Relationship Issues
Do the Individual Work: Heal Your Relationship
Let’s Be Honest: Relationships are HARD.
And that's not even taking into consideration the amount of stress your profession has you under. The long hours, the stuff you see that you can't unsee, the constant state of alert—it's enough to make anyone's head spin. By the time you get home, you're running on fumes, you want to be alone, and your partner is left wondering where you've gone, even when you're right there in the room.
Consider the demands of your profession:
Unpredictable schedules that can disrupt family plans, constantly raveling, exposure to traumatic events that can be difficult to process, long hours that leave little time for personal life, high-stress situations that can affect your mood and energy at home.
These factors can create a perfect storm for relationship issues. You might find yourself physically present but mentally absent, or struggling to switch off from work mode when you're at home. Your partner might feel left out or unable to understand what you're going through and your children might become impacted.
Do you find it challenging to commit fully to close relationships or become deeply intimate with others?
Do you tend to feel uneasy or reluctant when it comes to openly sharing your feelings and emotions with the people in your life?
Have you noticed a pattern of struggling to maintain lasting, meaningful emotional connections in your personal relationships?
Do you find yourself frequently wondering if you have difficulties being emotionally available or accessible to your loved ones?
Common Relationship Challenges
Here are a few relationship hurdles brought up in my office you might recognize:
There’s a Communication Breakdown: You’re great at negotiating contracts but struggle to express your feelings at home.
You’ve Been Called “Emotional Unavailable”: Long hours and high stress can lead to feeling like you’re living parallel lives instead of sharing one.
The Stress of Aging Parents: If you have a troubled relationship with your parents in the past and now they are coming to the age they are in need of some extra support, it can spill over into your romantic life, making it hard to connect deeply with your partner.
The Dreaded Unrealistic Expectations: You may not be looking for a 50/50 split of the mental load of domestic labor, you’re aiming for equitable division of labor that can only be found once you explore your values and give yourself permission to live a more fulfilling life.