Healthy Relationships

Charles A. McKay is a licensed psychotherapist from Orono, Maine, USA, who specializes in relationships, anger management, and trauma recovery.

Series Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Guide to Health Literacy
Common Misconceptions about Healthy Relationships
Questions and Answers
Dating and Attractiveness
1. How can I tell if I am ready to date or seek a partner?
2. How do I cope with loneliness?
3. What can I do to be noticed by potential partners?
4. How do I “ask someone out” without feeling awkward?
5. Will asking out a friend ruin the friendship?
6. Are dating or hookup apps a good way to meet potential partners?
7. Is a “hookup” or “friends with benefits” arrangement right for me?
8. How do I keep the conversation going on a first date?
9. How do I respond to others who are pressuring me to date or become sexually active if I don’t feel ready?
10. Does dating someone from a different background present any unique challenges?
Building Connection and Trust
11. How can my partner and I feel more connected to each other?
12. Is it important that my partner and I have the same interests or hobbies?
13. How can my partner and I learn to speak the same “love language?”
14. What are the barriers to connection, and how are they overcome?
15. How can my partner and I build trust?
16. Are monogamy and nonmonogamy equally healthy options for me?
Sexual Health
17. What are the ingredients of a healthy sex life?
18. Are masturbation and pornography use healthy while in a relationship?
19. How can I reduce the risks associated with sexual activity, including unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections?
20. What is sexual assault, and how can I avoid perpetrating it or becoming a victim of it?
21. Who can I talk to about pregnancy, sex, or sexual health without others finding out?
Healthy Boundaries
22. How can I avoid putting too much strain on my relationship?
23. How much contact or texting is healthy in a relationship?
24. Is it healthy to keep secrets in a relationship?
25. How can I effectively communicate and maintain healthy boundaries?
26. How can I understand and manage jealousy?
27. What are the warning signs of an abusive relationship?
28. Should I tolerate abuse or violence from my partner or threats of violence (even if toward themselves) if I know they are actually a good person underneath?
29. Can my relationship be healthy if one or both of us has an addiction or a mental health diagnosis?
30. Can a relationship help me overcome past abuse or trauma?
31. How can I tell if I am codependent or in a codependent relationship?
Healthy Conflict
32. Is conflict a sign of an unhealthy relationship?
33. How can my partner and I improve our communication?
34. What are the best ways to make decisions or resolve conflicts as a couple?
35. How can my partner and I deal with anger in a healthy way?
36. How can I offer a meaningful apology when I have hurt my partner?
37. What is forgiveness, and when is it appropriate?
38. How do I know if I’m “accepting” my partner versus “settling” for less than I deserve?
39. What are the signs that my relationship may be in trouble?
40. How do I find a good couples therapist?
Endings
41. How do I know if it’s time to move on from a relationship?
42. How do I break up with a partner?
43. What do I do if my partner breaks up with me and I feel like my life is over?
44. Should my ex and I be friends?
45. My partner and I may need to live apart from each other. Is a long-distance relationship a good idea, or should we break up?
46. Is it healthy to date or hook up with someone new immediately after the end of a relationship?
Case Studies
Glossary
Directory of Resources
Index