Ep 18 - How Do I Know If I’m in a Healthy Relationship?

This week, Laura responds to a listener’s powerful question: Why do we stay in relationships where we’re not treated well? She explores the psychological and emotional reasons people tolerate poor treatment—ranging from childhood conditioning to confusion about what love should feel like. Laura explains how our early family systems shape expectations, and why unresolved beliefs about love can lead us to normalize chaos, self-blame, or emotional neglect.She breaks down what healthy love actually looks like, how to recognize red flags in our own behavior and beliefs, and what it takes to reframe our relationship patterns. Finally, Laura encourages listeners to reflect on past dynamics with compassion and commit to building safer, more secure connections.Timestamps 00:00 – 00:17 Welcome and Podcast Intro 00:17 – 00:32 Why We Tolerate Poor Treatment 00:32 – 01:09 What Healthy Love Really Looks Like 01:09 – 01:41 Passion vs. Emotional Safety 01:41 – 03:22 How Family Systems Shape Us 03:22 – 04:06 The Cycle of Self-Blame 04:06 – 05:27 Subconscious Beliefs About Love 05:27 – 06:11 Learning From the Past 06:11 – 07:15 Reframing and Moving ForwardStay Connected: 📩 Got a question or story for the show? Submit it here: bit.ly/safespace-questions 📱 Follow Laura on Instagram for daily reflections and behind-the-scenes: @lauracaruso.therapy 🔗 More episodes, resources, and therapy tools: www.lauracaruso.com