Episode 297: How To Love Someone Without Losing Your Mind

May 31, 2024

Psychotherapist Todd Baratz challenges the oversimplified relationship advice found online and advocates for a more nuanced approach to love and happiness. He discusses the harmful effects of unrealistic expectations in relationships, the limitations of self-help books, and the importance of communication and setting expectations for a healthy partnership.

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ANECDOTE

Bad Relationship Advice

Todd Baratz realized much relationship advice on social media was nonsense after a long-term relationship ended.
He found simplistic rules and lack of nuance in online advice.

INSIGHT

Over-Diagnosing Relationships

People diagnose others' relationships online, often misinterpreting normal issues as unhealthy.
This stems from a lack of formal relationship education and oversimplified online advice.

ADVICE

Flexibility over Rules

Ditch rigid relationship rules and embrace flexibility and self-awareness.
Examine the origins of your relationship values to make conscious choices.

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A lot of the relationship advice littering every corner of the internet tries to distill love into a simple set of “rules.” It’d be nice if things were that easy, but they aren’t! It’s time to ditch the so-called “rules” of relationships because they might be getting in the way of our ability to find love. In today’s show, we’re going to talk about how to approach relationships in a way that’s more likely to lead to lasting happiness, and how we can do it without losing our minds.

My guest is Todd Baratz, a licensed psychotherapist and sex therapist with an innovative approach to mental health and relationships. He runs the popular social media account @yourdiagnonsense and is author of the new book How To Love Someone Without Losing Your Mind.

Some of the topics we cover in this episode include:

What are some examples of really bad relationship advice?
When is relationship self-help actually helpful, and when is if harmful?
Are our expectations for relationships today unrealistic?
Are there any universal “rules” for healthy relationships?

You can visit Todd’s website to learn more about him and his work.

Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology.

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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.