Questions for Discerning a Healthy Relationship

Part of the process of growing up is developing discernment for whether or not your relationships are healthy. We learn to navigate this early on. One of the markers of the emergence of early childhood is the identification of having “best friends.” While toddlers exhibit parallel play, playing alongside a peer without much direct interaction, as early as age three, children begin to crave more social engagement with their peers and begin to identify and assign specific value to their friendships.  We continue to practice this through all phases of development as we learn conflict resolution and how to treat others. By the teenage years, romantic relationships begin to blossom and adolescence is an important time to begin discussing in depth the foundational boundaries of a healthy relationship.  According to loveisrespect.org, an advocacy and educational site for teen violence awareness, “One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.”  One reason for this is teenagers are learning to navigate the complex world of love and relationships based on their varied backgrounds and experiences from home while experiencing high levels of hormones and emotionality. These experimental phases are often the scaffolding for the relationships they will create and maintain later in life. Also from loveisrespect.org, “Violent relationships in ...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Abuse Relationships Violence and Aggression Boundaries Codependence Domestic Violence Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month teen violence awareness valentine's day Source Type: blogs