Relationships

Relationships shape how we experience ourselves, other people, and the changes that unfold throughout our lives. As relationships grow, change, deepen, or end, they can challenge expectations and alter familiar roles. Understanding these dynamics can provide perspective on connection, conflict, loss, trust, and the ways relationships continue to influence our lives.

Related Transitions

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Two parents discussing custody issues with a distraught child on the couch
Cutting The Baby In Half
High-conflict divorce can place children in the middle of their parents’ pain, anger, and disagreements. Deborah Wagner explores how custody battles can affect children—and why protecting them sometimes requires parents to separate their feelings about each other from their love for their children.
Woman sitting alone on the floor while a group stands together nearby
How Betrayal Evokes Life Transitions Part ll
Betrayal can disrupt our understanding of a relationship, another person, and even ourselves. In Part II, Deborah Wagner explores the psychological process of navigating betrayal, making sense of what has changed, and beginning to integrate the experience into the larger framework of our lives.
Man sitting in a chair with his head resting in his hand
How Betrayal Evokes Life Transitions Part l
Betrayal can disrupt trust, identity, relationships, and our understanding of the life we thought we were living. Deborah Wagner explores how discovering a betrayal can challenge deeply held assumptions and become the beginning of a profound and unexpected life transition.
Middle-aged caregiver holding the hands of an elderly woman
The Gifts Hidden in Caregiving: What Illness Can Teach Us About Love
Caring for someone through serious illness can bring grief, uncertainty, and hardship, but it can also reveal unexpected expressions of love. Through presence, connection, and shared vulnerability, caregiving can deepen relationships and create moments of meaning even during profoundly difficult times.
Adult child holding an aging parent's hand
When Your Parent Becomes the One Who Needs Protection
When a parent becomes vulnerable, familiar roles can begin to shift, bringing new responsibilities, uncertainty, and emotional complexity. Understanding this transition can help us navigate changing family relationships, preserve dignity, and adapt to a new role with someone we love.

Psychologist | Author | Expert on Life's Transitions

Exploring how we understand, navigate, and integrate the changes and challenges that shape our lives.

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