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Tune Up Tuesday!  In addition to hosting mornings on B105.7, I work in the afternoons as a therapist at Evolve Therapy in Greenwood, IN and on Tuesday mornings I share some things I’ve learned in that role that you may be able to use to “tune up” relationships in your life.

Last week I talked about frustration and why it shows up in our relationships.  It largely has to do with your expectations.  When your expectations are met, life is grand. When they’re not, frustration ensues.  So, alleviating frustrations is really about examining expectations.  Here are some ways to do that:

  • Consider where your frustrations came from… childhood?  Some other piece of your lived experience?
  • Consider how realistic and reasonable they are.
  • Remember not meeting your expectations doesn’t necessarily mean your partner doesn’t care (even though it may feel that way).
  • They can’t meet them if they don’t know them.
  • It’s important to clearly and gently communicate your expectations.
  • Once you share your experience, see if you and your partner can come to a solution that works for both of you.

And here’s a silver lining to frustration: it shows that you really do care about your relationship.

Yes, I’m biased… but it can also be helpful to explore your frustrations with help from a couples therapist.

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