Is Your Partner Still on the Prowl?

You're in a committed relationship. Or so you thought. But do you get the feeling that one of you is hedging your bets? Does your mate still act as if he or she is interested in meeting new people? You can sometimes suspect that your partner is still open to this possibility by the way others respond to him or her.

It's pretty painful if your partner is still shopping, because it means that you're being compared to others. It's as if -- despite everything you have worked for in your relationship -- you're really a commodity and can be easily traded in for a better or newer model.

This is often what is behind the commitment-phobic personality: These individuals aren't ready to throw their lots in with yours because they're remaining open in case there is someone better out there.

If you suspect your partner is hedging or pulling away because of this, it might be helpful to use your best finesse to call him or her on it.

You don't have to come on like gang-busters. Ask something like, "I feel like you're not fully celebrating our relationship. Is it possible that you are still 'shopping' for a partner?"

Even if your mate denies this, you've had a chance to plant a seed.

Remember: Mature people don't shop -- they care about who they're with, and that's more important than finding someone better.

Susan Anderson is a psychotherapist and the author of Journey From Heartbreak to Connection, Journey From Abandonment to Healing, and Black Swan: Twelve Lessons of Abandonment Recovery. Through her books and www.abandonment.net, she reaches out to abandonment survivors and clients from all over the world.