All relationships exist on a spectrum from healthy to abusive, with unhealthy somewhere in the middle. Being able to recognize the signs of an unhealthy or abusive relationship and feeling comfortable talking to your students about those signs can help them navigate relationships if they turn unhealthy. Even if you haven’t had the best relationships yourself, you can still be open and honest about the experiences you’ve had, share lessons learned, and identify things you wish you would have done differently. This can open dialogue and help your student feel more comfortable sharing the things they are experiencing.
| Healthy | Unhealthy | Abusive |
| Mutual respect | Manipulation | Extreme manipulation |
| Good communication | Breaks in communication | Controlling or isolating |
| Trust | Dishonesty | Criticizing |
| Honesty | Struggle for control | Intimidation |
| Supportive | Inconsiderate behavior | Threatening or mistreating |
| Fairness & equality | Love bombing | Harm |
Love Bombing
Love bombing is a manipulation tactic used to overwhelm a new partner with romantic gestures designed to make you feel more than simply flattered. This most commonly happens at the beginning of a relationship, but it can also happen with couples after they have a big fight or break up. Someone who uses this tactic usually does so to hurriedly gain the favor of a potential partner so they can control them more quickly and easily.