Signs of a healthy relationship

No relationship is conflict-free. The more useful question is how the relationship handles difference, repair, autonomy, and vulnerability.

• Safety: disagreement does not create fear of retaliation.
• Respect: boundaries and personhood remain intact.
• Reciprocity: care and effort are not permanently one-sided.
• Repair: both people can acknowledge harm and change behavior.
• Autonomy: closeness does not require isolation or control.
• Clarity: important expectations can be discussed directly.

Why this matters when evaluating relationship advice

A technique that increases attention but reduces honesty, safety, or autonomy is a poor trade. Judge advice by the relationship pattern it encourages, not merely whether it gets a response.