Counselling for relationship difficulties
The relationships that matter most to us are often the ones that cause the most pain. If you keep running into the same problems, therapy can help you understand why.
BACP accredited member (216379)
When relationships feel difficult
Relationship difficulties come in many forms. You might find it hard to trust people, or notice that you push others away when they get close. Perhaps you always seem to end up in the same kind of dynamic, giving too much, feeling unheard, or choosing partners who aren't available.
It's not just romantic relationships either. Difficulties can show up with friends, family, colleagues, or anyone who matters to you. You might struggle with boundaries, find conflict unbearable, or feel like you lose yourself in other people's needs.
Sometimes the problem isn't one particular relationship. It's a pattern you can't quite break, a sense that something keeps going wrong but you're not sure what.
How psychodynamic therapy helps with relationships
The way we relate to others is shaped by our earliest experiences. The patterns we learned growing up, how to get our needs met, how to deal with conflict, what to expect from the people closest to us, tend to follow us into adulthood, often without us realising it.
Psychodynamic therapy explores these patterns. We look at how your early relationships might be influencing your current ones, and what you might be repeating without knowing it. This isn't about blaming anyone. It's about understanding yourself well enough to make different choices.
The therapeutic relationship itself can be part of this process. The way you relate to me in sessions can sometimes mirror patterns you experience elsewhere, and noticing that together can be incredibly revealing.
A note about couples work
I work with individuals, not couples. But many of the relationship difficulties people bring to therapy are best understood from the inside, by exploring your own patterns, expectations, and responses. You don't need your partner in the room to make meaningful changes in how you relate to others.
Understanding the pattern is the first step
If your relationships keep hitting the same walls, therapy can help you see what's happening and why. I'm happy to have a conversation about it.