Relationships

What are relationship difficulties?
Relationship difficulties include increased conflict or stress in a romantic, marital, work, friendship, or family relationship. All relationships go through periods of transition and difficulty, but when problems go unresolved, seem chronic, and are emotionally draining for one or more parties, the relationship could have more significant problems.

How do I know if I am having problems with my relationship?
Relationship problems typically include one or more parties engaging in constant arguments with no resolution, showing lack of empathy, or acts of disrespect. The individuals in the relationship become increasingly irritable with one another and begin to drift or spend less time together. People having relationship difficulties often have problems with healthy communication of their frustrations and feelings.

Other signs may include:
Individuals having relationship difficulties will often blame each other for problems and refuse to take responsibility for their actions or for the difficulties in the relationship. They can be hard on each other, but don’t take action to try to resolve the issues. People can begin to lose sight of why they entered into the relationship in the first place.

How can seeing a Psychologist help?
There are many types of counseling and therapy for relationship problems, such as marriage or couples therapy, family therapy, counseling for parents, or counseling or consultation for employees in the work-place. A psychologist can help people going through relationship difficulties by helping to improve communication, assisting in resolving conflicts in the relationship or serving as a mediator.  Psychologists can also help individuals evaluate whether or not they want to remain in the relationship and ways they can move on in a healthy manner.