Handling Toxic Relationships
From the friend who constantly complains, to the gossip-loving coworker, and the unsupportive spouse, this collection of expertly sourced resources will help you improve these relationships while keeping your emotions and triggers in check.
Managing Difficult Friendships
How to Cope With a Toxic Friend
Maintaining healthy social ties is crucial to our well-being, but some relationships may not be giving you the best energy.
How to Deal With a High-Maintenance Friend
Have a pal who makes excessive claims on your time and attention? Here’s how to manage the relationship — without making yourself crazy.
My Friend Complains All the Time. What Should I Do?
The key is mindful redirection, says Zen teacher Cheri Huber.
How to Handle Friendship Conflict
One of the first steps? Realizing that conflict is normal.
How to Say Goodbye to a Toxic Friend
Saying ”so long” to a played-out friendship is never easy. Here’s how to do it with grace.
Handling Difficult Family Dynamics
How to Stop Dreading Family Gatherings
Social psychologist and author Amy Johnson, PhD, offers advice for dealing with those family members who often threaten to ruin the mood.
How to Resolve Sibling Conflict in Adulthood
Expert tips for navigating a rocky relationship with an adult sibling.
What’s the Best Way to Handle Unsolicited Advice From Family Members?
Holiday gatherings can be an especially fraught time for unwelcome advice. Our expert says to try to remain curious, open, and polite. Here’s how.
How to Establish Healthy Boundaries With Grandparents
Supportive grandparents can be a godsend for you and your kids — but disagreements about parenting may create tension. Setting healthy boundaries can help you find a balance.
Creating a Healthier Marriage
9 Strategies to Create a More Civil, Loving Marriage
Why are we so rude to our spouses, yet courteous, kind, and patient with complete strangers? Paying attention to good manners and small niceties may be the key to sustaining the vitality of your relationships.
End Bickering and Improve Your Relationship With These Strategies
Do you find yourself endlessly bickering with your partner about an issue that just won’t go away? Therapist and author Linda Carroll, MS, explains how to break out of the battle.
When “You’ve Changed” Feels Like Criticism – Coping With Unsupportive People
You’d like your loved ones to be happy and supportive about your positive life transformations. But what if they’re not?
8 Ways to Fight Fair in a Relationship
When it comes to the health of our intimate relationships, it’s not about whether we argue but how we do it that counts. These skills can help deepen connection during — and after — conflict.
Navigating Difficult Work Situations
How to Overcome an Aggressive Workplace Culture
Does your workplace lean towards power over compassion, or disparagement over cooperation? Mindfulness pioneer Sharon Salzburg offers her wisdom for strengthening connections with your coworkers.
How to Cope With a Passive-Aggressive Coworker
Licensed counselor Loriann Oberlin explains how to cut through the veiled anger and toxicity.
How to Deal With a Defensive Coworker
Interacting with a colleague who constantly has their guard up can be frustrating and lead to unnecessary tension. However, your word choice can do a lot to break down those barriers.
How to Deal With a Bully at Work
A workplace bully can wreak havoc on not just your job but your personal life, too. The good news? You don’t have to suffer in silence.
How to Navigate Office Gossip
Gossip can lead to a dysfunctional and toxic workplace. The good news? You don’t have to stop it. Mindfulness pioneer Sharon Salzburg explains here.
Coping With Other Difficult Relationships
How to Navigate a Strained Relationship
Our differences don’t have to keep us polarized. Try this expert advice for forging unexpected connections.
Tips for Coping with a Difficult Neighbor
His dog barks. Her compost bin smells. Your neighbors are driving you crazy. These strategies can help increase the peace.
How to Cope With Chronic Complainers
Here’s how to avoid getting drawn into other people’s negativity spirals.
Getting Past Toxic Gossip
Here’s how to discern between friendly chatter and mean-spirited rumor mongering.
How to Respond to Gaslighting
Gaslighting can undermine your self-confidence and perception of the truth. Here are signs of gaslighting — and how to break free from it.
Your Role and Reactions
Navigating relationships — especially challenging ones — starts with understanding our own role in interactions. While we can’t control others, we can take responsibility for how we respond and set healthy boundaries. By understanding these dynamics, we can begin to step away from toxicity and create more peace in our lives. The following articles will guide you to better understand your role, create healthy boundaries, develop self-awareness and keep your reactions in check.
Managing Your Emotions and Reactions
How to Set Clear Boundaries
A renowned trauma therapist and coach explains how to manage your energy without getting swamped by other people — or hardening against them.
5 Tips to Stay Cool Under Pressure
These simple strategies can help steady your nerves when the heat is on.
13 Strategies to Deal With Your Emotional Triggers
A psychotherapist offers actionable advice for handling our trigger reactions.
How to Manage a Trigger Response
You don’t have to be hijacked by strong reactions. Learn how to manage them — and how to recover your cool when you’ve already lost it.
How to Practice Diplomacy in Everyday Life
Negotiation skills are not just for high-powered executives; they can help you improve your personal relationships while preserving your values.
Understanding Roles and Dynamics
Peace Through Personality: How to Use the Enneagram to Manage Conflict
The Enneagram can help us understand why each of us deals with conflict differently — and how we can find common ground.
How to Avoid Drama
Are your relationships defined by tired role-play? Here’s how to break out of character.
No Boundaries: Overcoming Codependence
What you can do to break codependency and cultivate healthier, more satisfying relationships.
The 4 Communication Styles
How knowing these four different communication styles can improve your relationships.