Honest communication, empathy, and active listening are a few ways to reconnect and rebuild a damaged relationship. It may take time and professional support.
If you’re in a relationship where your partner or you have broken each other’s trust, it may feel like the relationship is damaged or irreparable.
Trust can be rebuilt, but it takes honest communication, acknowledgment, and a willingness to work from all involved parties.
It also depends on the transgression. If a relationship is broken due to abuse or domestic violence, it’s unhealthy to stay in those situations. If your relationship can be repaired, there are steps you can take to rebuild trust and connection with your partner.
Fixing a broken relationship can take time. With patience and understanding, trust and security can be developed as you continue to grow with your significant other.
If you’re experiencing experiencing a challenging time in your relationship, you’re not alone. Consider the following tips to build a safe and healthy relationship with your partner, even through difficult situations.
See a relationship or couples therapist
Seeing a relationship or couples therapist can help you and your partner process the emotions associated with broken trust. A mental health professional can also help you improve your communication and learn how to repair the broken trust.
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Couples therapy can also help you gain a deeper understanding of attachment styles and how
If you’re considering couples therapy, you can find online couples therapy or reach out to a local mental health professional.
Empathize with your partner
It will take time to process transgressions and regain trust. Empathizing and acknowledging how your partner feels as they process emotions related to the loss of trust they’re experiencing can help them feel heard and understood.
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Supporting your partner
Acknowledge your mistakes and apologize
Acknowledging that you made a mistake instead of denying that it happened can lead to possible repair. Apologizing for your mistakes can also help you rebuild trust with your partner.
Research indicates that those who receive apologies are
Practice active listening
Active listening can help both you and your partner work through the challenges of broken trust. When you listen to understand rather than respond, you show your partner you care about their feelings.
If you’re the one who broke the trust between you and your partner, active listening can help you validate feelings and put yourself in your partner’s shoes. You’re trying to understand their point of view rather than defend yourself when practicing active listening.
Some ways to practice active listening include:
- eliminating distractions
- providing focused attention to the speaker
- asking clarifying questions
- repeating what you hear the speaker say in your own words
Learning active listening skills can take time, but you can be a better communicator once you do.
Connect with your partner
If you’re in a relationship that needs repair, reconnecting with your partner may be a great way to strengthen it. Spending intentional time focused on your partner can help you cherish your time together.
If trust has been broken, reconnecting may feel hard at first. You can reconnect by having a regular date night or having a time weekly when you do a relationship check-in.
Relationship check-ins can help you and your partner identify what’s bothering you and communicate about it.
In some situations, broken relationships can’t be repaired or may take a lot of work. Some signs of a potentially broken relationship include:
- infidelity
- repeated lying
- domestic violence
- situations of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
Additionally, famous couples therapist Dr. John Gottman identified the four horsem*n of the apocalypse, which can signal a decline in your relationship.
The four horsem*n include:
- criticism
- contempt
- stonewalling
- defensiveness
If you notice one or more of these four horsem*n, it may be time to seek professional support.
You can move forward if there’s been a betrayal or mistrust in your relationship. Some people may decide to break up with their partner, and others may try to work through it.
No matter what you choose to do, seeking professional support can help you cope with the feelings surrounding your relationship.
If you’re experiencing domestic violence, you can reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1800-799-SAFE. You can also contact Love is Respect for support and information on healthy relationships and dating abuse at 1-866-331-9474.
