icon facebookicon Linked In
506-382-1717
icon facebookicon Linked In
TransFriendly
  • Header ressources disponibles
In a romantic relationship, mutual appreciation and admiration are fundamental elements that help build and maintain a strong and fulfilling bond. These positive feelings are occasional compliments and daily gestures and attitudes that nourish the relationship, strengthen mutual respect, and foster a climate of gratitude. Working on expressing more appreciation and admiration can significantly enhance the quality of your relationship, helping you feel seen, heard, and loved by your partner. Here are some strategies to encourage these feelings in your daily life:
  1. Express Gratitude Daily: Gratitude is a simple yet powerful gesture. Notice your partner’s small acts of kindness, and don’t hesitate to say "thank you" for even the most mundane tasks, such as preparing a meal, doing the dishes, or taking the time to listen to your concerns. Gratitude is not just about big actions but also small everyday things. Regularly expressing your appreciation shows your partner that you value what they do for you, strengthening a climate of respect and positivity.
  2. Give Sincere Compliments: Compliments are essential in boosting self-esteem and feeling valued in a relationship. Try to sincerely compliment your partner on their qualities, efforts, or achievements, even those that may seem modest. Compliments don’t have to be grandiose to have an impact; they can be about a particular effort at work, an act of kindness, or how your partner handles a difficult situation. A genuine compliment makes the other person feel recognized and appreciated, strengthening your connection.
  3. Listen with Attention and Presence: Attentive listening is one of your greatest gifts to offer your partner. When the other person speaks, take the time to listen fully without interrupting, judging, or immediately trying to solve a problem. Show interest in their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Active listening, accompanied by encouraging gestures like a smile or a nod, reinforces the feeling of being understood and valued. It also shows that you respect the other person’s point of view and value what they are going through.
  4. Revisit the Beginnings of Your Relationship: Reminiscing together about the early days of your relationship can be a powerful way to rekindle admiration and closeness. Talk about the moments that brought you together, the qualities that attracted you to each other, and the memorable events that marked the start of your relationship. By recalling what initially drew you to each other, you can rediscover that admiring gaze and the positive feelings that cemented your bond.
  5. Celebrate Each Other’s Successes and Positive Moments: Celebrations are not reserved for big occasions. Take the time to recognize and celebrate the small victories in your partner’s daily life, whether it’s a professional success, a personal goal achieved, or simply a good day. Celebrating together creates moments of shared joy and strengthens the feeling of mutual support.
  6. Create Moments of Appreciation and Sharing: Make it a habit to plan moments where you express what you appreciate in your relationship. These moments can be incorporated into your routine, like discussing what you admire in each other during a meal or while on a walk. These are precious opportunities to share compliments and reinforce mutual admiration.
  7. Practice Daily Gratitude: Gratitude goes beyond words and gestures; it reflects an attitude toward your partner. Adopting a daily gratitude practice creates an environment where each person feels valued. Whether it’s sweet words, a smile, or a simple “thank you,” every gesture of gratitude strengthens the emotional bond and establishes a positive and warm atmosphere.
Integrating these practices into your relationship will cultivate a lasting sense of mutual appreciation and admiration.
These strategies will strengthen your relationship and enhance your closeness and shared happiness.

Warm regards,

Paulette Levesque, psychologist
Psychology and Wellness Centre
Isabelle Nazare-Aga, psychotherapist, lecturer and author, has developed 30 characteristics of manipulators over a period of seven years and the list was published in 1997 in the book “Les manipulateurs sont parmis nous”. This list applies to both women and men. Read this list while thinking about the person you suspect.

If at least 14 criteria out of 30 are met, the person in question is a manipulator. Most people get more than 20 points out of 30. People with fewer than eight of the listed characteristics are not considered to have a manipulative personality.


  1. They make other people feel guilty in the name of professional conscience, family ties, friendship, love, etc.
  2. They unload their responsibilities onto others or dismiss their responsibilities.
  3. They do not clearly communicate their requests, needs, feelings or opinions.
  4. They often respond vaguely.
  5. They change their opinions, behaviours, or feelings depending on the person or situation.
  6. They cite all kinds of logical reasons to disguise their requests.
  7. They make others believe that they must be perfect, never change their minds, always know everything, and immediately respond to requests and questions.
  8. They cast into doubt the qualities, skills and personalities of other people—they criticize without appearing to do so, devalue and judge.
  9. They have their messages communicated by other people or via intermediaries (telephone instead of face-to-face, written notes).
  10. They create suspicion and stir up ill feelings; they divide to conquer, driving a wedge between people, leading to relationship break-ups.
  11. They know how to make themselves victims to gain sympathy (e.g. exaggerated illness, « difficult » surroundings, overloaded at work).
  12. They ignore requests (even if they claim to be taking care of them).
  13. They use the moral principles of others (e.g. notions of humanity, charity, racism, « good » or « bad » mother) to satisfy their needs.
  14. They make veiled threats or openly resort to blackmail.
  15. They abruptly change the topic in mid-conversation.
  16. They avoid or get out of discussions and meetings.
  17. They rely on the ignorance of others while vaunting their superiority.
  18. They lie.
  19. They make false statements to discover the truth, twist, and interpret facts to suit themselves.
  20. They are self-centred.
  21. They can be jealous, even if they are parents or spouses.
  22. They cannot take criticism and deny facts.
  23. They do not consider the rights, needs and desires of others.
  24. They often wait until the last minute to ask, order or have others do something.
  25. Their words appear logical and consistent, while their attitudes, actions or lifestyle are opposite.
  26. They use flattery to seduce us, give gifts or suddenly start waiting on us hand and foot.
  27. They generate a state of discomfort or not being free (trap).
  28. They are excellent at meeting their own goals but at the expense of others.
  29. They make us do things that we would probably not have done of our own free will.
  30. They are constantly the focus of conversation among people who know them, even if they are not present.
Absolutely! We can live as a couple without arguing or quarrelling. Even the quarrels that we might think of as being inevitable, we can learn to discuss, even subjects that irritate us, without injury, without being violent, and most importantly, without hurting one another.