Intimate relationships are a complex and often wonderful collaboration of two people choosing to share their lives with one another. And they bring a whole host of potential complications with them. Different cultures, values, upbringings, experiences, desires, ambitions, family dynamics, non-negotiables and more can make coming together a real challenge, and that’s without the unforeseen ways we change as individuals as we age and grow.

Recognising narcissistic abuse in your relationships can be challenging because narcissists are very skilled at manipulating and ‘gaslighting’ their victims, leaving them feeling very uncertain about their doubts and wondering if it is in fact them that is the problem.

Gaslighting is a term that has gained prominence in recent years, shedding light on a form of psychological manipulation that can have profound and damaging effects on an individual’s mental well-being.

Human relationships are intricate and complex, involving a wide spectrum of emotions from joy and love to pain and suffering. Among the complicated dynamics that can emerge within relationships, the trauma bond stands out as a profound yet often misunderstood phenomenon.

Relationships are full of ups and downs and it’s widely agreed that disagreements and arguments in a relationship are normal and often a healthy way to overcome obstacles and frustrations within the relationship if done in a way that generates a productive outcome.

For some people, entering into unhealthy and toxic relationships can become a repeated pattern, and can leave them wondering why they are attracted to unhealthy people or why toxic people are attracted to them. It can be deeply upsetting and create fear of new relationships going forward when they always seem to end up with people who aren’t good for them.