February is Healthy Relationships month for the Wellness Connection Council. In light with our theme, we have partnered with Christy Stillwell from What is LOVE and Bianca Orozco from STESA to learn more about what it means to have healthy friendships and romantic partnerships.

We were astonished to learn that nearly half of all teens have experienced some degree of emotional, verbal or physical abuse in a partnership. The abuse is not always overt and can be subtle and systematic and increase over time. We learned to look for toxic warning signs in friendships and relationships and the steps to take to support others who are in an unhealthy friendship/partnership. This has been a very thought-provoking conversation and has encouraged us all to reflect on what matters most in a relationship.

Our Council has chosen these are our top five must-haves for a healthy friendship/relationship, we hope all the relationships you participate in include all five: