Relationship Counseling for Individuals

Are Relationship Issues Causing Heartache or Stress? 

Have you recently gone through a breakup or divorce and feel distraught?

Perhaps you are struggling with family issues, friendship troubles or conflicts with co-workers?

Have you found yourself repeatedly choosing the wrong people to date, and can’t figure out why that unhealthy cycle continues?

Or, maybe you’re often jealous or distrustful of your current partner, perhaps because others have hurt you in the past.

While relationships bring joy and companionship, they can also cause great pain. From friendships to family members to romantic partners, it is stressful when we experience disturbances within significant relationships. That stress can affect everything from work performance to your ability to feel good and grounded. Maybe you have recently gone through a break-up and feel like your world is upside down. Or, perhaps you often argue with your spouse and desperately need to make positive changes. You may be experiencing dating problems, and feel like you’ll never meet the right person. Or, perhaps you’ve realized you’re being treated unfairly, and you want to learn to be more assertive. No matter what you’re struggling with, you may feel confused, grief-stricken, frustrated, angry or disappointed and crave a path to healing and reconciliation.

We All Experience Relationship Difficulties

Seeking out relationship advice is incredibly common because we all need human connection. When the bond in an important relationship is ruptured, your sense of security and well-being is disrupted, which often causes heavy feelings of stress and sadness that can impact both your physical and emotional health. If you’re struggling to find that special partner or are experiencing constant conflict with a loved one, the good news is help is available. With the guidance of a well-trained, compassionate relationship therapist, you can gain skills and insight that allow you to effectively connect and foster caring relationships with the important people in your life. 

Relationship Counseling Can Help You Thrive

Whether you are dealing with marital problems, communication issues, friendship conflicts, family challenges or dating worries, your need to connect can be met in a safe, compassionate, therapeutic environment. Together, we will explore your innermost concerns and work toward profound healing and growth within your relationships.

During our sessions together, we will take time to clarify your unique relationship concerns by identifying both the internal and external factors that influence your distress. You will also acquire practical tools that help you state your needs, confront difficult situations and increase self-awareness. It’s very common for thoughts and feelings to hinder relationships, and therapy can teach you to notice, name and show compassion to these internal experiences so they no longer hold you back.

Within our work, you will also gain insight as to how you communicate and how to improve your communication with others. Relationship conflicts often cause defense reactions, which may include intense feelings that trigger outbursts among other unhelpful behaviors. Within these defenses, the message you want to convey can get muddled and lost, leading to more hurt and pain. Through sessions with me, you can learn to speak for your feelings and not from your feelings. This not only helps resolve conflicts, but helps you develop a deeper, more flexible love and connection with the people you care for most.

Throughout your work with me, you'll continue to explore and identify patterns and root causes for these issues. Whether you are struggling with jealousy, commitment fears, co-dependency, anger or other reoccurring problems, I can help you unravel why these patterns continue and how to effectively break those cycles and heal old wounds. As we clarify and develop what you truly want in your relationships, you can begin to take actions based on these values instead of resorting to old unhelpful patterns.

Even if you feel overcome by stress or lost right now, bettering yourself and your connections with others is entirely achievable. I have been working with people struggling to maintain balance and harmony in their relationships for many years and have helped individuals overcome challenges in their relationships. With your commitment and a willingness to engage in the therapy process, the results can be empowering and fruitful.  

Although you want to make changes, you may still have questions or concerns about relationship coaching… 

What if I go to therapy and nothing changes?

Taking the step to attend therapy is not always an easy decision, and you may worry that it won’t be helpful. However, if you come to therapy with an open mind and are willing to learn new skills, you will see positive changes in how you handle conflict. 

How long will I need to be in relationship therapy?

Every individual is different, so it is impossible to determine how long your treatment will last. However, typically people begin to gain important insights and make changes within the first four to six weeks of relationship therapy. I also highly recommend weekly appointments at the beginning of treatment as this is a great way for me to truly understand your situation and become quickly attuned to your needs.

Can I bring in a family member, friend or partner to a session?

I absolutely welcome you to bring friends, family members or partners to therapy. In fact, this can be incredibly helpful in mending ruptures or showing your loved ones how much effort and care you’re putting into the relationship. Meeting your loved one also gives me an opportunity to observe your relationship dynamics, which helps us better formulate an effective treatment plan.

You Can Feel Valued And Loved

If you would like to learn more about relationship counseling or my approach, please contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation. I serve all Virginia residents included, but not limited to Northern, VA and Richmond, VA.