11 Relationship Red Flags/ Warning Signs of Trouble Ahead

Nov 23, 2019 | Clinical Psychotherpy

Angry couple sitting on couch talking to therapist in therapists office

Hold on a second, you think. I feel like this guy is acting inappropriately. But is it all in my head? I’m sure it is. He’s so wonderful and charming, this must just be me overthinking things!
If you’re worried that your new partner is acting strangely, improperly or aggressively, it’s important to not ignore these feelings. Our intuition for toxic partners tends to be spot on, and it’s critical to get out of an unhealthy relationship early.
People are often in denial when they think they’re seeing red flags in a relationship. “Many of my clients and people that I come in contact with actually see the early warning signs but tend to ignore them because of the narrative in their own head,” said Joe Martino, LPC, a relationship therapist based in Grand Rapids, Mich., and author of The Emotionally Secure Couple.
Make sure you’re aware of the early warning signs of a toxic partner by being on the lookout for these 11 red flags in a relationship.

If you are in a relationship and have reason to believe you may need to speak with someone about your situation please read the linked article. Kevon Owen Christian Counseling Clinical Psychotherapist is a featured contributing author in this article. To speak with Kevon about your individual therapy needs you can call him at 405-740-1249 or you can visit his website at https://www.kevonowen.com.

Upcoming Books

Recent Post

Parent-Child Therapy: What It Is and Who It Helps

Parent child therapy, specifically Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), is a structured, evidence-based behavioral treatment designed for children roughly ages 2 to 7 who show significant defiance, aggression, tantrums, or emotional dysregulation. It works by...

Step-by-Step CBT Techniques to Overcome Negative Thinking

The step-by-step cognitive behavioral therapy process for a negative mindset moves from catching an automatic thought to naming the distortion driving it, examining the evidence, writing a balanced alternative, and testing that alternative through a small behavioral...

Cognitive Restructuring Therapy: What It Is and How It Works

Cognitive restructuring therapy is a structured clinical intervention, most commonly delivered within Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), in which a person identifies, examines, and replaces inaccurate or unhelpful thoughts that drive emotional distress. Cognitive...

Panic Attacks: Grounding Skills That Help in the Moment

Panic Attacks: Grounding Skills That Help in the Moment November 2, 2026 | Anxiety Counseling | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Introduction: Finding Stability When Panic Strikes A panic attack can turn an ordinary moment into an overwhelming experience. A racing heartbeat,...

Rewire negative thoughts: 7 CBT techniques that work

Learning to rewire negative thoughts is one of the most evidence-supported goals in modern mental health care. The brain can form and strengthen new neural pathways, a capacity called neuroplasticity, and that capacity persists across the lifespan, though the pace and...

CBT Thought Restructuring: How to Reframe Your Thinking

CBT thought restructuring is a structured process in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in which you identify an automatic negative thought, test it against actual evidence, and replace it with a more accurate, balanced interpretation. The goal is not positive...

Faith-Based or Secular Therapy? A Clear Guide to Choosing

Choosing between faith-based and secular mental health care does not have to feel like picking a side. The right provider delivers both clinical rigor and respect for your convictions. The tension many people feel when weighing these options typically comes from a...

Boundaries for Beginners: How to Say No Without Guilt

 Boundaries for Beginners: How to Say No Without Guilt Published October 29, 2026 | Mental Health & Wellness | Christian Counseling Oklahoma City Why Saying No Can Feel So Difficult Saying no should be simple. Yet for many people, turning down a request can...

Christian Counseling Benefits That Go Beyond Secular Therapy

The benefits of Christian counseling over secular approaches are real, documented, and meaningful, particularly for clients whose faith is central to their identity. Peer-reviewed research generally finds that religiously adapted psychotherapy performs about as well...

Religious psychotherapy explained: faith meets clinical care

Religious psychotherapy is a clinically structured form of care that treats a client's faith, spiritual beliefs, and religious worldview as genuine therapeutic assets, not variables to neutralize or bracket out of treatment. It is not pastoral counseling, and it is...