5 Relationship Red Flags We've Learned To Avoid Thanks To Christina Haack

Since rising to fame as half of the (now defunct) power couple, the El Moussas, Christina Haack has shown symptoms of being a serial monogamist. The thrice-married star has been part of multiple power couples that appeared loved up from the outside, but she's shown that even the most picture-perfect relationships conceal red flags. The star even hit back at those who criticized her jumping from relationship to relationship — but not very maturely. "So yes 'another relationship' and guess what. I'm 38 — I'll do what I want," she wrote in her since-deleted Instagram post confirming her relationship with Josh Hall, who would become her third husband. But her sassy retort suggested she hadn't done the internal work to find out what went wrong. "Occasionally, when a person habitually enters into marriage multiple times, it could be that they may have an underlying mental health disorder, personality disorder, or attachment wounds that have left them feeling vulnerable — so they tend to fall into unhealthy relationship patterns," psychologist Andrea Sartor explained to Metro.

Fortunately, though, Haack turned that red flag green. In a 2025 Instagram post, she confirmed she'd become more self-aware. "As someone who recently discovered I have anxious-attachment (not sure what took me so long) and for sure a history of co-dependency issues [...] things can be challenging and by 'things' I mean 'me,'" she quipped. And while Haack identified those issues herself, her candor regarding her romance ups and downs helped us pinpoint other red flags she's experienced.

Christina Haack has been in a few relationships that moved too quickly. People first confirmed her relationship with Josh Hall in July 2021, with a source sharing, "They recently started dating each other and it was an immediate, real connection." They were engaged three months later, and TMZ reported in April 2022 they'd quietly wed sometime between then and October. Haack also moved fast with her second husband, Ant Anstead. She went Instagram official with the Brit in January 2018, marrying him one year later. The reality star acknowledged her tendency to press fast-forward on Instagram, writing, "At 41 I'm finally learning about ... a relationship that is NOT 0-100." And we love that; it's healthy to recognize and accept your red flags.

A quick-moving relationship isn't always a red flag; there's no one timeline for when couples should reach certain milestones. But repeatedly jumping into relationships and getting married in mere months isn't good. As dating and attraction coach Emily Freeman told The Knot, "It's important to know your partner and experience them in different situations and seasons of their life. The people I see have the most success, commit to continuing to learn about themselves, their relationship, and their partner. And they choose partners who do the same." Of course, waiting to make such important life decisions still doesn't guarantee a lifetime together, but had Haack taken her time to truly get to know her partners, she might've saved herself some heartache.

Christina Haack has also taught us why it's so important to address communication issues quickly and efficiently. Good communication is fundamental to every relationship, and the HGTV star has experienced more than one split due to a lack of it. The most prominent? Haack's high-profile divorce from her first husband, Tarek El Moussa. El Moussa opened up about one of the reasons he and Haack split while speaking to People, sharing, "We were so busy, we never slowed down to be present with each other and talk about things that were bothering us." Haack also spoke about how tough it became for her to truly connect with her now-ex. "The tension between me and Tarek was high. We weren't able to properly communicate anymore. It got to the point where we weren't even driving to set together," she also told People.

The red flag here is that neither appeared ready to do anything about their inability to connect. Though it's natural for couples to struggle with communication, both had to be willing to work on it. Fortunately, though, Haack decided to do the internal work needed to be a healthier partner a few years later. "I'm finally learning about safe communication," she wrote on Instagram in 2024.

Christina Haack has also taught us to watch out for an abundance of pressure in a relationship. She's admitted she caused this red flag to fly a few times, sharing on Instagram, "I am for sure guilty of putting pressure on others. Facing my own insecurities has forced me into doing the shadow work I've been avoiding." As psychotherapist and relationship expert Esther Perel told CBC, it's common for people to expect a lot of their partner, but it's not realistic. "We want, with the same person, to experience security, adventure, stability, change, dependability, and surprise. We want this same person to still be our best friend, and our trusted confidante and our passionate lover," she said. "We really have this idea that one person today will give us what once an entire village used to provide." If someone feels they're consistently pressured into doing things they're not ready for, they're unlikely to feel truly happy in their relationship.

Haack opened up about another form of pressure that hindered her first marriage, as her family encouraged her to stay with El Moussa amid their marital issues. "They were hoping we would be able to reconcile, especially for the kids, and also because Tarek and I had built such a life together," the TV personality told Good Housekeeping. But outside pressure, particularly from close confidants, can be just as overwhelming as pressure from a partner, and can be just as detrimental to a relationship.

Christina Haack's past relationships may be well-documented, but that doesn't mean her partner has the right to consistently bring up her past (particularly in a negative way). That was a red flag we noticed in her ill-fated marriage to Josh Hall, as he appeared fixated on her romantic past. In spring 2023, he raised eyebrows when he shared since-deleted Instagram photos with Haack alongside the caption (via New York Post), "How long will this one last?"

During a January 2025 episode of "The Flip Off," Haack (who's dressed for revenge after a few divorces) told Tarek El Moussa about the problems she had with Hall's apparent complex over her past. "You make him very insecure. Every time we'd barely joke at [the kids'] soccer [games], or if I laughed at you, he like would not speak to me for two to three days. I would get silent treatment," she said (via People). And that's a major red flag, as it reeks of retroactive jealousy, which isn't healthy for anyone. "Jealousy is something most people recognize, however this kind of jealousy is quite different," Ammanda Major, a counselor at relationship advice service Relate, told BBC News of retroactive jealousy. "... They can end up tormenting themselves and their partner and in some cases the relationship can turn abusive. Whether you're the person obsessing about the past or the person on the receiving end, I would recommend you get professional help and support," she added.

While it can be true that opposites attract, it doesn't always result in a long-standing relationship. Christina Haack learned that the hard way. Two of her relationship breakdowns have been blamed on differing interests and personalities, including her marriage to Tarek El Moussa. "In a lot of ways they just seemed wildly incompatible," a source told People after the exes split. "She has champagne tastes, and he's a beer-from-a-can kind of guy," they added. A Life & Style source shared a similar sentiment when Haack's marriage to Ant Anstead ended. "They're very different people from totally different backgrounds, and that definitely played a factor," the insider claimed.

Of course, two people certainly don't have to have all the same interests to have their relationship go the distance, but too many differences with no effort to compromise or understand one another is a major red flag. "Saying you are 'two different people' is only a cop-out if you or your partner don't take the time to actually explore [your] differences, and how much of a deal breaker they really are," licensed master social worker Emily Fiorelli told The Every Girl.