One of the most common problems in a person’s life comes in the form of relationship troubles. This is no surprise, as romantic relationships are often one of the most important features of adult life. A good marriage and a good career have traditionally been society’s measuring stick for success, and often one’s partner is one’s closest friend.
Relationship troubles affect almost every couple from time to time.
Relationship issues permeate nearly every psychological problem, from depression to parenting, and even questions of sexuality nearly always involve the patient’s relationship. Because of this prevalence, it’s necessary for psychologists to have a thorough understanding of the ways in which relationships affect every part of a patient’s life, as well as the reasons for discord in a relationship.
What Are Some of the Most Common Relationship Issues?
Trouble in a relationship can manifest in many ways, but much of the underlying causes are the same. Some of the most common reasons couples begin to experience problems in their relationship are:
- Feeling ignored by one’s partner. This can result from a lack of time spent together and communicating, or from plentiful but poor-quality communication.
- Disagreements regarding children, household, or money. A particularly difficult part of being in a relationship is learning to negotiate when each partner has a different idea of what is best.
- Lack of compassion when interacting with one’s partner. One of the most devastating causes of trouble in a relationship is a lack of compassion on the part of one or both partners.
- Co-Dependency. Perhaps one of the most common psychological disorders that directly affects both parties is co-dependency.
Breakdown of communication is a common source of relationship woe.
What’s the Best Way To Resolve Relationship Issues?
Because both partners are so close to the issue, it’s often difficult to resolve relationship trouble without professional, outside help. A psychologist will work with both partners to help understand the underlying problems in the relationship, and then help the couple come to an agreement about the best way to move forward with treatment. Often, couples counselling is the most effective way to address and repair a troubled relationship.
By working as a moderator and objective listener, your psychologist can help reduce tension and tempers between partners, allowing them to see (perhaps for the first time) a clearer picture of what’s going on in the relationship. Therapy is never about determining who is to blame or deciding which party was right. Instead, the goal is to help both partners come to a judgement-free understanding and from that point build healthier relationship habits.
With help from a psychologist, you and your partner can learn skills to help your relationship thrive.
Together, you, your partner, and your psychologist can develop new strategies for communication that will help to keep the relationship strong. Instead of simply “fixing” the issue that led you to seek professional counselling in the first place, you’ll learn lifelong skills to listen and communicate effectively, compromise without feelings of defeat, and live complete, entwined lives.
If you’d like to help create a healthier relationship, I encourage you to contact me to set up an appointment – either as an individual or a couple to start the process toward a stronger partnership.