Relationship Counseling
Are You Unhappy with a Relationship in Your Life?
Are you feeling unfilled in one of your relationships?
Hast trust been broken in your relationship?
Are you concerned that you’re being a bad friend?
Do you feel as though someone is not listening to you, understanding you or being there for you in ways you need?
Although you might have good relationships overall, relationship issues are inevitable. There will be fights, disagreements, or tense or uncomfortable moments. You may have a family member that doesn’t respect your boundaries. You may have a friend who doesn’t follow through with plans. You may have a co-worker who makes collaborating challenging. Your focus should not solely be on the fact that these situations occur; it should also be on how you process, handle and overcome them. Your relationship therapist can help ensure this is the case.
Relationship counseling can help.
Relationships Impact Our Lives in Many Ways
Your relationships have a profound impact on your life. The connections you build with people you trust provide a sense of belonging, support, and fulfillment, while a lack of meaningful relationships can leave you feeling isolated and lonely. At the same time, building and maintaining close relationships can feel difficult, especially when vulnerability, trust, or asking for help is involved. A relationship counselor can help you navigate these difficult emotions.
Since relationships play such an important role in your everyday life, misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and conflicts are inevitable. The way you view relationships, the expectations you have of others, your patterns of interaction, and the roles you take on within your relationships all influence the outcomes in these situations. Relationship therapy provides a space to explore these dynamics and ensure your relationships are healthy and fulfilling.
We All Experience Relationship Issues
Although relationship issues are something everyone experiences, they can still significantly impact your social and emotional well-being.
Relationship Issues Happen with Family
It’s common for your family relationship dynamic to come up in therapy. You may not agree with what relatives say or do. Since these relationships are (generally) here to stay, this may leave you feeling stuck and frustrated. Even though you’re adults, you (and your parents) may have difficulty moving past traditional parent/child roles, which makes it challenging to keep boundaries and assert yourself.
Relationship Issues Happen at Work
With work, office politics or certain power dynamics can make you feel on edge and lead to trouble handling conflict or speaking up. You may not say what you want because you fear backlash. A colleague may not collaborate well, leaving you at a loss for how to move forward. Pressure to be professional may cause you to second-guess what you say and do. Relationship issues for these situations are best addressed in individual therapy.
Relationship Issues Happen with Friends
Friendships present unique challenges because these relationships feel more fragile. You may be concerned the friendship will end, which can put pressure on you to act in a certain way and not say what’s on your mind. You may worry about what friends think and fear being judged. Counseling can allow you to be your true self in a friendship.
Relationship Issues Happen with Partners
Partnerships are a unique and intimate relationship. Since your partner is the person your usually closest to physically and emotionally, and you’re often harshest with the people you’re closest to, conflict can easily arise. Often needing to rely on your partner and share responsibilities with them can also contribute to relationship issues. Parenting can bring additional challenges, as there’s even more of a need to communicate and support one another.
Seeing a relationship counselor can help you navigate all of these dynamics and have happier, more fulfilling relationships.
Relationship Counseling Can Help You Have Fulfilling Relationships
Relationship counseling is effective in helping people manage their relationships. There is a strong focus on self-reflection and strengthening communication skills.
During relationship therapy, we first focus on you. Others are secondary. You can expect to reflect on your life experiences, actions, and reactions. To have healthy relationships, you must first understand yourself and how you contribute to a relationship. This is a process of self-discovery and growth. We then look at what you would like out of your relationships.
Your relationship therapist will help you build healthy communication skills that allow you to communicate in an open, non-confrontational way. We use a variety of tools and techniques that focus on how you are feeling, incorporating positives, and minimizing defensiveness. Communication isn’t just about your words; it’s also how you say them and how you present yourself.
Improved communication will help you ask for what you need. These could be basic things (asking a friend if they want to grab dinner), asking for help, conveying what you need (time for yourself), or implementing boundaries. Clear boundaries are a key piece to healthy relationships, and they’re often difficult to implement. Your relationship counselor can help you feel comfortable speaking up and implementing boundaries.
Relationships are part of most people’s core values, so they come up in counseling regardless of why the person is seeking therapy, which means our therapists have extensive experience helping people navigate relationship dynamics. They have also undergone cultural competency training, which helps them understand the different dynamics and expectations individuals of different backgrounds have with friends, family, coworkers and others. Our relationship therapists are mindful of your unique experience and tailor their approach accordingly.
You Still May Have Doubts About Relationship Counseling
Will it make a difference in my relationship if the other person isn’t in the session with me?
Yes, individual therapy for relationship issues allows you to focus on your own behavior. You can gain a better understanding of the role you play and learn different ways to navigate situations. It’s also possible for your partner to join a session if that would support you in your growth.
I’m not the problem.
Since you only have control over your actions and reactions, not the other person, sometimes the best thing to do is look at how you can modify your behavior and find comfort in knowing you’re doing all you can on your end to improve dynamics. Relationship therapy can allow you to take these steps.
How does relationship counseling differ from couples therapy?
Relationship counseling focuses on relationships with friends, family, co-workers, partners, and anyone else you may interact with, whereas couples therapy is with your partner only. Relationship counseling has more of a focus on “you.” How you feel and engage within relationships and how they impact you. That is why you’re the only one attending sessions. In couples therapy, your partner attends as well.
You Can Be Happy in Your Relationships
Relationship issues don’t have to be permanent, nor do they have to define you or your life. Our relationship counselors are here to help. To get started, schedule a free 20-minute consultation online at your convenience. You can strengthen your relationships so you feel close and connected to people and have people with whom you can be your true self.
Therapists who specialize in Relationship Counseling:
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