How to Surviving in a Relationship Crisis

All relationships have conflict. These are the real litmus tests of your union. These are the challenges that make and break pairings and therefore represent the most important times to carefully consider your actions and reactions to one another.

Successfully navigating the crisis zone in your relationship is like any other “test” that you will undergo. It involves several key tools and strategies.

Get to the Root of the Crisis
Being “in crisis” and truly understanding the nature of that crisis are two different things. In order to successfully solve your issues you must first fully understand them.

Address Your Issues
While there are times when keeping your mouth shut is the best way to handle crisis. It is important to tackle conflict head-on, to be mature about the less pleasurable aspects of your life and to look to your partner for support in doing so, rather than keep him or her in the dark.

Avoid Placing Blame
When you are stressed out due to a crisis, it is natural to want to shift the blame away from yourself. However, even if he is “at fault”, focusing on that blame doesn’t change the situation or suggest a resolution. It is far better to discuss what is really at hand and find the solution to the real problem, regardless of who is at fault.

Don’t Take Out Your Frustrations on One Another
If a crisis is external to the relationship, such as a conflict at work, taking out your frustration on your partner is counterproductive and unfair. Talk, vent, yell at the world in front of your partner, not at her.