Relationship-Issues

Are You Feeling Lonely, Frustrated or Misunderstood by Others?

Are you struggling to connect meaningfully with the people in your life? Do you often hold back your real feelings or find it difficult to always act like your true self? Perhaps you are struggling to get your needs met, resolve conflicts or fully express your feelings with the people who are important to you. Or, maybe a series of conflicted relationships is making you question why you attract people into your life that don’t bring out the best parts of you. You could be feeling misunderstood or dissatisfied by the people in your life and find yourself wishing you could have healthier, more productive relationships.

Our relationships with others inform big parts of our lives. When we contend with communication difficulties or feelings of disconnection in our relationships, it’s common to feel frustrated, confused or isolated. And, when we struggle to build meaningful connections within social or work environments or with family members, we can experience a decrease in self-confidence as feelings of loneliness or sadness take over. Also, if we feel disconnected from our partners or spouses, many other aspects of our lives suffer as well.

Many People Struggle To Create And Maintain Healthy Relationships

It’s extremely common to feel conflicted about relationships. Almost everyone bumps up against challenges in their relationships at some time in their lives. We are very emotional beings. Issues of conflict often emerge because so many of us didn’t have healthy role models as children. Consequently, as adults, we can find it very difficult to express our feelings and needs effectively. It might go against our grain to be vulnerable with others, as many of us feel like we to show our stronger sides in all of our interactions. This can be exhausting over time and limit our ability to have authentic, successful, sustainable relationships.

If you are struggling in your current romantic relationship, can’t seem to find the right partner, are experiencing some difficulty connecting with others, there ARE ways of bringing more peace and happiness into your relationships. An experienced therapist can help you reduce the level of conflict in your relationships and help you learn how to connect with others with greater ease.

Relationship Counseling Can Help You Trust In Yourself And Your Relationships

Counseling can be very effective when you feel eager for the help, no matter how long you have been struggling to maintain healthy connections. It can help you reveal more of who you authentically are and to get in touch with your deeper feelings. In a place where you come to feel safe and trusting, therapy can help you reveal your innermost needs, as well as the fears and hesitations that are keeping you stuck in ineffective relationship patterns.

In collaboration with each other, we identify some of the things that have been causing your relationships to suffer. There are various possible root causes. Perhaps you experienced trauma as a child and now – perhaps unconsciously – you find yourself living out old patterns. Current difficulties might also stem from the ways in which you were parented as a child or troublesome dynamics that were at play within your family of origin. Or perhaps low self-esteem or self-worth causes you to attract people who are unhealthy influences in your life. By understanding the underlying causes of your relationship issues, you can increase self-awareness and begin making better, more informed choices about the people you bring into your life and how you relate with them. You can begin to develop new perspectives and take ownership for your part in miscommunications and conflicts, which can be incredibly empowering and freeing.

As you continue to increase your awareness, we can work on setting and maintaining healthy boundaries and focus on issues surrounding your sense of self-worth and love for yourself. By developing a deeper understanding that we all have our limitations, you can make room for yourself and those in your life to be less than perfect. You can gain clarity about the kind of relationships you want to have and develop ways to achieve them. You can discover ways to improve your communication with the people who are most important in your life. You will be able to use our therapeutic relationship – one based upon trust and openness – as a model for how you can engage more fully with others. You can learn to thoughtfully articulate your needs and feelings with sensitivity and confidence, and start to experience more connection and joy in your relationships.

With compassionate support, trusted guidance and willingness to self-explore, you can experience healthy, loving and sustainable relationships with the people in your life. You can learn how to communicate more effectively and develop security and strength within yourself. You can find healthy ways to get your needs met and, at the same time, ensure that others feel respected and appreciated by you.

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You still may have questions or concerns about relationship counseling…

 I’m not in crisis, and I don’t have a mental health issue. Do I really need counseling for relationship issues?

When our relationships are in turmoil, most aspects of our lives and our wellbeing tend to suffer as well. For this reason, countless people – who aren’t necessarily in crisis or struggling with a mental health issue – engage in relationship counseling. When we feel happy, secure and successful in our relationships, we often also increase the levels of productivity, focus and satisfaction we feel in our lives.

I have been struggling with social anxiety and feelings of isolation for so long. I’m not sure that anything – even relationship counseling – can help.

There is always room for hope and healing, especially if you are willing to self-explore and really engage in the therapy process. Throughout our work together, we have the unique opportunity to build a trusting relationship in which you can feel safe, able to share your deepest feelings and fears and feel comfortable expressing who you truly are. We can work together to identify where the anxiety and feelings of disconnection are stemming from. You can learn techniques to calm anxious thoughts and feelings and become prepared to take healthy risks in your relationships. If you want to have more meaningful relationships in your life, you can. Relationship counseling is an effective path to help get you there.

I’m not sure I could share my intimate experiences with another person. I can’t help but worry that I’ll be judged or feel ashamed of some of the ways I’ve been in my relationships.

 I am a very open person, and do not feel critical of other’s limitations. We all have them.   I believe that mistakes are opportunities for growth, and I treat people with warmth, compassion and acceptance. While it can feel scary to be vulnerable and open with another person, sharing your true feelings and experiences can be such a relief. It can be so helpful to let go of some of the feelings you’ve held in and may have felt weighed down by for a long time. Our work together is confidential, and we will always move at a pace that feels right for you.

You Can Live A Joyful, Connected Life

If you think you could benefit from support of a skilled, genuinely caring therapist, I welcome you to reach out to me by phone for a free 15-minute consultation. I’m happy to discuss your specific needs and to answer any questions you have about relationship counseling and my practice.