When used properly and healthily, practicing tough love is good. If, however, its being used to manipulate, control, or for non-serious or non-harmful things like wanting your child to dress differently, tough love is bad. It serves to harm rather than help relationships.

Who created tough love?

Whatever happened to ToughLove? Twenty-five years ago, the controversial self-help group with the catchy name began supporting parents of out-of-control adolescents. It was the brainchild of drug-and-alcohol counselors Phyllis and David York, who knew all about parenting pains.