Kelley Donovan, LCSW

https://www.marriage.com/advice/domestic-violence-and-abuse/signs-you-are-experiencing-emotional-and-mental-abuse/

53 Subtle yet Disturbing Signs of Emotional Abuse Domestic Violence and Abuse: Abuse as a concept is described as the cruel and violent treatment of another person. However, understanding abuse and all of its complexities is far more difficult to define.

https://www.gottman.com/blog/making-sure-emotional-flooding-doesnt-capsize-your-relationship/

Making Sure Emotional Flooding Doesn't Capsize Your Relationship Read how emotional flooding ignites your fight-or-flight mode and ways to avoid this so you don't derail your conflict management.

https://ifstudies.org/blog/equal-not-identical-in-sharing-family-tasks-consider-the-preferences-of-men-and-women?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Equal, Not Identical: In Sharing Family Tasks, Consider the Preferences of Men and Women Despite women’s strong representation in the U.S. workforce, and despite positive attitudes throughout the populace toward working mothers and dual-earner households, women continue to spend less time at their formal jobs and more time cleaning the house and caring for children than men do. These ...

Great episode about how the past shows up in relationships.

‎The Gray Area with Sean Illing: Breaking our family patterns on Apple Podcasts ‎Show The Gray Area with Sean Illing, Ep Breaking our family patterns - Mar 2, 2023

Grand gestures are nice, but when it comes to trust, it’s the "small things often" that matter.

Trust is one of the weight-bearing walls of the Sound Relationship House. A thriving relationship depends on this support. You can build trust by turning towards your partner in everyday moments.

What are the little things your partner does that build trust in your relationship?

Upgrade your communication skills and show up for your partner today with Feeling Seen and Heard: https://bit.ly/3hgNDyW

When something you said (or didn’t say) hurts your partner’s feelings, there’s a strong impulse to interrupt with, “That wasn’t my intention. You’re misunderstanding me,” even before your partner is done talking.

Unfortunately, when you, the listener, reacts to what your partner is saying before they get the chance to fully explain themselves, you both are left feeling misunderstood. While it’s important to complain without blame and state a positive need to help prevent the listener from flooding or responding defensively, in a healthy relationship it’s also vital for the listener to learn to self-soothe.

Ditch the defensiveness and discover how self-soothing can allow you to maintain yourself and the connection with your partner during conflict on the Gottman Relationship Coach. Get started today: https://bit.ly/3ci5PUO

Quarantine Quarrels: An exercise to help relationship conflicts We all experience some fear when we have disagreements or arguments with our partners. As we’re all sheltering in place, being around one’s partner 24/7 may be putting extra strain on the relations…

These are challenging times for couples. If virtual therapy is not an option, try Hold Me Tight Online —it is an easy-to-use and effective way to rebuild a safe, loving connection between you and your partner. For a limited time Hold Me Tight Online is on sale for 50% off. www.holdmetightonline.com

Home - Hold Me Tight Online Visit The Program to find out more about what Hold Me Tight Online can offer. Or watch while I explain how Hold Me Tight can help you and your partner today.

Expressing Compassion and Empathy The fourth and final key to maintaining intimacy in conversations with your partner is to express compassion and empathy when he or she is upset.

Thanks to for this useful chart! Learn more about softened start-ups: http://bit.ly/2FJBYY2

Sometimes when we're angry, there are other emotions hidden below the surface. Learning to recognize when anger isn't really what we're feeling is important for helping us identify and cope with our emotions.

Image inspired by Creative Social Worker.

Be the Change You Wish to See in Your Relationship Instead of trying to change your partner, be the change you wish to see in your relationship.

If you start an argument harshly by attacking your partner, you will end up with at least as much tension as you began with, if not more. Softening start-ups of your conversations is crucial to resolving relationship conflicts.

Learn more: http://bit.ly/2pchVXP

How to Be Kind When You’re Upset With Your Partner Kindness is not just important in the heat of an argument.

Try this with your significant other!

The 36 Questions That Lead to Love A series of personal questions used by the psychologist Arthur Aron to explore the idea of fostering closeness through mutual vulnerability.