Therapy for Relationships
Whenever I ask clients what is an important thing to them in life - Relationships, connection, love and intimacy often takes the top place. Relationships with partners, family, friends, children, parents and colleagues gives you both lives greatest joys and heartaches. I can help you to experience the joys more fully and often, and work with the heartaches with calmness, kindness and acceptance.
Together or individual?
There are two ways to do therapy for relationships - on your own or together with the other person. The first is called Individual therapy for Relationships and the second Relationship therapy including therapy for couples.
Often clients who seek to resolve relationship issues accept they can’t bring their partner, so Individual therapy suits them. This option can also be the best fit when you recognise your own behaviour, moods or emotions are at the root of the issue you or the other is facing then Individual therapy may be right for you.
On the other side, if the other person perhaps is a little bit open to Relationship Therapy( They don’t have to excited or even want to believe it will” work”, just willing to try it out for some sessions, then perhaps a together session is suitable.
How does individual therapy for Relationships work?
Now you might ne thinking that for your relationship to improve, both partners need to be involved. While that can be at times the ideal, it is possible to influence, not control the other persons behaviour towards a healthier relationship for both people. Using the principles and techniques from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, I can help you respond differently to your partner and even your own reactions
How does Relationship therapy work?
Human relationships- with partners, friends, siblings, parents, children or colleagues unfortunately dont come with a manual. But fortunately relationship therapies has given us some principles that you can work with to bring more connection, openness, understanding and fun in your relationships. These principles are.
- Relationships fundamentally function better when both people are being true to their values.
- Conflict is normal, necessary and healthy part to relationships- not something you need to avoid.
- ‘Being right’, scoring points, and ‘winning arguments are costly to good relationships.
- You are actually not responsible for the other persons feelings, nor can you control them, they are not yours, but you can have an influence with them.
Perhaps these principles seem straightforward, but I will do more than just talk about them. I will ask you to perhaps make changes towards the way you ‘do’ conflict, communication, closeness and intimacy so that connecting and intimacy becomes part of the new normal rather just a lucky accident