Depriving a relationship of openness and communication is like depriving a plant of water and sunlight; sooner or later, it'll shrivel and die. Many couples have experienced this firsthand. Rather than putting it all on the table (albeit in a civil, non-confrontational way), they either keep their feelings bottled up or resort to more damaging measures, like hurling insults, ghosting, or even cheating on one another. You know for sure that something has gone awry when coming together to discuss your feelings and concerns actually widens the divide between the two of you, leading to more bickering and finger-pointing. You each walk away feeling deeper resentment rather than calm reassurance that things are on the mend. Rather than respecting your partner in spite of their imperfections, things that never bothered you before drive you batty. Moreover, you look for reasons not to be around one another, essentially rendering you both strangers (if not enemies). Frank co...

What would you say is the worst possible way for someone to break up with his or her partner? While we can certainly run wild with this, many of you might say it's when the breakup comes on the heels of an exposed affair. ("Yes, I'm with someone else now, so we're through.") That's undoubtedly a terrible way for a relationship to meet its demise. Cheating, after all, is a deplorable act; it is hands down the most egregious breach of trust one can carry out. But the case can also be made for ghosting. Ghosting, by definition, is the practice of ending a personal relationship with someone by suddenly and inexplicably withdrawing from all communication. Ending a relationship in this way is callous and dastardly, especially if both partners have been together for an extended period of time. The most appropriate way to do it is face-to-face. Breaking up with someone via text or email smacks of insensitivity, but it's still better than ceasing cont...