gottman found that the most powerful indicator of a relationship’s future health was how partners responded to...

Men, I want to help you see something many of the women you’re with struggle to communicate: they often can’t ask for what they need...

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...

Below are additional practical steps, scripts, and safeguards you can use if you decide to explore reconnection — tools to help you stay grounded, protect...

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...

There really is a phenomenon in our world that people commonly call evil, and I don’t hear enough discussion about it among trauma professionals. It...

Come on — can we stop griping that a marriage-advice video is “too long” when it’s literally only three minutes? In a culture addicted to...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

I kept getting into the same pointless arguments over the same stupid dishes until I finally saw that the disputes weren’t really about plates at...

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...

There is a strange paradox in human relationships that only a few truly understand. Often the instant you stop pursuing someone is the moment they...

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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