Blog – Navigating Differences in Romantic Relationships

Living together in romantic relationships can be a roller-coaster of emotions—hard, confusing, frustrating, satisfying, fun, and rewarding, all at once. It’s not uncommon for couples to find themselves grappling with the reality of living together, especially when their expectations don’t quite match up with the day-to-day experiences.

This blog delves into the ways couples navigate differences and tensions in their lives, particularly focusing on the evolving dynamics of romantic relationships. Drawing from my research, I explore how partners re-frame their understanding of what it means to have a successful relationship as they journey through months and years of living together.

Romantic relationships are not static; they are shaped and reshaped by the unique experiences, compromises, and accommodations that come with time. For many couples, this process is a testament to the resilience of love and the ability to adapt to each other’s quirks and needs. Let’s unpack some of the challenges and triumphs that couples face as they continue to grow and redefine their shared lives.

Which discourses underpin long-term, autistic/non-autistic romantic couples’ understandings of their relationship as they live with and accommodate each other? A critical discourse/narrative inquiry.