Relationship Issues

Are you having difficulty in your relationship? Are you feeling dissatisfied with how things are going? Establishing and maintaining a healthy relationship in life is possible. The cornerstone of any relationship is healthy communication. Being able to relate to one another in an open and honest way requires self-awareness, trust, and a sense of safety. If these components are not present, it can often result in hurt and anger, resentment, arguments, broken trust, and, ultimately, a broken relationship. In therapy, you will identify your communication style, you will identify the emotional needs you are trying to communicate, you will find effective ways of communicating those needs, and you will learn healthy ways of getting those needs met.

An additional challenge to maintaining healthy relationships may be unresolved issues from the past. Often these issues are rooted in pain experienced from family-of-origin that have resulted in unhealthy coping mechanisms and maladaptive patterns of relating to others. People who grow up in dysfunctional families often discover they've subconsciously recreated the same dynamic in their present-day relationship. Such occurrences are complex and are influenced by multiple factors that require deeper work to tease apart the past from the present, heal past wounds, learn healthier coping mechanisms, and identify more adaptive ways of relating in your current relationship.

Another difficulty in maintaining a healthy relationship is when one or both partners struggle with mental health challenges. Navigating through these issues can be difficult and exhausting until you learn healthy and adaptive ways of coping and managing the complexities of such challenges. With professional help, you can restore balance and stability in your relationship.

If you or someone you know is struggling in a relationship, you don't have to navigate it alone. Reaching out for professional help is a positive first step. If you would like help, please call me at 619-507-2936.

Debbie Tessmer-Wagner, MA, LMFT
(MFC#77147)