Love should never be painful. This Valentine’s Day, and every day, we stand with survivors of domestic violence, offering support, advocacy, and resources. Let us celebrate healthy, happy, and violence-free relationships! 
Valentine’s Day should be a celebration of loving, happy, and healthy relationships – not abusive, unhealthy, or toxic relationships. With social media, we can sometimes get wrapped up in the presentation of relationships, rather than focusing on the foundations of a healthy relationship. Here are some of those key building blocks:
- Set and Communicating Boundaries
To create a safe and respectful environment, both partners must have boundaries that are comfortable and valued. It is completely normal for these boundaries to be crossed at some times, as long as you are able to communicate that it made you uncomfortable and your partner honors and respects it. Reversely, respect and honor when your partner expresses concerns or their uncomfortability about a topic or action. - Prioritizing Self-Care
It’s important to maintain a sense of self in a relationship. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the love of the relationship that it becomes your entire life, but you must have a sense of individuality outside of the relationship. If it seems like you and your partner are struggling with codependcy, use #1 Setting Boundaries as a starting conversation about expectations of alone time and then practice #3 if there are disagreements. - Understanding How to Handle Disagreements and Conflicts
It is absolutely normal for there to be conflicts and disagreements in a relationship. In fact, it would be very unusual for a relationship to NEVER have any kind of conflict. However, it is about how you resolve the disagreements that build the foundation of relationships. It’s about treating each other with respect, actively listening, and working together towards a resolution. Insults or belittling during conflict is a form of emotional abuse and it is not a healthy way to solve the issues. You should never feel afraid to express yourself and your relationship should be a safe space to do so. - Recognizing Signs of Abuse
Relationships are complex and will look different to each person, but they should never be harmful. Abuse can take shape in many different ways including one or more of the following: Physical, Emotional, Financial, Digital, or Verbal abuse. It can be threatening or enacting physical harm, isolating you from friends and family, controlling your finances, “stalking” your social media or digital footprint, or degrading you. If you recognize one sign, it is possible for there to be more. For information about Domestic Violence, please click here. - Seek Support
You are not alone. If you are struggling in your relationship or have experience abuse or trauma, it’s important to reach out to someone. This could be trusted friends or family, counselor, or domestic violence advocate who can help guide and provide assistance. There are resources available to you.
Resources:
GA Hotline: 1-800-33HAVEN
National Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE
Breaking Silence Teen Textline: 706-765-8019