Ah, the ex factor. The word alone has an illicit, tempting force packed into those two little letters that it’s no wonder many former couples can’t resist the allure of a second chance at love (and the steamy make-up sex that comes with it).
But before you go ahead and try getting back together, know there's a good chance it won't end up like Carrie and Aidan…3.0? So, while the urge to text your ex may be all kinds of real RN...so is the potential for renewed drama. (The kind that Max can’t even come up with.)
In times like these, it's important to remember that you probably broke up for a very legit reason. Still... your desire to rekindle an old flame is pretty normal. "We are wired for attachment and also for new experiences," says licensed marriage and family therapist David Klow, owner of Skylight Counseling Center in Chicago. "When we can have a bit of both by getting back together with a former lover, many of us jump at the opportunity."
And let's face it: Getting back together with an ex is just easier than spending hours swiping through apps (and going on cringe dates). “We often aren't interested in someone new because we have to get to know someone new and that takes time,” says Terri Orbuch, PhD, author of Finding Love Again: 6 Simple Steps to a New and Happy Relationship and professor at Oakland University in Michigan. “When with our ex, we already know what we like, don't like, and how they act.”
It’s definitely possible to have more success with round two, Klow says—but you need to approach it the right way. Here's how to get back with your ex without making a total mess of it.
1. Consider how you might have changed.
Before you even weigh the pros and cons of getting back with an ex, it’s important to check in with yourself about where you’re at. Sure, your ex might want you back and say that they’ve “changed”—especially if the relationship ended due to their unsavory behavior—but what do you want, and how have you changed?
“Over time, we learn new things about ourselves and develop different perspectives, so of course you may develop different needs or have a change in plans for the future,” says Chelsea Davis, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Winter Park, FL. “Make sure you’re able to communicate these things to your partner so that both of you have a fair opportunity to make each other happy.”
If you’re honest with yourself, you might have outgrown your past connection with this person, or moved on entirely into a new chapter. Either way, this is a necessary step to take before reaching out to your ex.
2. Ask yourself if you trust your ex.
Trust is required for any relationship to be healthy and stable. Before sending that text, you should really evaluate how the relationship ended, and how your ex’s behavior or reaction during that time made you feel. If they betrayed your trust during the relationship by crossing a boundary or even cheating on you, it’s definitely necessary to ask yourself if you really trust them now.
“If your answer is no, you may need to establish this prior to committing to each other,” explains Stephanie Moir, MHC, a licensed mental health counselor based in Tampa, FL. “Ways to establish trust are by slowly starting as friends and trying to get to know the person again. If your values align, it is a sign that things may actually work out.” While they might be ready to jump back into a romantic connection with you, if you still need time to work through the trust issues you have with your ex, rebuilding that foundation of friendship can help.
3. Know the difference between missing them and something more.
Missing someone is a pretty normal response post-breakup—after all, this person was in your life consistently and closely until—poof!—they weren't. By all means, let yourself miss them, but don’t overanalyze what that means.
“Missing someone is not necessarily a signal that you’re supposed to get back together with them,” says Dr. Chloe Carmichael, PhD, a clinical psychologist, the author of Dr. Chloe's 10 Commandments of Dating, and a WH Advisory Board member. Before you send that potentially-misguided “Miss you” text, consider these big Q's, per Carmichael: Can you still see a future with them? Does that future seem attainable knowing what you know now—and can you be sure your needs for said future will be met?
Oh, and BTW: You’ll want to keep coming back to these answers if a few months of singlehood makes you doubt your decision to jump ship. “It’s all too easy for dating fatigue to make you look at your previous partner with rose-colored glasses,” says Carmichael. Revisit old journals (if you kept them) to remind yourself of your ex's shortcomings, or make a list of the top 10 reasons they sucked and keep it somewhere handy. Even if the situation does change down the road, at least you’ll know you’re making a decision to get back together based on facts, not a bunch of bad dates.
4. Make sure the decision is yours.
Many people can attest to how difficult a breakup can be when your loved ones also love your former S.O. If they have a strong bond with your parents or have become thick as thieves with your besties, severing those ties can be almost as painful for all parties involved as the breakup was for you.
Because of this, your inner circle might try to sway your decision one way or the other, depending on how emotionally attached they are to the situation. This is something you’ll need to look out for and choose to stand firm in your own autonomy. “Because you’ve dated before, your family and friends may weigh in with their own opinions. Recognize how much of your decision is based on what’s best for you,” Davis says. Before you reopen that line of communication with your ex, really make sure that you’re doing it for yourself—not just to make others happy.
5. Find out what has changed for them.
Let’s say your ex reached out with a heartfelt text after treating you like crap. Oh, the validation! “Whatever part of you felt insecure by having been left, or worse, betrayed—just the simple act of them wanting to come back can feel so vindicating that we can jump right back into [a relationship] without digging deeper into their side of things,” says Carmichael.
Your job: Ask them what has truly changed for them, and ask them to be specific. “If all they can say is, ‘I realized how much I miss you’ or ‘I know now how much you mean to me,’ that’s probably not good enough,” says Carmichael. Those are signs of emotional vulnerability, sure, but not necessarily emotional growth, she points out.
In response, you could start by picking out the main issue that led to the breakup and find out how they feel about it now—in detail. For example, if you split because they weren’t ready to talk marriage, say something like, “We broke up because you didn’t think talking about an engagement timeline made sense. Are you in the same place now?” Then based on that: “Does that mean we can talk about it in six months if we got back together?”
This gives your ex the opportunity to present objective changes they actually have made and/or want to make in the sake of a stronger 2.0, explains Carmichael. If they can’t do so, don’t look past that.
6. Ask your ex to commit to therapy.
Regardless of how amicable the breakup was, there were reasons driving the split, so addressing those is paramount to moving forward and starting anew together. To do this, therapy is a fantastic tool, Moir says. “Many times, our relationships are impacted by patterns. Typically, the arguments you first had with your partner will continue unless a new pattern is learned,” she explains. “Therapy is a safe place for each of you to learn where you are coming from and how to better communicate with each other.”
Whether you choose to see a professional separately or together (or both, ideally), getting a chance to have that outside opinion on things and be able to talk to a neutral third party about the breakup can lead to a lot of realizations—which may really benefit your ultimate decision on whether or not to reunite.
7. Take it slooooow.
Once you've decided to go on your reunion tour, remember that you don't need to go full steam ahead. It may be tempting to pick up at the level of intimacy where you left off, but Klow says it can be incredibly helpful to slow down and take a beat before you slap a label on things again.
Why? Because you need time to...
8. Figure out your own needs.
Orbuch says this is your chance to lay all of your cards out on the table, so don’t be afraid to get real (like, really real) about what you need to be happy in a relationship. She recommends asking yourself what your expectations are in a relationship, as well as what qualities you need from a partner.
Was there something major missing before that your partner could actually fulfill this time around? That's an important Q to be able to answer before reconciling. For example, did you feel like they took you for granted last time? Didn't know how to speak your love language? That's all fixable on take two.
But if you felt like they didn't quite match up in terms of goals and values, that's a different story. (Perhaps you're super ambitious and they're A-okay working at their dad's company with no plans of moving up or taking it over someday—that's likely not going to change tomorrow.)
You’ll also want to have your deal breakers in mind. “Then share these expectations with your former partner and have your former partner do the same and share the list with you,” Orbuch says. “This is important for all couples to do together, but even more important when you reconnect with a former partner. Be open and honest.”
9. View it as a new chapter in an old relationship.
“Yes, you've already dated and know one another, but time changes people,” Orbuch says. “So get to know your former partner again, ask questions, see what they think and feel.”
That said, "it's impossible to have a truly fresh start with someone you've already dated," notes Carmichael. "It's really important to recognize that this is a rekindling of an old relationship, not the start of a new one."
When getting back together with an ex, you need to do everything you can to separate fact from fiction and the past from the present. Ask yourself if some of the beliefs you have about this person are based on the behavior and statements they're making to you now, versus who they were when you initially started dating and things were good.
"Women are especially vulnerable to sticking with their first impressions of people," explains Carmichael. So check yourself: Is it your mind telling you that this person is your rock-solid? Is that thought based on what has actually happened in the relationship or are you letting what you want things to be like overshadow how things actually were?
If you're having trouble sussing this out, try making a timeline of your past relationship, highlighting significant events—both good and bad, Carmichael suggests. This exercise helps you see what your 'ship was actually like versus your brain's fantasy of it, and can help you pinpoint times when your ex didn't live up to the image you've made yourself believe.
10. Talk about what you did when you were apart...
Now’s the time to speak up if you were with someone while you two were broken up. You don’t have to go into details. A simple, “I dated someone for a few months” is good enough—unless that someone was his best friend/coworker or anyone else that might trigger hurt or jealousy.
It’s important to at least mention it so that there are no surprises down the road, Klow says. If your guy is upset about it (even though, hello, you weren’t together anymore), then talk about it and address any concerns or fears—and then move on.
11. …And why you want to get back together.
Are you frustrated because your last date was a lousy kisser or turned out to be a d-bag, or do you really think there’s something positive and healthy worth pursuing with your ex? If it’s the former, Klow says that’s not a great reason to run back to your ex. But if it’s the latter, go for it.
Remember, settling is still settling, even if it's with someone you've loved before.
You could get back with an ex...or you could just stay friends with them. These celebs did just that:
12. Listen to your gut.
If you found yourself ignoring some major issues the last time the two of you were a pair, then Orbuch says it’s important not to let that happen this go'round.
“Perhaps last time you were in the relationship with your ex, you didn't see the red flags or didn't listen to your gut,” she says. “[Maybe] you thought things would change, you didn't believe in yourself or know what you wanted.” If you’re giving it a second chance, be sure you also trust your instincts if things start to backslide again.
You know that little ball of doubt in the pit of your stomach? It's there for a reason...don't ignore it if it comes back or grows.
13. Address old issues.
So, heads up: It’s pretty likely that old fights and problems are going to crop up again—it’s best to get ahead of them. You don’t have to reenact your Worst Fight Ever, but you should discuss the issue behind it, plus what you’re going to do to avoid another one of those in the future.
Talking about it when you’re both calm is key, says Klow, since you’re much more likely to get somewhere. “It is important for a couple to build on the past relationship, warts and all,” says Klow.
Note that if your ex is quick to sweep old issues under the rug, "that's probably not a good start," says Carmichael. Feelings need to be validated—even if the other party doesn't agree with them.
14. Have a commitment chat.
“Given that the two of you have a past, trust has most likely been broken,” Orbuch says. “In many relationships, breakups occur because one or both of the partner have betrayed the other [in some way]. And trust, once it's broken, is very hard to rebuild.”
Because of that, Orbuch recommends couples looking to rekindle their relationship have a "trust chat," where you discuss what it means to trust one another and list realistic expectations for the relationship, as well as answer “what is fidelity and what does it mean to each of us as we go forward?”
During this talk, you’ll also want to decide what your definition is of commitment. “These are all questions that should be addressed in any relationship as you move forward, and even more so if you're getting back with an ex,” Orbuch says.
15. Be ready to forgive.
Let's say your ex cheated on you, physically or emotionally. You have to be truly willing to give them another chance, says Carmichael—otherwise you'll end up crucifying them for the past every time you get upset. (You know what I mean: They forget to call you back, you go on a downward spiral thinking about what they could be doing, then throw their past transgressions in their face when they ask why you're annoyed.)
"It's perfectly normal and okay to have old wounds, but you need to be able to talk about them calmly and respectfully together to avoid an unhealthy cycle of criticism," Carmichael explains. Keep in mind that forgiveness is a process, and if you're struggling to move forward with it while being with your ex, you may want to hold off for a bit.
16. Collect your thoughts before bringing them up.
If you do notice ghosts from you past relationship coming up, it's best not to speak about them the moment they pop into your head, says Carmichael. This makes it all too easy for impulsive and unhelpful arguments to creep up on the reg.
It's much, much better to write in a journal or talk to a friend until you have your thoughts together enough to have something constructive to discuss.
When you know what you want to say, approach it this way: "Here’s what's been on my mind..." or "I could use some reassurance about...."
Always speak up about your feelings, but know that people respond best when it's done in a thoughtful and organized manner.
17. Don't expect everyone to be on board.
Just because you’re ready to move on with an ex, that doesn’t mean your family or BFF will be quite as keen on the idea. "They will remember what was bad about your ex," Orbuch says. “And most likely because you've spoken negatively about the former partner to them, they will bring it up again as you announce to them about getting back together.”
When that happens, Orbuch says it’s important to remember that they have your best interests at heart. She recommends meeting their concerns with this: “I hear you. I understand your concerns and appreciate you telling me.”
Follow it up with the things that have changed about your ex and how you’ve discussed it all. You can also fill them in on your plan moving forward, and keep them looped in along the way.
18. Remember the bottom line: You're still with the same person.
Sure, people change, but they’re usually more likely to stay the same. Basically, don’t think that things will be different after the “getting to know you again” stage is over. “It is very common for couples to fall back into the same patterns that they found themselves in the previous time,” says Klow.
Hated their habit of turning into a couch-loving sloth on Sundays? Or not a fan of how your anxiety subconsciously fed off of theirs, turning you into a big ball of stress?
Odds are, you’re going to deal with it again. So make sure they're worth the time and effort.
Now…for the real real talk: Is there a foolproof way to win back your ex?
Sorry, but no, says Carmichael. Just like there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to eating, or sweating, or even relationship-ing in the first place, no single action can guarantee your ex will opt in again. Why? Everybody’s different, obviously, and what resonates for one person might not for another. On top of that, feelings fluctuate… meaning, that what might seem sweet today might come off needy tomorrow.
The upside? If whatever you try—be it a simple phone call, daily thirst traps, or a rom-com-worthy grand gesture—doesn’t pan out, you’ll ultimately be better off, because now at least you have an answer. “You deserve to be with someone who is 100-percent wanting to be with you, too,” says Carmichael. Even if you think this person is The One, if they aren’t on the same page, they obviously cannot be.
And in that case, the only "three little words" you need to say are: Thank you, next.
Meet the Experts:
David Klow, LMFT, is the owner of Skylight Counseling Center in Chicago.
Terri Orbuch, PhD, is the author of Finding Love Again: 6 Simple Steps to a New and Happy Relationship and a professor at Oakland University in Michigan.
Chelsea Davis, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Winter Park, FL.
Stephanie Moir, MHC, is a licensed mental health counselor in Tampa, FL.
Chloe Carmichael, PhD, is a WH Advisory Board member and the author of Dr. Chloe's 10 Commandments for Dating.
Lexi Inks (she/her) is a lifestyle journalist based in Jacksonville, Florida. She has reported on countless topics, including sexual wellness, astrology, relationship issues, non-monogamy, mental health, pop culture, and more. In addition to Women’s Health, her work has been published on Bustle, Cosmopolitan, Well + Good, Byrdie, Popsugar, and others. As a queer and plus-size woman with living with mental illness, Lexi strives for intersectionality and representation in all of her writing. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Jacksonville University, which she has chosen to make everyone’s problem.
