Should you confess your secrets to your partnerlive on TikTok?
Relationship experts weigh in on the we listen and we dont judge trend.
Oh, the things well do to go viral.
Apparently, watching a couple confront the big and small ways they deceive each other makes for good entertainment.
Or, if were feeling generous: We love seeing a couple get vulnerable.
Whichever way you slice it, is there anything we can learn about relationship health from this terrifying trend?
couples therapist and owner of Healing Connections
However, creating such a culture goes far beyond a viral trend.
It requires consistent efforts to show respect, admiration, acceptance, and genuine curiosity toward one another.
A lot of the confessions are playful, especially the ones involving farts.
Or, they spark somewhat indignant commiseration about just how much energy parenting sucks out of you.
Therapists are laughing at the videos along with usbut theyre cringing, too.
Trying the trend for yourself shouldnt be taken lightly.
The phrase could even be a great mantra to take beyond the conversation.
No judgment = no feelings
Suspending judgement when a partner shares a vulnerable truth is usually positive.
Judgment arises when we believe our partner should think, feel, or behave differently, Games says.
couples therapist and owner of Healing Connections
So letting go of that should can create room for empathy.
Experiencing hurt, misunderstanding, or disappointment is natural, Games says.
Perhaps, it would seem, some truths deserve a longer, more serious discussion.
For example, why are you hiding in the bathroom when the kids are a handful?
Why dont you feel comfortable sharing when you get Botox?
Should you keep it privateor go public?
Having this conversation in front of an audience for the sake of video views has its pros and cons.
The performative aspect can complicate things, Gunsaullus says.
Should we be an open book with our partners?
Honesty is the best policy.
But how and why you tell each other truths matters just as much as the act itself.
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