How To Keep a Relationship Healthy (Even When Life Gets Hard)

Available with English captions and subtitles in Spanish.

Learn how couples and families can stay connected through life’s challenges. Drawing on real examples and proven techniques, this session highlights what makes relationships thrive under stress—and how to rebuild when things get tough.

Why This Training Matters

When life gets hard, relationships can either fracture or deepen. This session offers hope and a roadmap for the latter. Learn how trust, empathy, and flexibility sustain relationships in the face of adversity—and how clinicians and loved ones alike can nurture that growth.

What You’ll Learn

  • How stress and anxiety affect communication and closeness
  • Tools for rebuilding emotional safety and connection
  • How to de-escalate conflict with empathy and perspective
  • Strategies to sustain compassion during illness, caregiving, or hardship
  • Ways to support partners’ emotional needs without losing your own balance

Who Should Watch

  • Mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, counselors, and therapists)
  • Pediatricians and primary-care providers
  • K-12 and university educators and school staff
  • Public health professionals
  • Parents and caregivers
  • Community and faith leaders
  • Executives, managers, and HR professionals

Event Details

  • Date Recorded: March 19, 2026
  • Length: 60 minutes
  • Presenter: Lisa W. Coyne, PhD

Watch this free, on-demand training and learn how small shifts in communication and empathy can help relationships stay strong through any season.

Topics Covered During This Training

  • How would you define a healthy relationship in today’s world of stress and uncertainty?
  • What are some common misconceptions about what makes relationships strong?
  • What are some common ways that stress shows up in communication between partners?
  • What are attachment patterns, and how does stress impact them?
  • How can partners recognize when they’re reacting from an attachment wound rather than the present moment?
  • What’s the difference between emotional reactivity and emotional avoidance?
  • Why do some people move toward intensity while others shut down, and does this relate to personality, upbringing, or genetics?
  • Are people generally self-aware of their relationship patterns?
  • What are subtle signs or red flags that a relationship is moving into a danger zone?
  • What is “emotional safety” and how do you build it?
  • What can you do when your partner isn’t willing to work on creating emotional safety?
  • How does trust factor into emotional safety, and what distinguishes these two concepts?
  • What are some small gestures that can build trust in relationships?
  • What role does humor play in relationships, and how should it be used carefully?
  • What’s the difference between empathy and compassion, and how can partners build empathy?
  • What typically happens, both physiologically and psychologically, when a conflict escalates?
  • After a conflict, what does a meaningful apology and repair look like?
  • What challenges come up when one partner becomes both care provider and romantic partner?
  • How should someone bring up the idea of getting professional help with their partner?
  • How does cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) factor into clinical work when it comes to relationship issues?
  • When a patient brings up relationship issues, should clinicians address them directly or refer the patient to a couples counselor?
  • What books, websites, or resources would you recommend for people dealing with relationship issues?

The information discussed is intended to be educational and should not be used as a substitute for guidance provided by your health care provider. Please consult with your treatment team before making any changes to your care plan.

Resources

You may also find this additional information useful:

About the Expert

Lisa W. Coyne, PhD, is a senior clinical consultant at McLean Hospital and an assistant professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, part-time, at Harvard Medical School. She is a licensed clinical psychologist, an internationally recognized acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer, and the author of numerous books for parents, children, and teens.

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