RELATIONSHIP ISSUES

Relationships involve two people with different views of the world and different ways of being in the world, coming together.

Relationships require work and face many challenges.  There are everyday stressors, and big life events, which test a relationship and can put a strain on it.

The way a person is in a relationship depends on their culture and on how they were brought up.  Subconsciously, people are in relationships the way their parents were in their relationship.  Think of a person who said that they would never marry someone like their mother or father, to end up with someone who is very similar.  We are attracted to what is familiar.

It is sometimes difficult for us to see how we are in a relationship unless we look at ourselves and our assumptions.

Communication and acceptance of the other person is vital in a relationship.  There will always be challenges which need to be overcome.  However, if a relationship becomes stuck and rigid then these issues do not get addressed and the relationship becomes problematic. 

Psychotherapy can help when this happens and the relationship becomes stuck in a cycle of tension and arguments.  A therapist can observe the dynamic within the relationship which the couple might not see.  It can allow a safe place for expression and communication. It allows for a clear expression of wants, needs and boundaries.