If you enjoyed watching the Barbie movie, and find it causes you to question your primary relationship, you’re not alone. Did you watch it and think that you were looking at some kind of upside down world? If you did, then you’re not alone either, but this movie does have positive implications for our partnered relationships going forward.

Do you often find yourself trying to give your relationship partner direct answers to questions, or seeking to ‘fix’ a problem that is presented for apparent resolution? If you do, you probably struggle with your listening skills, and active listening could be the best way to solve some of your relationship problems.

Do you and your partner continually wind up butting heads over issues you know in your heart are really trivial? Do you feel stymied by continuing to have the same argument with your partner over and over again? Well, the answer can probably be found in Terry Real’s new book:  Us, which deals with how to recover from relationship conflicts. I review this book in the space below.

Have you ever wondered whether polyamory might be good for you, particularly in the context of an ongoing relationship? Have you felt that at times being able to focus your love and affection on more than one partner would be beneficial for you? I will try to answer these questions in this week's blog post, so read on.

Do you feel like you put a lot of time and effort into giving to your partner, but you get little to nothing in return?  Do you feel like your partner doesn’t take enough interest in you in consideration of how much you put forth? Do you feel like you can predict how your partner will act or react to certain situations, and they invariably do these things?  If you answered yes to most or all of these questions, you may be suffering from relationship burnout.

Do you get things for your partner and wonder why they don’t respond more positively to your gifts? Do you find yourself not responding as positively as you or your partner would like to the favors they do for you or the gifts they get you? It may have a lot to do with not being aware of your partner’s love language, or vice versa, and finding out about it could make a big difference in your relationship.

Have you ever heard someone say the reason they broke up with their relationship partner was because they ‘weren’t compatible?’ Have you ever wondered about this issue being at the heart of your relationship woes? If you have, then I urge you to read on because it will hopefully answer some of your questions.

Do you feel like you are always trying to figure out what set off your partner in some interaction you had with them and that you are always walking on eggshells with them? Do you yourself feel depressed because of the endless cycle of emotional volatility you keep getting caught up in with them? Please read on to find out what you need to do and avoid doing to cope if you answered yes to both of these questions.

Are you someone who has ever been love-bombed only to later be left in the lurch by someone you thought loved you? Are you someone who’s ever love-bombed someone else and later realized you didn’t really mean what you said and did? In either case you could be a victim of love-bombing and the likely underlying mental health diagnoses that goes with it.

Visit our page on trauma therapy to find out more about how Scott can help you with trauma.

About the author: Scott Kampschaefer, LCSW is a private practice therapist in Frederick, Maryland. He has an extensive background in working with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder at a clinic for older adults with these disorders in Austin. He now works with adults and adolescents 14 and up in private practice. His most recent book is titled The 5 Pillars of Addiction Recovery and is available for purchase on Amazon and in paperback on this website.

Remember this Tina Turner song?  Too many people with relationship problems are too prone to blaming these on sex, but problems with sex are usually just a symptom of general relationship problems that are usually very treatable.

Do you and your partner not see eye to eye with the issue of porn use?  Does your spouse give you a hard time about looking at porn, or even threaten to kick you out of the house because of looking at it?  Maybe you’re a spouse who’s about to file for divorce over this issue. In either case, you can benefit from reading more.

Are you someone who has experienced an affair in your marriage?  Do you wonder how long it will take to trudge the long road back from this or a similar breach in trust...if it’s even possible?  If you are one of the partners involved in such an experience know that it is possible to come back from this.