In-law relationships by nature are complicated. Even in the most amazing in-law relationships, confusion about family roles, alliances, and decision-making can be present. It can be most confusing, in fact, when you love your in-laws, when they are supportive, yet there is still a feeling of unspoken tension about who is aligned with whom and who has power in the family.

If your partner is close with their family, or is not emotionally close but is in some way locked in a dynamic with them, they may be unconsciously conflicted about the natural and necessary process of moving their loyalty away from their family and toward you.

Read on to find out more about this process, and some practical guidance for working with it.

Family, Emotionselizabeth wellingtonDecember 18, 2020in-laws, relationships, communication

Techniques for Calming Down when in Conflict with Your Partner

We're showing you some techniques for calming TF down when in conflict with your partner!⁠⠀

Emotionselizabeth wellingtonSeptember 19, 2020kinship moment, relationships

One-Year Anniversary Musings

Today marks our one year anniversary as a married couple! Thinking back on that day, and the period of time leading up to it, brings up a mix of feelings - I'm feeling tearful, nostalgic, and grateful; so joyful that the day was so beautiful and special; and also some residual pain around difficult parts. All of this was the impetus for me to create Kinship Collaborative.

Emotionselizabeth wellingtonSeptember 14, 2020marriage, relationships, conflict

Contagious Emotions: Understanding How Emotions are Transferred Can Seriously Improve Your Relationships

Induced feelings—what are they? Why do certain people often make us feel crazy..or jealous…or rejected? How we feel when we are in the presence of a particular person may be important information about both that person and our own self. And, if we can leverage this information, we have the potential to gain a better understanding of our loved ones and how our relationships operate! We are constantly transferring our emotions to one another—and we often do this for the purpose of finding emotional balance and getting rid of emotions that don’t feel good to us. The strategy looks like this: if I am feeling a certain kind of way that I don't like, I will unconsciously (I may not realize I am doing it) find a way to get rid of that emotion and have someone else contain it for me. The way I might do that is by behaving in a way that transfers that emotion to them.

Emotionselizabeth wellingtonMay 20, 2020emotions, relationships