Criticism, notes Illinois marriage and family therapist Kate Engler, is a consistent topic for the couples she counsels and that people rarely see middle ground when it comes to receiving criticism from their partners. “People either read everything as critical, even if it’s just feedback meant in a gentle way or people just absorb everything and stay in a constant shame spiral,” she says. Click on the article to learn what Kate and other couples therapists say are the warning signs of unfair criticism and recommend steps to address them.