Relationship Issues
I specialise in working with individuals and couples who want to improve their relationships. (This includes your relationship with yourself!)
Are you having trouble in your relationship(s) with family, friends, colleagues, or a partner? I can help.
How does it work?
Have you ever heard the saying that before you can love anyone else you need to love yourself?
Well that may or may not be completely true, but my experience has shown that resolving your relationship issues and feeling better starts with getting to know, understand, and accept yourself. It leaves you more open to getting to know, understand, and accept others.
Communication gets easier and life gets more satisfying.
How do we get there?
Different things work for different people at different times, so I take a flexible, integrative approach. It mostly involves talking, because talking will help you make sense of stuff, feel better, and become a better communicator. All of that will help your relationships.
You’ll become a better listener, too, whether you come as a couple or on your own. It’s easier to listen to other people when you’ve got your own stuff straight in your head.
I find it can be really helpful to look at:
- the impact of your early experiences on who you are today
- how you feel and what you are going through right now
- your fears, hopes, and dreams for the future
I am interested in all three, and don’t value any one above the others.
What’s relationship issues therapy like?
I have had counselling myself, both on my own and as part of couple, so I know how scary and overwhelming it can feel to get started. You might be concerned about what will be expected of you, or wondering if there are things that you shouldn’t talk or ask about.
Therapy works best when you feel free to talk about everything, including the experience itself, what it’s like for you and what you want from it. I am a person too and you can trust me to be real with you, and to keep our discussions confidential.
On the other hand you might be worried that going for counselling is, or will make you, self-indulgent. Actually what tends to happen is that we talk a lot about your relationships, how you feel about them, what you want and need from them, and what you can do to change them so they work better for you and the people you care about.
There’s nothing self-indulgent about spending time working out how you can get on with people better!
Relationships can be hard work. They are also vital for our survival and provide us with some of the best moments of our lives. I would love to have the opportunity to see what I can do to help you make the best of yours.