Specialties
Relationships with others
Difficulties in relationships with others can show up in any area: family, partner, friendships or work. Sometimes they translate into frequent conflict, other times into isolation, or into not knowing how to set limits without feeling guilty.
How these difficulties show up
Working on relationships with others covers a wide range of issues: difficulty expressing what you think or feel, a tendency to avoid conflict at any cost, emotional dependency, difficulty setting limits, or patterns that repeat across different relationships (you always end up feeling the same way, even when the people change).
It also includes more practical social skills: knowing how to start and hold a conversation, handling a disagreement without it turning into a break-up, or feeling comfortable expressing an opinion that differs from the group's.
What usually keeps these patterns going
These patterns are often learned in our earliest significant relationships and later repeat almost automatically, without us being fully aware of it. Fear of conflict, fear of abandonment, or the belief that your own needs matter less than other people's, are usually behind them.
A lack of practice in certain specific social skills can also generate insecurity, which in turn leads to avoiding situations where you could practise them.
When might it be time to seek help?
- When you notice you repeat the same type of conflict in different relationships.
- If it's hard to set limits or say no without feeling disproportionate guilt.
- When you avoid social situations out of insecurity about how to act or what to say.
- If you feel your relationships wear you down more than they support you, over a sustained period.
How we work on relationships with others in therapy
- We review together what your current relationships are like and which patterns repeat, seeking to understand their origin without judging them.
- We work on concrete communication and limit-setting tools, tailored to your real relationships (family, partner, friends, work).
- The goal is for you to relate to others from a more secure position that's coherent with who you are, without giving up what you need out of fear of conflict.
Frequently asked questions about relationships with others
Does this work if the conflict is only with one specific person?
Yes. You can work on either a general pattern in your relationships or a specific difficulty with one particular person or relationship.
Do you work on social skills in a practical way?
Yes, when it's useful for your situation, alongside the emotional side, we work on concrete communication tools you can apply in your day-to-day life.
Does the other person need to come to therapy too?
No. The work focuses on you: how you relate to others, what you can do differently, and how to set limits or communicate with more confidence, regardless of whether the other person takes part or not.
Want to work on relationships with others?
Write to me and let's talk, with no obligation, about your specific situation.