Relationship Advice for Love after Trauma
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Is It Really Possible to Break Unhealthy Relationship Patterns and Be Happy Together?
I’ve never had what I’d call a healthy relationship, and neither has the man I’m dating now. After two long, unhappy marriages between us, this new relationship feels foreign—and almost too good to trust. I want to believe we can create something different, but I keep wondering if we’re just repeating patterns we don’t fully understand. Is it really possible to build a healthy relationship when neither of us has ever had one?
I grew up with constant fighting. Now I shut down during conflict. How can I work through this?
Growing up with parents fighting constantly has affected me in so many ways. Now, I have the tendency to shut down in difficult conversations. I withdraw into myself and just freeze up. My head goes blank, and it's difficult for me to focus on the conversation at hand. What are some effective ways to work through this?
My spouse and I both have past trauma and poor communication skills. Can we get better together?
If both you and your spouse have past trauma and poor communication skills, is it possible to heal together and learn how to have a better relationship? What if one spouse is more receptive to the journey than the other?
How do I foster growth in my relationship without my partner’s help?
How do I foster growth in a relationship when the other person is unwilling to put the necessary time aside weekly to communicate openly. I admittedly get flustered easily and raise my voice unintentionally. I think it’s because I feel that I’m not being heard every time I ask to talk about things going on.
How do I stop being so defensive in my relationship?
What can I do to stop falling into defense mode when my partners raises issues he has with me?
How do I let go of the hurt from being treated badly by someone I loved?
How do you release the grief and hurt of being treated badly by someone you cared for deeply?
How do I get over trust issues and stop ruining my relationships?
I demolished a beautiful relationship with accusations I knew were far from true. I couldn’t accept that my intuition had been hindered by my paranoia. But why do I still feel the same feelings and think the same thought, even though I know they’re wrong?
I have complex trauma from childhood. How do I learn to love myself?
I have complex trauma. How do I nurture myself when I don't remember when the last time I've ever felt nurtured? I've been divorced after a long term codependent relationship and I’ve realized I have never even known myself.
Why do people ghost after intimacy or conflict in relationships?
Why do men ghost women when conflict arises and/or after intimacy?
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We’re not born knowing how to communicate in relationships.
For many of us, we missed out on learning healthy communication skills during childhood. Instead of learning how to communicate in ways that allow both people to feel seen, heard, and understood, often we learn patterns of communication that create confusion, hurt, and disconnection. Or we learn that it’s safer to just keep our thoughts and feelings to ourselves … and not communicate.
The secret to fulfilling relationships is learning how to connect with another person through communication. You can start learning the art of communication with our free communication class, The Communication Cure.