Renowned psychotherapist Mira Kirschenbaum explains how to deal with relationship ambivalence — the painful state of not knowing whether to work on your relationship or leave your partner.

Breaking up is never easy. Not only does it mean saying goodbye to someone we love or used to love, but it also means walking away from the life we had envisioned with our partner.

Ending a relationship is a big decision, but being endlessly stuck between staying and leaving only leads to more pain for everyone involved.

Mira Kirshenbaum is a clinical psychotherapist and author with over 40 years of experience working with individuals, couples, and families.

First published in 1996, Kirschenbaum's bestselling book, Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay, aims to help people decide whether a relationship is worth fighting for.