Relational Issues and Ambivalence

Our lives are full of relationships – family, friends, workplace, and romantic. Healthy relationships are foundational to our well-being. Our overall well-being, success, and happiness are directly related to the quality of our connections with others. When they are doing great, so are we. But when our relationships are struggling so are we, leading to feelings of loneliness, anxiety, low self-esteem, and stress. We can even find ourselves losing touch with our own needs, interests, and identity; feeling emotionally drained, feeling responsible for the problems and issues, and often manipulated or guilty. 

Recent trends indicate that family estrangement and cutting people out are at an all-time high.  While sometimes necessary, it’s not always the best route to take and often doesn’t bring the peace we are seeking.  Before letting go of relationships that don’t feel healthy, let’s take a deeper look at what’s going on. Let’s explore your willingness to approach rather than avoid. It’s possible to learn new ways to interact, communicate, set boundaries, and repair ruptures. Working through issues with our friends and family can lead to deeper intimacy and stronger bonds.

Sometimes we need a safe space to explore our romantic relationships. Relational ambivalence is the internal conflict of contradictory feelings (like love and hate or wanting to stay and wanting to leave). You can get trapped in feeling “stuck”, often leading to indecision and relational paralysis. Externally this can show up as hesitation, withdrawal, or hypercriticism, affecting your partner and the quality of the relationship.

You don’t have to figure this out on your own. This may reflect an opportunity for increased self-awareness and addressing unmet needs. My approach is personalized for you, blending options like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), communication skills, boundaries, and self-compassion.