Just about everyone knows what a bad relationship feels like, or we’ve cringed hearing stories from a friend about the dysfunction and damage inflicted by their own. It’s hard to listen to, and even harder to live through. But none of those bad relationships started off that way. Relationships start off with a mutual appreciation between two people. Gradually, those two people start to grow together, forming a bond and an intimate understanding of one another. But for a variety of reasons, relationships can go sideways, and that’s where relationship counseling comes in.
Now, we’ve all heard that communication is the key ingredient to any successful relationship; it’s such a cliché at this point that I think most of us resent hearing it. But let’s face it, clichés become clichés for a reason, and it’s usually because they contain some fundamental, almost indisputable, truth. But along with communication, I find that expectations (and often, effectively communicating what they entail) are commonly at the heart of relationship malfunction.
My approach to relationship counseling is pretty straightforward, and consistent with my philosophy that each of us has a responsibility to take ownership of the role we play in the dynamics that make up our relationships, no matter how hard it is to admit sometimes. My goal is to put the difficult questions on the table, and bring to light the unspoken barricades that have obstructed the intimate connection that once existed. The process isn’t easy, and sometimes the conversations that arise are ones that we wish we could hide from. But, very often, it isn’t the conversations themselves, but rather that part of us that avoids them, that is the greatest impediment to the relationship we want most.
If you want some more information about my approach to relationship counseling, or if you’d like to set up a consultation, reach out to me through the contact page.