09/04/2026
So many people use punishment in relationships because it is the best tool they have to express the pain of rupture.
To say, “this hurt and I need you to know.” Or “this hurt and I need you to feel it. Maybe if you feel it you will stop.” Or “you hurt me, now I hurt you.”
But this only reinforces unhealthy relationship patterns and keeps you from repair and healing so that you can develop healthy relationships.
Accountability is the path forward. It’s a specific set of skills. Learning to tolerate the pain you are in and being able to articulate it to another, and learning to tolerate the pain you have caused another so you can face it with them. Language for both. And then acknowledging the discrepancy betweeen what you’ve given and what they deserved. (Or what you’ve received and deserved) and then making a plan to right the discrepancy.
Then continuing to work together until the discrepancy is no longer there.