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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Ben Barry & Daniel Smith

'I'm a relationship therapist and these are the five signs your relationship may be in trouble'

A top sex and relationship therapist has revealed the five signs a relationship might be on the rocks, which includes partners not having 'their back'.

Lauren Consul, 34, is a sex and relationship therapist and she has explained the five signs a relationship is near the end, such as not maintaining curiosity about your partner and your words and actions not aligning. Lauren said that some couples can feel like roommates as they "lose curiosity and stop asking questions".

According to Lauren, getting stuck in the content during arguments, rather than talking about the deeper underlying meaning of the argument.

Read more: Four mistakes that make your house a target for thieves, according to ex-burglar

According to Lauren, being unwilling to take responsibility for the argument and assuming you know each other because you've been together for a long time can both lead to the breakdown of your relationship. The top expert also said not having your partner's back can also add to the end of a relationship.

She added that you can come back from the brink by showing your partner that you are willing to change and show awareness of the issues in the relationship. Lauren who is from Los Angeles said: "The key is coming back and working together as a team to resolve any issue.

"It's always easy to go apart and a lot harder to come back together. It is a lot easier to point the finger at our partner, we are in this cycle together, what you do impacts your partner which then impacts you - behaviours get reinforced," she added.

Lauren says failing to see your partner's perspective can cause issues in a relationship - particularly during arguments. She said: "Two people can experience the same thing but feel completely differently about it. If we get stuck in the 'right sight' we are saying one person's experience is valid and the other is not.

"The best way to overcome this is if we can take a pause and reflect on what we are hearing from our partner and validate them. That tells our partner we are listening and what they are saying makes sense - shows we are on the same team. The key is coming back and working together as a team to resolve, it is easy to go apart but a lot harder to come back together."

Lauren says another sign your relationship could be on the rocks is if you and your partner don't remain curious about each other. She warns couples can slip into feeling like roommates - as they lose curiosity and stop asking questions.

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