Why Trust Matters in Your Relationship and How to Build It

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAre You in a Healthy Relationship? Take the QuizWhy Trust MattersImpact of Lack of TrustHow Do You Deepen Trust in a Relationship?How to Rebuild Trust

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Are You in a Healthy Relationship? Take the Quiz

Why Trust Matters

Impact of Lack of Trust

How Do You Deepen Trust in a Relationship?

How to Rebuild Trust

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There are few things as comforting as having a strong sense of trust in your relationship, but it takes time and intentionality to develop.

To have trust in a relationship means that you feel a sense of security andloyaltywith your partner. According toSabrina Romanoff, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Yeshiva University, it’s the basis of a solid relationship.

“To trust means to rely on another person because you feel safe with them and have confidence that they will not hurt or violate you. Trust is the foundation of relationships because it allows you to bevulnerableand open up to the person without having to defensively protect yourself,” says Romanoff.

At a GlanceTrust is an important pillar in relationships, and the lack of it can lead to negativity,conflict, insecurity, depression, and anxiety. If your relationship is lacking trust, it’s important to work with your partner to build it, so that you can let your guard down and be vulnerable with each other.If you are having difficulties resolving your trust issues with your partner, you can seek help from a therapist or acouples counselor.

At a Glance

Trust is an important pillar in relationships, and the lack of it can lead to negativity,conflict, insecurity, depression, and anxiety. If your relationship is lacking trust, it’s important to work with your partner to build it, so that you can let your guard down and be vulnerable with each other.If you are having difficulties resolving your trust issues with your partner, you can seek help from a therapist or acouples counselor.

Trust is an important pillar in relationships, and the lack of it can lead to negativity,conflict, insecurity, depression, and anxiety. If your relationship is lacking trust, it’s important to work with your partner to build it, so that you can let your guard down and be vulnerable with each other.

If you are having difficulties resolving your trust issues with your partner, you can seek help from a therapist or acouples counselor.

Why You May Have Trust Issues and How to Overcome Them

If you’ve got questions about your relationship, ourfast and free quizcan help you better understand if your partnership is rock solid or if it could use some work.

Trust is a vital component in happy and successful relationships.Here’s how it can impact your relationship for the better.

The 10 Best Online Couples Therapy Services We Tried and Tested

Promotes Positivity

Trust is important in relationships because it allows you to be more open and giving. If you trust your partner, you are more likely to beforgiving of their shortcomingsor behaviors that irritate you because overall you believe in them and know they have your back.

Reduces Conflict

Trust also allows you tonavigate conflict. When you trust your partner, you are more willing to overlook problems or commit to finding solutions to issues because you feel allied in areas that mean the most to you.

Even if your partner does something disappointing, you are more likely to give them the benefit of the doubt and see the good in them if you trust them.

Increases Closeness

Establishing trustcreates a strong bond and foundationto build on. Knowing you can trust your partner promotes increased closeness and safety. When you trust one another, you feel safe knowing that your partner has your back and can be relied upon for comfort, care, and support.

Press Play for Advice On Navigating Conflict

5 Green Flags in Relationships

Trust takes time to build, and if your partner consistently fails to follow through onpromisesor commitments, you will begin to have low expectations of them.

Sabrina Romanoff, PsyDWhen your partner’s actions are not aligned with their words, you will begin to learn that they are not trustworthy. Repeated violations or consistent hurtful behaviors erode trust.

Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD

When your partner’s actions are not aligned with their words, you will begin to learn that they are not trustworthy. Repeated violations or consistent hurtful behaviors erode trust.

Lack of trust can create many problems in your relationship.A lack of trust can also affect your mental health in the following ways:

How Couples Can Rebuild Trust in a Relationship

There are a number of things that you can do to help promote trust in your relationship. Romanoff shares some strategies that can be helpful.

Improve on Mistakes

An important step to build trust is to be honest and forthcoming when you violate expectations or hurt one another.

Everyone makes mistakes. What is important is that you can learn and grow closer to each other after you repair whatever was damaged as a result of the mistake. The best way to do this is to own them completely and show how you will do better in the future.

Engage in Open Communication

Secrecy tends to erode trust, so when your partner is able to be transparent and allows space to explore topics that might trigger your mistrust, you can begin to feel more at ease and begin to let your guard down.

The more you are able to get on the same page, the closer you will feel toward your partner. Open communication makes it easier for you to discuss concerns about the relationship. When you can have open communication, you will feel closer to your partner.

If trust has been damaged in a relationship, there are things that you can do to help rebuild your trust, intimacy, and connection. Steps you can take:

Patience is also important. It may take time to rebuild trust, but continuing to work toward improving your relationship can help you eventually mend those damaged connections.

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Get Help Now

We’ve tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of thebest online therapy programsincluding Talkspace, BetterHelp, and ReGain. Find out which option is the best for you.

How Couples Therapy Can Improve Your Relationship

2 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kleinert T, Schiller B, Fischbacher U, et al.The Trust Game for Couples (TGC): A new standardized paradigm to assess trust in romantic relationships.PLoS One. 2020;15(3):e0230776. Published 2020 Mar 26. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0230776Arikewuyo AO, Eluwole KK, Özad B.Influence of Lack of Trust on Romantic Relationship Problems: The Mediating Role of Partner Cell Phone Snooping.Psychol Rep. 2021;124(1):348-365. doi:10.1177/0033294119899902

2 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kleinert T, Schiller B, Fischbacher U, et al.The Trust Game for Couples (TGC): A new standardized paradigm to assess trust in romantic relationships.PLoS One. 2020;15(3):e0230776. Published 2020 Mar 26. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0230776Arikewuyo AO, Eluwole KK, Özad B.Influence of Lack of Trust on Romantic Relationship Problems: The Mediating Role of Partner Cell Phone Snooping.Psychol Rep. 2021;124(1):348-365. doi:10.1177/0033294119899902

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Kleinert T, Schiller B, Fischbacher U, et al.The Trust Game for Couples (TGC): A new standardized paradigm to assess trust in romantic relationships.PLoS One. 2020;15(3):e0230776. Published 2020 Mar 26. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0230776Arikewuyo AO, Eluwole KK, Özad B.Influence of Lack of Trust on Romantic Relationship Problems: The Mediating Role of Partner Cell Phone Snooping.Psychol Rep. 2021;124(1):348-365. doi:10.1177/0033294119899902

Kleinert T, Schiller B, Fischbacher U, et al.The Trust Game for Couples (TGC): A new standardized paradigm to assess trust in romantic relationships.PLoS One. 2020;15(3):e0230776. Published 2020 Mar 26. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0230776

Arikewuyo AO, Eluwole KK, Özad B.Influence of Lack of Trust on Romantic Relationship Problems: The Mediating Role of Partner Cell Phone Snooping.Psychol Rep. 2021;124(1):348-365. doi:10.1177/0033294119899902

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