A solid foundation of trust is the basis of any healthy relationship. But as important as trust is, it can be difficult to establish, easily shattered, and challenging to rebuild. Relationship counselor Laurie Burns, LCSW-R, CGP in Rochester, NY, has been offering couples counseling throughout the for over two decades.

Below, she shares some basics of establishing trust in a relationship.

If You Want to Be Trusted, Be Trustworthy

We all want to be trusted in our personal relationships. We want our partners to know they can depend on us and believe that we are loving, reliable people. But trust isn't something you can demand or expect from a partner. It is something you earn. You earn it by being trustworthy and doing trustworthy things: honor your commitments, respect your partner and your relationship, and conduct yourself with responsibility, maturity, and compassion.

Don't Be Deceitful

Regarding couples counseling and romantic relationships, the word trust could really by a synonym for truth. When you deliberately mislead your partner — whether as a means of protecting yourself, someone else, or your partner — you are breaching an unspoken obligation that all healthy relationships share: telling the truth.A violation of truth is a violation of trust.

You Can Rebuild Trust

It is possible to rebuild trust with a partner who has wronged you. But your partner must do more than just tell you they are sorry and will change. They must show you they are sorry and will change. If you are the one who needs to rebuild broken trust, let your actions demonstrate to your partner, every day, that you are making positive changes and are committed to making your relationship work.

To arrange for a couples counseling session, contact licensed professional counselor Laurie Burns, LCSW-R, CGP. You can also reach her by calling (585) 734-6826 or visiting her Facebook page. Trust is a fragile thing; If you can to protect it, reinforce it, and build on it, and you will likely see your relationship flourish in new ways.