DEAR HARRIETTE: I just got a reality check from my girlfriend. She left me. In our last argument, she told me that I don’t know how to love and that I push away everyone who tries to do right by me. I think I might’ve crossed a line this time. We’ve had fights before, but they usually end in us taking space or agreeing to disagree. This time I called her dumb. I was angry and the words just came out, but I think that was the last straw. She’s told me I was stubborn before, but I didn’t realize how mean I’ve been in arguments until she decided to leave me. I do love her, and I don’t think she’s dumb; I just thought something she did was dumb. I didn’t mean to be so offensive. How do I get her back? – Reality Check DEAR REALITY CHECK: You need to deal with your anger and communications skills. Before trying to convince your ex to come back to you, turn inside to work on yourself. Find a therapist who can help you dive deeply into your own behavior so that you can understand your motivations and come to terms with how you communicate with others.