Skip to content
Article

Dear Dr. Romance: I am the one who becomes unbalanced

Written by Tina Tessina - Dr. Romance

Topic: Relationship AdvicePublished Recently added
Rating pending1,412 viewsSign in to rate

Dear Dr. Romance:

I am married 19 years and my husband and I have two children. We have a good marriage in so many ways yet we continuously cycle to a low point every couple of months primarily due to my change in mood and feelings about the relationship.

A bad case of ambivalence on my part. We recently had a nice break from one another with my travel for work. We decided to let go of the past negatives we know about one another and our relationship and start fresh. I really like this idea.

I've only been home for a few days and it's working so far. My goal is to have some guidance on setting the tone for our future. I really like what you wrote in "Attitude Adjustment" about inner peace, calmness and maintaining that balance.

I definitely am the one in the relationship who becomes unbalanced. My husband has never changed his feelings for me. He's very predictable and I think I may take him for granted. I want to avoid rehashing and complaining about the past. I'm not sure if this is doable.

We have had counseling in the past. It has been helpful, but I feel it's a waste of time to sit in a counseling office and complain about one another. I truly want some viable solutions. I would appreciate any feedback you can give me at this point and any particular books you can recommend would be helpful as well.

Dear Reader:

If you really think the problem is your mood, why not get counseling by yourself? As the article says, you can learn how to gain control of your emotional reactions, and also to learn to respond thoughtfully rather than act out like an undisciplined child. You can learn to calm yourself down, and to work with your husband instead of reacting like a crazy person. "Stop Reacting and Start Relating" shows you how you should relate to your husband, "Peace Begins at Home" will help you calm yourself down "Relating With Love" will teach you how to be more loving and considerate and "Resolving Inner Anarchy" will help you learn to sort out your thinking before you speak. It Ends with You: Grow Up and Out of Dysfunction will help you understand why you react the way you do and change your attitude and reactions. Love Styles: How to Celebrate Your Differences will help you and your husband repair the damage.

IEWY Cover Lovestyles new kindle.jpg (2)
For free relationship tips and courses, LoveForever.com

Article author

About the Author

Tina B. Tessina, Ph.D. is a licensed psychotherapist in S. Califo
ia since 1978 with over 30 years experience in counseling individuals and couples and author of 13 books in 17 languages, including It Ends With You: Grow Up and Out of Dysfunction; The Unofficial Guide to Dating Again; Money, Sex and Kids: Stop Fighting About the Three Things That Can Ruin Your Marriage, The Commuter Marriage, and her newest, Love Styles: How to Celebrate Your Differences. She writes the “Dr. Romance” blog, and the “Happiness Tips from Tina” email newsletter.
Dr. Tessina, is CRO (Chief Romance Officer) for LoveForever.com, a website designed to strengthen relationships and guide couples through the various stages of their relationship with personalized tips, courses, and online couples counseling. Online, she’s known as “Dr. Romance” Dr. Tessina appears frequently on radio, and such TV shows as “Oprah”, “Larry King Live” and ABC News.

Further reading

Further Reading

3 total

Article

The early development of avoidant attachment creates a coping mechanism that forms in childhood. Disconnected parent-child interactions typically trigger this condition. People who develop this attachment style learn to depend on their resources. They avoid deep emotional connections. People with this attachment style want intimacy, yet they remain afraid of becoming dependent on others. Understanding Avoidant Attachment Among the four primary attachment styles, avoidant atta

February 6, 2025

Article

The idea of making yourself more desirable by making yourself less available doesn't make a lot of sense when you think about it. After all, Juliet would have plunged a premature dagger into the heart of her romance with Romeo if she hid in her room rather than go out on her balcony. The end of Sleepless in Seattle shifts from "awww" to "aw, no" if one of the two main characters skips the trip to the Empire State Building. As these examples from fiction show, making yourself

August 16, 2024

Article

Whеn it comеs to attraction, actions oftеn spеak loudеr than words. Womеn havе a uniquе ability to captivatе and еnticе mеn without uttеring a singlе syllablе. Whеthеr it's a subtlе glancе or a playful touch, thеsе nonvеrbal cuеs can crеatе an undеniablе chеmistry that words alonе could nеvеr convеy. In this articlе, wе'll еxplorе fivе unspokеn movеs that womеn usе to drivе mеn wild, tapping into thе powеr of body languagе, еyе

August 10, 2024