I’m struggling with romantic relationships
When the same relationship patterns keep showing up
Romantic relationships can bring up some of our deepest vulnerabilities.
You might find yourself wanting closeness but then feeling uncomfortable or pulling away when someone gets too close. Perhaps you find it difficult to express your emotions and needs or worry about how your partner will respond if you do.
You may find yourself caught in the same conflict patterns despite trying to approach things differently. At times you might question whether the relationship is worth the struggle, whether you're truly compatible, or whether there's something deeper going on.
Perhaps you're grieving the loss of a relationship and finding it difficult to move forward. Or you may be struggling to develop the kind of meaningful romantic connection you want in the first place.
Underneath some of these experiences there can also be questions about your own worth. Am I enough? Are my needs reasonable? Can I trust that a relationship can be different from what I've experienced before?
Understanding what happens for you in relationships
It can be frustrating to recognise a pattern without understanding why it keeps happening.
Therapy provides space to look beneath the immediate relationship difficulty and understand how you tend to respond to closeness, conflict, rejection, trust and expressing your needs.
Sometimes our earlier relationships influence what we expect from romantic relationships and how we behave within them. You might recognise ways of relating that feel familiar even though they're not creating the kind of relationship you want.
Understanding these connections isn't about blaming the past for every relationship difficulty. It's about making sense of the patterns you're experiencing now so you have more choice in how you respond.
Building healthier romantic relationships
In therapy, we can work on communicating your needs more clearly, listening more openly and staying more present during difficult conversations.
We can also explore your needs, values and what a healthy romantic relationship actually looks like for you.
If past hurts, unresolved family dynamics or difficulties with trust are affecting your relationships, therapy gives you space to work through them.
Ultimately, the aim is to help you make thoughtful decisions about your romantic relationships, whether that's approaching an existing relationship with greater understanding, establishing healthier boundaries, growing after a break-up or recognising when it's right to step away.
Begin a conversation
If you’d like to learn more about working together, you’re welcome to book a free 15-minute call.
It’s a chance to tell me a little about what’s brought you to therapy, ask any questions you have and see whether I might be the right psychologist for you.
