Relationship difficulties
Relational and Interpersonal difficulties:
Humans are attachment creatures. Since infancy, we all require social attachments and relationships to survive and thrive. Our life experiences can sometimes require us to learn to relate to ourselves and others in ways that save us from pain in the past. However, when these patterns of relating persist beyond necessity, they can prevent us from experiencing fulfilling and healthy relationships. These patterns can become so automatic and entrenched that we do not often recognize them, which further perpetuates relational difficulties in various areas of our lives. Since no person is an island, unfulfilling relationships can accompany anxiety, depressive mood, and general life dissatisfaction.
How we can help
At DPPC, we focus on helping you notice the patterns that have become second nature to you that do not serve you and your relationships in your current life. When we do not see the patterns that repeatedly sabotage our relationships, we have no choice but to repeat them. When the patterns become more conscious, we have more choice over how we want to relate.
We offer both individual psychotherapy sessions as well as couples counselling to help you become more aware of and understand your habitual learned ways of relating in a safe and non-judgemental environment.
In individual psychotherapy sessions, you and your therapist will pay attention to your learned ways of being and relating in the different relationships in your life as well as in the here-and-now therapeutic relationship to arm you with the power to make a change. Together with your therapist you can address the underlying unresolved attachment ruptures that generated these patterns so you can be free from them.
Our couples counselling sessions will work with you and your partner to better understand your styles of relating to each other that you may not realize might be counter to the relationship you want for yourselves. With your therapist, you can learn to relate to each other in ways that is more fulfilling and in line with how you wish to be with your partner.
Research has consistently demonstrated the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapies for interpersonal issues as well as maintenance of the positive outcomes.