3 Remedies For Relationships Riddled With Trust Issues

Distrust can be dangerous and damaging to a relationship. Here's how you and your partner can overcome it.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | April 09, 2024

Distrust is a crack in a relationship's foundation that can jeopardize the very essence of your connection and intimacy.

Distrust arises from various sources, such as past betrayals or conflicting expectations, which sow seeds of skepticism and misunderstanding. It slips into relationships unnoticed, often triggered by seemingly minor incidents like missed calls or white lies.

Whether distrust creeps in gradually or descends suddenly like a thunderclap, its impact is profound and far-reaching. Here are three steps to prevent it from destroying your relationship.

1. Cultivate Radical Transparency

Radical transparency isn't merely about sharing surface-level details. It's about laying bare the innermost workings of our hearts and minds. It demands courage, vulnerability and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. In relationships, it's crucial for fostering intimacy and repairing rifts. In a radically transparent relationship, there are no secrets or hidden agendas—only unfiltered honesty.

To cultivate radical transparency, create a safe space where open communication is embraced and authenticity is promoted. Research shows that those who showed genuine behavior in dating relationships experienced greater intimacy and less destructive behavior towards partners, leading to increased relationship satisfaction and personal well-being.

Equally important is to take the time to truly hear and understand your partner's perspective, even—and especially—when it differs from your own. Practice empathy by putting yourself in their shoes and seeing the world through their eyes. This vulnerability and openness can deepen the bonds that unite your relationship.

2. Practice Mutual Accountability

In a healthy relationship, trust is reciprocal. It requires both partners to actively nurture and protect the trust that binds them. This is where mutual accountability plays a crucial role.

Research published in The Journal of Positive Psychology reveals that higher levels of accountability in relationships lead to positive outcomes. Individuals with greater accountability show stronger relational connections, responsible behavior and positive virtues like gratitude and forgiveness. They also experience better relational repair, a greater sense of life's meaning and overall well-being. Conversely, lower accountability levels are linked to negative symptoms such as personality disorders, anxiety and depression.

Establishing mutual accountability begins with setting clear boundaries and agreements. Have an open conversation with your partner about trust and define acceptable behaviors together. Hold each other accountable for upholding these boundaries.

Remember, accountability isn't about policing each other—it's about supporting growth. Approach slip-ups with compassion and use them as opportunities for learning and strengthening your relationship. Together, strive to be the best versions of yourselves and deepen your trust in each other.

3. Embrace Vulnerability Exercises

Vulnerability is the cornerstone of intimacy, allowing profound connections to form between individuals. Studies suggest that sharing vulnerabilities through self-disclosure enhances social bonds and promotes understanding. Moreover, partners who demonstrate vulnerability by offering sincere apologies tend to experience higher levels of forgiveness.

However, vulnerability can be daunting as it involves exposing our true selves to potential rejection. To overcome this fear, it's important to embrace vulnerability exercises that encourage emotional risk-taking.

Begin by creating a safe environment where you and your partner can freely express thoughts and feelings without judgment. Then, gradually introduce exercises that challenge you to share deeper aspects of yourselves. This may involve discussing childhood fears, insecurities or unmet needs.

As you engage in these exercises, pay attention to how they deepen your emotional connection and strengthen your bond with your partner. Notice how vulnerability begets vulnerability—as you open up and share more of yourselves, your partner will feel inspired to do the same. In this way, vulnerability becomes a catalyst for trust, fostering a deep sense of intimacy and connection that transcends words alone.

By recognizing the stages of distrust and the role they play in our relationships, we can begin to dismantle the barriers that separate us from our partners and forge a path towards healing and reconciliation. It won't be easy and it won't happen overnight, but with patience, understanding and a willingness to confront our fears head-on, we can rebuild what's been broken and emerge stronger and more resilient than before.

Is distrust gnawing at the foundation of your relationship? Take the Relationship Satisfaction Scale to learn more.

A similar version of this article can also be found on Forbes.com, here.