Gottman's Emotional Flooding: When a Text Argument Spirals
You reread your WhatsApp exchanges and feel that gradual build-up: messages get shorter, sharper, then explosive. That is emotional flooding.
Read article →Blog — Relationship Psychology
Articles on relationship psychology, communication patterns, and conversation analysis.
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Gottman Repair Attempts: Spotting Olive Branches in Texts
A written argument between two people who love each other rarely ends in permanent silence. After the sting comes a pause, and then a repair attempt.
Read article →Gottman's Bids for Connection: Accepted or Ignored in Texts
We have all received that message with a funny meme, or that quiet request to talk. Gottman calls them bids for connection - and your texts record them.
Read article →Thomas-Kilmann: spot your conflict style in your messages
You argue by text message. Your partner asks whether you can just move on. What you write back reveals your conflict management style.
Read article →Rusbult's Investment Model Read in a Couple's Conversation
Satisfaction, alternatives, investment: how Caryl Rusbult's investment model can be read in the written conversations of a couple.
Read article →Big Five: Reading the Five Traits in Your Message Style
As a CBT psychotherapist and founder of Psychologie et Serenite, I work with many couples who want to understand each other and communicate better.
Read article →Paperclipping: When an Ex Keeps Resurfacing in Your Messages
You had accepted the break-up. You had even started to move on. Then, without warning, a message arrives: Hey, how are you? I was thinking about you.
Read article →Idealisation Then Devaluation: A Cycle Written in Messages
You reread your old messages and no longer recognise them. Constant compliments and shared dreams at first, then the tone gradually changed.
Read article →The Discard: The Icy Final Message of a Narcissistic Breakup
In a narcissistic relationship the breakup is nothing like you imagined: no difficult conversation, no shared tears, not even an explanation.
Read article →Monopolised Conversation: The Talk Ratio That Reveals Narcissism
You read back through your messages with your partner and something feels off. No open conflict, no shouting - but you notice one thing.
Read article →False Apologies: The Structure of the Narcissistic Message
As a CBT psychotherapist, I support many people trapped in complex relationships undermined by manipulation and coercive control dynamics.
Read article →Setting a Boundary in Writing: The Reaction That Reveals Narcissism
In our modern lives, a large part of our relational interactions happen through writing: texts, WhatsApp, Messenger, emails.
Read article →Empathy Deficit: Measurable Markers in a Conversation
As a CBT psychotherapist in Nantes and founder of Psychologie et Serenite, I meet people every day struggling with complex relationships.
Read article →The Grandiose Narcissist: Superiority Markers in Text Messages
As a CBT psychotherapist, I regularly meet people exhausted by relationships where they feel constantly devalued, invisible, or manipulated.
Read article →The Vulnerable Narcissist: Constant Complaining in Messages
As a CBT psychotherapist, I witness the complex dynamics at play within couples every day.
Read article →Narcissistic Rage: The Escalation That Written Conversation Freezes
Narcissistic rage often evokes spectacular outbursts. Yet in a relationship, written messages reveal its slow, destructive escalation with unmistakable precision.
Read article →Narcissistic Collapse: What Messages Reveal When the Mask Falls
Love bombing, gaslighting, blame, victimhood, punishing silence: what written conversations reveal about narcissistic collapse, message by message.
Read article →Caspering: The Polite Fake Ghosting That Lulls Suspicion
Discover caspering, a subtle form of relationship avoidance masked by politeness. Learn to recognize this manipulative pattern and protect your emotional well-being.
Read article →Text Avoidance: When Unanswered Messages Speak Volumes for Couples
As a CBT therapist in Nantes, I help couples navigate communication challenges. Learn how text avoidance reveals deeper relationship issues.
Read article →How ScanMyLove Works: A Guided Tour of the Tool
Price, privacy, accepted formats, analysis time: everything you need to know before importing your conversation into ScanMyLove. A step-by-step guided tour.
Read article →Over 190 applied psychology articles
The Psychology and Serenity blog offers over 190 articles by Gildas Garrec, CBT practitioner in Nantes. Each article draws on validated psychological models (Gottman, Young, attachment theory, CBT) to offer practical insights.
Couple Communication — Gottman’s 4 horsemen, the 5:1 ratio, stonewalling, NVC
Attachment — Anxious, avoidant, disorganized styles, path to secure attachment
Emotional Dependency — 10 signs, self-assessment tests, CBT strategies
Ghosting & Dating — Ghosting, breadcrumbing, curving, orbiting, zombieing
Manipulation — Gaslighting, coercive control, narcissistic abuse, psychological violence
Infidelity — Understanding, forgiving, trauma bonding, rebuilding
Anxiety & Stress — Relationship anxiety, burnout, rumination, insomnia
Jealousy — Pathological jealousy, retroactive, social media
Breakup & Grief — The 7 stages, no contact, relationship PTSD
Couple & Cohabitation — Moving in, arguments, libido, mental load
Parenting — Parental alienation, co-parenting, blended families
Young Schemas — 18 early schemas, cognitive distortions
Dating Apps — Mental health impact, paradox of choice, dating fatigue
Mental Health — When to consult, online therapy, CBT vs EMDR
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Our methodology: 14 validated clinical models →
Explore the models of Gottman, Young, Bowlby, Beck, Sternberg and 9 others automatically applied to your conversations.
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