Senior Lecturer and Sexologist Chantal Gautier contributed to an Insider article How to Stay Friends with Your Ex — and Decide Whether it's a Terrible Idea published on 24 July 2023. This article was centred around the breakup of celebrity couple Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez.
Gautier provided advice on navigating break-ups and whether one should remain friends with an ex-partner. She told Insider that the decision ultimately depends on the nature of the relationship and how it ended.
Gautier said: "If it was mutual and both people agreed that the romantic element wasn't working anymore and decided the best way forward is to split up and they're happy with that, then it's maybe not unusual for them to still be friends. It might be a very natural transition for them to carry on as friends because the likelihood is that within the duration of their relationship, they were already moving into the friend zone."
She also provided guidance on how best to approach a friendship with an ex-partner, suggesting being honest with yourself and each other and taking responsibility for your feelings.
Chantal Gautier is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Westminster and a sexologist in private practice. She teaches the Psychology and Counselling Bsc Honours course as well as the Psychology MSc course.
Versions of this article also appeared on NewsBreak, Microsoft Start and Business Insider India.
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