02/06/2026
You Can Be Hurt and Compassionate at the Same Time
Have you ever asked yourself, "How do I show compassion when I feel hurt, angry, or unseen?"
Compassion doesn’t mean ignoring your feelings or letting things slide. It means staying human with each other while things are hard.
Here are three practical ways to practice compassion, even when it feels difficult:
1. Pause the reaction and name how you feel instead
Before reacting, take a moment to check in with your body. What sensations do you notice? What emotion are you feeling? “I feel hurt.” “I feel dismissed.” “I feel scared.” Naming the feeling slows the spiral and helps you respond instead of react.
2. Assume there’s pain on both sides
We tend to discourage assumption making (we're making an exception). However, we find when one partner feels hurt, the other partner feels hurt too. Compassion grows when you hold this truth at the same time:
I’m hurting and so are they.
You don’t have to agree or fix anything. Just staying curious (“What might be hard for you right now?”) can soften the moment and lead to acknowledgment that both of you share a similar feeling.
3. Choose one small move
Try one small action:
✨Lower your voice and soften your tone.
✨Stop what you are doing. Put distractions aside.
✨Say, “This is hard for me, and I still care about us.”
✨Say, "I don't know what to say right now. I'd like to take a break, but I'll be back."
Small moments of connection matter more than perfectly worded conversations.
If compassion feels out of reach right now, you’re not failing, your nervous system may just be overwhelmed. That’s where support can help.
If you’re feeling stuck in cycles of hurt or distance, contact us (https://connectcouplestherapy.com/contact/) . We’re here to help you slow things down and reconnect.
Quick Reads
Our blog has been written by our team to increase relationship satisfaction and mental health:
- How Female Friendships Support your Mental Health & Partnership (https://insessionpsych.com/how-female-friendships-support-your-mental-health-and-partnership/)
- Before You Move in Together: 25 Questions (https://connectcouplestherapy.com/before-you-move-in-together-25-questions-every-couple-should-ask/)
- 7 Affordable and Meaningful Gifts for Couples (https://connectcouplestherapy.com/7-affordable-and-meaningful-gifts-for-couples/)
- The Best Resources to Build Your Self-Confidence (https://insessionpsych.com/the-best-resources-to-build-your-self-confidence/)
Hold Me Tight®
2-Day Couples Workshop
Our next Hold Me Tight® Couples Workshop will be In-Person at our Charlotte, NC office on March 27 & 28, 2026.
Led by Dr. Karen Naegel (https://connectcouplestherapy.com/karen-naegel-lmfta/) , LMFT and Certified EFCT Therapist
You and your partner will explore the power of attachment bonds and gain a deeper understanding of your relationship. You will enhance your emotional connection through effective communication, becoming more aware of your negative couple cycle, and build a stronger emotional foundation.
*4 spots available
Couples in Recovery - Virtual
Recovery doesn’t end with sobriety; it often brings relationship patterns into sharper focus. We’re offering a Relationships in Recovery workshop designed for couples where one or both partners are at least 6 months post-treatment.
This workshop is ideal for couples who are working their sobriety but noticing that trust, communication, or old dynamics still need care and attention. In a small, supportive setting, couples will learn practical, research-based tools to strengthen connection, navigate conflict more effectively, and support both recovery and the relationship moving forward.
Next Date:
📅 Saturday, March 21 | 12–6pm
Led by Brittany Bolden (https://connectcouplestherapy.com/brittany-bolden-pcd/) , LMFT, LCAS, Certified S*x Therapist, who brings specialized expertise in addiction recovery, relational healing, and intimacy - making this workshop especially well-suited for couples rebuilding their relationship after treatment.
Optimal Intimacy™
1-Day Virtual Couples Workshop
Ready to reignite the spark in your relationship? Join us for a powerful 1-day workshop designed to help couples enhance intimacy and strengthen their bond. In this small, supportive setting, you'll gain valuable tools for more meaningful, passionate, and lasting connection.
Workshop Highlights:
✔️ Deepen Emotional and Physical Intimacy
Discover how emotional closeness enhances physical connection.
✔️ Communicate Desires and Boundaries
Safely share desires and set boundaries to build trust.
✔️ Reignite Passion & Create Connection Rituals
Learn strategies and create rituals to keep the spark alive.
Date: March 21, 2026 from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM ET
Cost: $575 per couple
Location: Virtual via Zoom
4 spots available
Virtual Women's Betrayal Group
Break out of isolation and loneliness and join other women who can offer you support around all the feelings and devastation betrayal has had in your life. Learn, lean, and share together! Led by Anna Malles, LCSW (https://insessionpsych.com/anna-malles-lcsw/) , this supportive group helps women navigate the complexities of infidelity, process emotions, rebuild trust, and create bonds that will help you get through one day to the next.
Read our blog posts on how powerful this group can be:
✨ Healing from Infidelity? Find Your Power in a Support Group (https://insessionpsych.com/healing-from-infidelity-find-your-power-in-a-support-group/)
✨ Does Life Get Better After an Affair? (https://insessionpsych.com/healing-after-infidelity-does-life-get-better-after-an-affair/)
Who is this for?
Designed for female betrayed partners
When?
Every 3rd Tuesday of the month
Next one: February 17, 2026
Where?
Virtual via Zoom - you can log in from anywhere with a secure and confidential location
Cost?
$30
*If you are interested, contact us today to schedule your free 20-min consult with Anna.
Our licensed therapists offer M-Sat, daytime and evening availability. Anna Malles, LCSW is offering individual therapy through In Session Psych (https://insessionpsych.com) .
Click here for an update from Connect Couples Therapy!
