Compromise
An agreement in which both give something up — and both get something.
How it shows up
A false compromise is when one person always gives way and calls it peace. A real compromise has a cost and a benefit on both sides; if the cost is always the same person’s, it is something else.
What we do with it in therapy
With couples we check the bookkeeping: who gives up how much and who decides what. It often turns out the difference isn’t in love but in power.
See also
Body image
Your picture of your own body, which often depends more on your mood than on the body itself.
Idealisation
An exaggerated, one-sided view of someone as perfect — often the prelude to an equally one-sided disappointment.
Loneliness
A sense of disconnection that doesn't depend on how many people are around you.
