This series tells fictional stories of the counselling journey. Drawn from our counsellors’ extensive experience, this story recounts how a couple overcome communication weaknesses to build a stronger future together. Pandemic Pressures Tom & Mary had been together 4 years when lockdown began and had been living together for two years in Tom’s house. They… Read more »
A lot has been written about why people fall in love. It’s the first question I ask couples that come to see me. Sometimes it’s simple: “We’re good friends and it felt right to move to the next stage”. For some it’s a physical attraction or finding someone they can talk to about anything. For… Read more »
I have a postcard in my hallway that reads ‘The road to success is always under construction”. I often tell my clients that applies to your relationship too. Most relationships start off light-hearted, full of joy and expectation. We ‘fall in love’ for all sorts of reasons and with that person everything is possible: sharing… Read more »
The coronavirus outbreak is leading to big changes in the way we live our everyday lives. Our relationships will be hugely important for getting us through self-isolation, social distancing and other concerns may also place them under added pressure. Our counsellors have put together some tips for looking after your relationships with partners, family, children,… Read more »
Doubts about getting married are fairly common. You may be worrying that you and your partner aren’t compatible enough. Perhaps there are parts of your relationship that don’t work so well – and you think they could become more of a problem further down the line. Maybe you’ve got the feeling there could be someone… Read more »
It’s common for a relationship to go through phases where one or both partners lose interest in sex. Sexual interest tends to ebb and flow over time – and partners may have different sex drives at different stages in a relationship. Losing interest can also be related to specific issues in the relationship, or external pressures… Read more »
Dating can be a great way of meeting and getting to know a potential partner. Online dating has made it possible to meet more new people than ever – and more easily too. And while that’s allowed us to have more control over the types of people we meet, and to think in more detail about… Read more »
Social media has brought a whole new range of opportunities and insecurities to relationships. On the ‘down side’, those who date and have grown up with social media face the likes of ‘ghosting’. For those lucky enough to not have experienced it, ‘ghosting’ is when someone you’ve been seeing suddenly cuts off all contact, seemingly… Read more »
You’ve decided to put an end to all the arguing, all the tension, all the indecision – and tell your partner: ‘It’s over.’ All you’ve got to do is actually do it! It sounds straightforward enough. But it’s not always easy. Maybe you’re worried about hurting your partner. Perhaps you know they don’t want to break… Read more »
Many of us will remember what it was like to listen to our parents arguing. The feelings of helplessness, panic and sadness. A desire to block it out or run away. Yet it can be easy to forget this as a parent later in life. We can get so mixed up in arguments with our… Read more »
