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Ignored Emotions Are the Silent Killers of Relationships
Why you keep snapping at your partner —and how to stop
My client struggled to maintain peace at home. After a calm period with her boyfriend, the fighting always resurfaced. At the time of writing, they were in a good spot — but for how long?
Diane came to me a couple of months ago with anger management issues, particularly around trust in her relationship. I’ve been working as a therapist for over 3 years, and situations like Diane’s are a common reason people seek help. But this time it had an unexpected twist. She had transitioned from an open relationship to a monogamous one, but her boyfriend remained distrustful.
He’d questioned where she went, what she did between certain hours, who she was talking to, and so on. And that was getting on her nerves.
She stayed patient as long as possible, but then she’d snap, yelling (which she hated) and assuring him there was no one else.
He’d either argue or act cold toward her for a few days, then things would return to normal. But after some time, the trust and control issues would always come back.
Diane hated how her boyfriend was so insecure, stubborn, suspicious, and jealous, and how much toll he had on her. She had managed her anger with…
