Relationships
Our relationships shape so much of how we feel. Therapy can help you understand the patterns you keep finding yourself in.
Relationships with partners, family, friends and colleagues can be a great source of comfort, and also of pain. Sometimes the difficulty is one specific relationship. Sometimes it's a pattern that seems to repeat, whoever you're with.
We offer individual therapy for people who want to understand themselves in relationships, and couples therapy for partners who want to work on things together.
What it can look like
Arguments that go round in circles, or never get resolved
Feeling distant from a partner, or unsure whether to stay
Finding it hard to trust, open up or let people close
Worrying a lot about being left, or needing a lot of reassurance
Choosing people who don't treat you well, or repeating the same relationship pattern
Strained relationships with parents, siblings or adult children
Feeling lonely, even when you're surrounded by people
How therapy can help
Many of us learn early on what to expect from other people and how to keep ourselves safe with them. Those lessons can be useful, but they can also keep us stuck. Therapy is a chance to look at what you bring to relationships, what you need from them, and what gets in the way.
In individual therapy, you might:
Notice the patterns that repeat across different relationships
Understand how earlier experiences shape the way you connect now
Find clearer ways to say what you feel and need
Feel more able to set boundaries without guilt
The relationship with your therapist matters too. It can become a safe place to notice how you relate, and to try something different.
Couples therapy
Couples therapy gives both of you a neutral space to talk and be heard. Your therapist won't take sides. Together you can look at what's happening between you, how you communicate, and what each of you wants. Some couples come to reconnect; others come to separate as well as they can. Both are valid reasons.
Couples sessions last 75 minutes.
What to expect
You start with a free 15-minute consultation with the therapist you choose. It's a chance to say a little about what's been happening, ask questions and see how it feels to talk to them. There's no obligation to go further.
If you decide to begin, sessions are usually weekly and last 50 minutes, in person at our rooms in Nottingham city centre or online. Some people come for a few months, others for longer. You can talk about how it's going at any point.
Common questions
Can I come on my own if my partner won't?
Yes. Individual therapy can help you understand your part in a relationship and decide what you want, whatever your partner does.
Will a couples therapist tell us whether to stay together?
No. Their role is to help you both understand what's happening and make your own decisions with more clarity.
Is this only for romantic relationships?
Not at all. Many people come to talk about parents, siblings, friendships or relationships at work.