Relationship Difficulties

You know it happened in the past. So why can it still feel so present?

EMDR helps the brain process traumatic and adverse experiences that continue to affect us, so that we can respond to the present without being pulled back into the past.

Trauma-informed care is not limited to EMDR. I also use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a flexible, evidence-based approach that can be particularly helpful in working with trauma and its impact on your life.

When couples counselling may not be your best move.

When a relationship is difficult, the first question may not be how to fix it together, but what you want from the relationship yourself. Individual counselling gives you space to understand your needs, what isn't working, and what you would like to change — without needing your partner to be part of the process.

Knowing what you need is one thing. Saying it is another.

Sometimes the problem is communication. You may know what you want from your partner, but struggle to say it in a way that can be heard and understood. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help you clarify what matters to you in a relationship — your values, needs and boundaries — and then work on how you communicate them.

When emotions take over.

Sometimes our emotions overwhelm us and we say or do things — or avoid saying or doing things — that we later regret. Counselling can help you become aware of those emotions earlier, before they take over. ACT can help you make room for difficult feelings without being controlled by them, giving you more choice in how you want to respond.

Should I stay or should I go?

A counsellor won't tell you whether you should stay in a relationship or leave it. Instead, counselling can help you understand what can realistically change, what you are willing to accept, and what you are not. Sometimes that means finding a different way of relating to each other. Sometimes it means recognising that what each person wants from the relationship is simply too different. The decision remains yours.

Nothing about your relationship is too difficult to talk about.

Relationships can involve things that are difficult to admit, even to ourselves. Whatever has happened — and however embarrassing, complicated or uncomfortable it may feel — you can talk about it openly with me. I won't judge you or tell you what you should do. Our conversations are completely confidential, giving you a private space to understand what is happening and decide what you want to do next.