I’m excited to be featured again as a Relationship Expert columnist for the website Deep Soulful Love! The website is specifically for women navigating tough questions about relationships and longing to experience healthy romance.
In this column, I explore what might be going on when your partner pulls away from a serious, committed relationship.
Here is a preview:
“When your partner pulls away from a serious relationship, you may feel frustrated and disheartened. After all, it takes significant time, energy, and emotional investment to reach this level of commitment.
The stereotype of the “commitment phobic” man in pop culture is all too common, and many women can just as easily fit into this category. But where does this idea come from?
One explanation derives from Attachment Theory: you develop your blueprint for relationships from the kind of relationship you had with your parents, or your “attachment” figures. The way your primary caregiver responded, or didn’t respond, to you in your early years determines whether you believe your needs will be met in relationships. These core beliefs shape how you interact with others and the types of relationships you choose.
More specifically, we are drawn to romantic relationships that mimic the dynamic we had with our attachment figures. For instance, if your mother was emotionally unavailable, you may choose a partner who cannot meet your needs. If your father redirects conversations towards himself, you may choose a partner who has narcissistic tendencies. We seek out what feels familiar to us because we grew up believing it was not only normal, but also that it was love.”
Click here to read the full article! Enjoy!