Ways to Turn a Toxic Relationship Into a Real Relationship

When a coupled union deals with unexpected hardships and communication duress, a once sold bond may digress into a shaky connection. While no one wishes for this sort of duress in a partnership, it can happen. From name calling to downright aggressive behavior, the bond can eventually become unbearable. When this happens, we often want “out.”

Can a toxic relationship reemerge as a healthy union? Certainly. It takes time and energy, but we can build a relationship that can weather future issues and impasses. What’s the key to moving a toxic relationship into healthy relationship territory? Learning from the past. It sounds simple, but it is truly the key to moving forward. If we are willing to recognize that our previous missteps inform our future direction, there is hope for growth and positive moment.

In the piece ahead, we take a look at a “case study” couple that was able to handle hardship because of the strength of their bond. The relationship grew from toxicity, because the couple wanted to build a stronger family. Could this work for your partnership too?

A Quick Case Study

The great recession hit the family squarely on the chin. Bill, who had a good job building RVs in an Indiana plant was laid-off with no prospects of another job. Sara, who’d worked part-time in a local library took on more hours in an attempt to make up a portion of the lost income. 

The family budget was trimmed. Vacations cancelled. Clothes passed down through the three stair-step boys. The house was put on the market – by the bank – because there was no money to pay the mortgage. In the bleakest days of the recession, the family lived in a midsized RV Bill rented from his former employer. Imagine the situation.

 A family of five camped out in a two-bedroom abode on wheels situated in a corner lot at the local KOA campground. Many meals were cooked over a fire. The laundry cleaned on coin-operated machines down at the camp store. Bill did odd jobs around the camp, to offset the cost of renting the site. It was rough, but they managed.