"Oh, no," lamented Sarah, "Is it going to happen again?" She was responding to the possibility that her partner, Joshua, would lose his temper once again, which was a frequent occurrence. She did not trust him, and the result was anxiety, leading to sleeplessness, worry, and irritability. Research reviewed by Tomlinson and Mayer (2009) supports the view that mistrust can be accompanied by anger and fear. Joshua's temper and Sarah's response of anxiety were affecting their relationship.

A key to healthy relationships is trust, but how does a couple navigate their way back to trust once it is broken? First, as Rousseau et al. (1998) point out, people need to understand the definition of trust. After reviewing a wide literature on the topic, they concluded that trust involves positive expectations of the other, including that person’s intentions and behavior. The one who trusts fosters within the self an intention to be vulnerable toward the other. Trust differs from cooperation, which at times could be behavior motivated by fear of reprisal. Five points are presented in re-establishing trust for your consideration. Please keep in mind that these are not quick-fix approaches, but........

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