ADHD in a relationship does not look like the cartoon version of hyperactivity. It looks like a partner who cannot follow through on commitments, who loses interest in the relationship after the initial intensity fades, who forgets important dates, who interrupts, who is always distracted. Both partners usually misread what is happening: the ADHD partner feels criticized and misunderstood, and the non-ADHD partner feels abandoned and unimportant. This article explains the specific relationship patterns that ADHD creates and what couples therapy approaches actually address the dynamic.
IFS: How Talking to Your “Parts” Can Change Your Life
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a psychotherapy model developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz that understands the mind as made up of distinct sub-personalities or ‘parts’, each with its own perspective, motivation, and role in the system. Rather than fighting or suppressing these parts, IFS works by helping clients understand and heal them from the inside. Here is how IFS works in practice, what a session looks like, and which presentations it’s particularly effective for.
Mel Robbins’ “Let Them” Philosophy
Mel Robbins’ Let Them philosophy has resonated with millions of people because it speaks to something real: the exhaustion of trying to manage other people’s choices, reactions, and opinions. The idea of simply letting them do what they do is appealing. But as clinical advice it is incomplete, and applying it without nuance can create new problems. This article examines what the framework gets clinically right about codependency and control, where it falls short as standalone guidance, and how to use it constructively in relationships.
How to Break Free from the Relationship Limbo: Why Guilt Shouldn’t Keep You Stuck
You’re not fully in and you’re not fully out. You’ve had the conversation a dozen times without resolution, and guilt keeps pulling you back every time you get close to clarity. That in-between state has a name, and it follows predictable patterns. This article, written from a Gottman Method clinical perspective, explains why guilt is the most common force keeping people stuck in relationship limbo, and what clarity actually requires beyond just thinking harder about it.
What the Gottmans Want New Parents to Understand About Having a Baby
When you’re expecting a baby, it’s a beautiful time, but it can also be a real strain on your relationship if you’re not prepared. The Gottmans have laid out several critical concepts in their book “And Baby Makes Three” that can help keep your relationship strong during this transition.