When two people live together in partnership, minor irritations and frustrations are bound to happen during the course of daily life. However, major rifts can occur in the relationship – sometimes it is over difficult character traits in the partner, sometimes it is through the pressures of life with children or finance. Sometimes something happens, such as redundancy, illness or an affair. Inability to communicate properly further compounds any stresses.
Relationship problems can be helped by Psychological Therapy. Occasionally I have worked with one of the partners who realises they have always had problems with, for instance, trust and intimacy. At other times it makes sense to see a couple together in order to identify the issues, understand them, and work towards better ways of relating. Even if a see one partner on an individual basis, at some stage it is usual for both partners to be involved. Often deep rooted relationship issues which are currently causing problems have their beginnings in troubled relationships between their own parents in their childhood. I have a good record in helping to identify these issues and helping individuals to find a more mature and satisfying way of relating as adults.
A course of therapy is between 8-15 sessions over a 9 month period. Sessions are frequent at first (every 2 weeks) but less frequent in the latter part of therapy (about once a month) as the person enters the ‘follow-up’ stage.