Validation and empathy are often mistaken one for the other but they are not the same. Empathy is an internal process and validation is an interpersonal act. Validation can be a powerful skill in defusing arguments between partners. Validation and empathy are often used interchangeably but they are distinct. Empathy is the ability to put […]
From the moment of birth, psychological development entails a process of gradual distancing and separation from parents. That process begins in a state of symbiotic and heightened dependence on parents for basic physical, emotional, and psychological needs. This separation process then progresses in stages as a person grows up and develops greater independence and autonomy. […]
People are complicated, and when two people are in a relationship the level of complexity is not just additive, it is multiplicative. Just as people’s physical and mental health are on a spectrum so are relationships’ health. In most relationships, there are aspects of those relationships that are more or less functional. Couple’s therapy can […]