According to psychologists, many families today strive to adhere to the principles of equality. This becomes increasingly relevant as equality was ousted from the concept of relationships for many years. Psychologist Volodymyr Stanchyshyn shared his thoughts on this in an interview with "Public Radio."

"Every couple has its peculiarities, undoubtedly. Many couples face similar problems. The key is that our behavior doesn't always reflect our feelings. Establishing effective communication is often the task of a psychotherapist. Sometimes we have to make the decision that we cannot stay together, and this is also a decision and liberation," emphasized Stanchyshyn.

According to the expert, when a couple starts living together, the first crisis arises. "Someone new comes into my house and arranges things their way; books are placed differently than usual. The birth of a child is a significant crisis. One partner stays at home, the other goes to work. The working partner experiences more anxiety, while the one staying at home faces fatigue and existential crisis," Stanchyshyn explained.

He believes that to maintain relationships, there must be at least two people deciding, "I want to have a relationship with you." "If this is not there, even when seeking therapy and confessing, 'I don't want a relationship with this person,' I say, 'Okay. You can't force someone to want a relationship,'" the expert emphasized.

Modern times often do not allow us to be vulnerable. We immediately start criticizing ourselves for showing vulnerability. "We still have many consequences of the totalitarian system that did not allow us to be vulnerable. But for me, the key to successful relationships is openness. I want to be open with my partner. Then I feel safe. Vulnerability is normal. Being vulnerable is good. Most families are learning to be equal because it was prohibited for many years. I think in the future, we will learn to be vulnerable. Vulnerability provides a sense of security," emphasized Volodymyr Stanchyshyn.

According to him, in relationships where there is competition and a struggle for dominance, one of the partners may feel unhappy. "The first condition for safe relationships is unconditional love. I love you simply because you exist. It doesn't mean you can do anything (including violence or meddling in my personal affairs). It just means I love you for your existence. With all your strengths and weaknesses. I support your strengths, and it saddens me when your weaknesses prevail. However, it doesn't affect my love. I'm not ready to discard you, saying, 'Only when you...,'" highlighted Volodymyr Stanchyshyn.