When to Make a Change
Okay, so let's say that you've identified your boundaries and you remember your relationship values. You've also been using all the skills that you gained in this workshop, including self-reflection, assertiveness, and communication to express those boundaries and values in your relationships. But if your needs and boundaries continue to not be met...what then? In other words, when is it time to make a change in your relationships? Now, remember that we can expect to have conflict in our relationships and if you aren't seeing some conflict, you are either in the honeymoon phase or you may be avoiding conflict.
We aren't saying that if you continue to have conflict, it means you need to make drastic changes. However, there are some signs that we can see that suggest that we may want to consider making larger changes to our relationships. Click here to explore these.
This chart shows examples of behaviors that are often common in unhealthy relationships and may be a sign that it's time to make a larger change in your relationships. As you can see, these characteristics center around someone attempting to maintain power and control. They can also be signs of abusive dynamics in relationships. If this feels relevant to you, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with the Counseling Center for additional support around managing relationships that include these characteristics.
Here you can find another worksheet that has some questions that may help you better consider whether a relationship should be maintained the way it is, worked on, or ended before it goes any further. We encourage you to take some time after this workshop to answer the questions posed on this worksheet.