Relationship difficulties
Relationships can be some of the most meaningful parts of our lives, and also some of the most painful. It’s often said that relationships are where we are hurt, and relationships are also where we are healed, something I see often in my work.
You might find yourself feeling unsure about what to do or how to respond in certain relationships. Patterns can feel familiar, even when they’re not satisfying or don’t feel safe. At times, interactions can feel tense, confusing, upsetting, or emotionally draining, especially when you can’t quite understand why the same dynamics keep emerging.
Relationship difficulties exist on a wide spectrum
Some involve distress, misattunement, or recurring dynamics, while others involve harm or unsafe behaviour, and these experiences need to be understood and responded to differently.
Relationship difficulties often show up between people, rather than just within one person. Certain emotions may come to the surface in specific relationships: feeling unseen, criticised, responsible, rejected, or pulled to keep the peace. These experiences can be deeply distressing, particularly when they don’t match how you want to relate or who you understand yourself to be.
Understanding relational dynamics
Over time, difficulties in relationships can erode confidence, self‑trust, and a sense of safety with others. This work focuses on understanding how relational dynamics take shape between people, and on identifying what can help interactions feel more conscious, more intentional, and less loaded.
