Relationships
Relationship Counseling
When things aren’t going smoothly in your relationships, it can feel like everything is out of balance. It can be difficult to figure out whether the issue lies with you, the other person, or a mix of both. Together, in relationship counseling, we can explore challenges in your romantic partnerships, friendships, relationships with co-workers or family members.
Major topics covered in this kind of therapy include:
- Your family and relationship history
- Your attachment style including secure, anxious and avoidant tendencies
- Challenging individual issues (self-worth, trauma, defense mechanisms, personality traits, etc.) that may have an impact on your relationships
- Your blind spots and expectations
- Establishing healthy boundaries
- Strengths we can build upon to enhance the well-being of your relationships
- Communication style and the way you communicate your needs
- Decisions and strategies for moving forward in your relationships, while also acknowledging the possibility that they may be beyond repair
Relationship Decisions
When things aren’t going well in our relationships, it’s natural to question whether it’s worth staying and working through the difficulties. Deciding when to leave a relationship can be tough and complex. Together, in relationship counseling, we can explore both the challenges and the positive aspects of your relationship. I don’t think any time spent in a relationship is ever a “waste.” Every relationship offers valuable lessons if we’re open to learning from them. It’s also important to understand that ending a relationship doesn’t equate to failure. Many relationships are meant to end, and in the healthiest ones, growth happens. Sometimes that growth leads in a direction of growing apart. If you are looking for support in helping you explore your relationships, please contact me.
The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.
~Thomas Merton
FAQ
FAQ
Can my partner join the sessions?
Occasionally, a client’s partner may be invited to join a session to address a specific relationship issue that may benefit from a brief, focused intervention.
A partner may also be invited to join a session when the client requires immediate support related to concerns about self-harm or safety. In these situations, involving a partner can help strengthen the client’s support system and facilitate appropriate safety planning.
Can you help with consensually non-monogamous and polyamorous relationships?
I work with individuals in consensually non-monogamous and polyamorous relationships who are seeking support with communication, boundaries, jealousy, trust, attachment, relationship agreements, and navigating complex relationship dynamics. Therapy provides a nonjudgmental space to explore challenges, strengthen relationships, and make choices that are consistent with your values and goals.
If my partner won't go to couples counseling, can relationship counseling still help my relationship?
Yes. While couples counseling can be helpful when both partners are willing to participate, individual therapy can still be an effective way to address relationship concerns. Therapy can help you better understand relationship patterns, improve communication skills, clarify your needs and boundaries, manage conflict more effectively, and make thoughtful decisions about your relationship.
Although you cannot control your partner’s behavior, changes in one person’s thoughts, behaviors, and responses can sometimes lead to meaningful changes in the relationship dynamic. Individual therapy can also provide support as you navigate difficult relationship challenges and determine the path that best aligns with your values and well-being.
What if my partner has substance abuse problems or is abusive towards me?
While individual therapy can be helpful for many relationship concerns, it cannot resolve relationship problems that are being driven by ongoing substance abuse or domestic violence. In these situations, meaningful change in the relationship generally depends on your partner addressing the substance use and establishing safety first.