How I approach working with relationship challenges
Relationships can be a source of connection, but they can also bring moments of feeling stuck, misunderstood, or unsure how to move forward. Sometimes the very people we care about most are also the ones we struggle with — leaving us feeling unseen, unheard, or disconnected..
This page offers a closer look at what relationship challenges can feel like, where they often come from, and how therapy might help.
What do relationship challenges feel like?
You might notice:
Struggling to set boundaries without feeling guilty or fearing disconnection.
Thoughts that you’re “too much” or “not enough,” making it hard to feel secure in the relationship.
Longing for closeness, but finding it difficult to bridge the gap or communicate your needs..
Every relationship is different, and so are the challenges. However yours show up, they are important and worth exploring.
Where does it come from?
Relationship challenges can emerge from a number of places:
Early experiences, such as how love, conflict, or communication were modeled in your family
Past relationship experiences, like betrayals, breakups, or dynamics that shaped your sense of trust.
Unspoken beliefs about what love, closeness, or independence ‘should’ look like — shaped by culture, family, or past experiences.
You don’t have to know why it’s there — we can explore that together, gently.
How therapy can support you with anxiety
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Understanding your relational patterns
Noticing the roles you tend to take on in relationships and how they may be connected to past experiences.
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Making sense of patterns that once kept you safe
Exploring how past coping strategies developed, and how they might be showing up now in ways that no longer serve you.
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Clarifying what you want and need
Understanding your desires and boundaries can help you recognize the kinds of relationships you want to nurture, and express them in relationships that matter most to you.