“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main”.
(John Donne 1572-1631)
Whether we are brothers, sisters, friends, colleagues, lovers or enemies we all live in relationship to each other. Relationships don’t just ‘happen’ and all require some work to succeed. Every day people are experiencing problems in their relationships. Common issues may include:
- Problems with boss or work colleagues
- Falling outs with friends
- Fighting and disagreements between siblings.
- Communication issues between parent and child
- Disagreements between partners
- Arguments between family and step family members
- Difficulties in making or keeping relationships
- Fear of being/not being in a relationship
- Anger against those we are in relationship with
All relationships go through of difficulties and conflict is a natural part of the cycle. How these periods are negotiated is the key to minimising stress and maintaining successful relationships.
There are a variety of unconscious factors influencing the way we are in relationships. As these are out of our awareness we can sometimes believe mistakenly that there is nothing we can do and resign ourselves to a lifetime of unsuccessful relationships.
Often it is helpful to talk to an objective person outside of the relationship about these issues. A counsellor/psychotherapist who is trained to listen to your view on your situation can help you to look at past difficulties and patterns that may be affecting you in relationship with others and work towards a restoration of harmony.
Indiviudal or couple counselling is available