Balancing Independence and Togetherness in a Relationship (opens in new tab)

One of the great balancing acts of any committed relationship is the tension between togetherness and independence. We want closeness, intimacy, and shared life with our partner, but we also need space, autonomy, and a sense of ourselves as individuals. Lean too far toward togetherness and a relationship can become suffocating and codependent; lean too far toward independence and it can drift into distance and disconnection. The healthiest relationships find a dynamic balance between the two,...