Should I stay or should I go…?

Should I stay or should I go…?

Couples embarking on a committed relationship today have the same hopes and dreams of staying together for life as their grandparents.

They tend to be clearer in what they want from their relationship; but they often have to contend with the need to be double income, with the resulting strain of travelling and long working hours, child care costs, and family and social aspirations. Added pressure on the relationship comes from the use of easy access to the Internet and social media sites.

Once things start to go wrong at home, communication can break down into arguments or silence. You try to talk, but there never seems to be the right moment, or it always ends in a row.

You may decide to seek help to improve things, or to try to end the relationship with dignity and with minimum damage to your children.

Sitting quietly with a qualified, non-judgemental and impartial counsellor can help you to explore painful issues at your own pace, knowing that things will not be allowed to get out of hand and that each of you will be able to be heard.

You may be in a situation where you would prefer to talk to someone in confidence, without your partner. Friends cannot always be relied upon to be impartial or discreet.

You may be experiencing domestic abuse and control, or you may suspect your partner of an affair or sexual addiction. You may worry whether certain behaviours are ‘normal’.

It can be too embarrassing or hurtful to talk to your partner when your sex life seems to be going through a bad patch; most of us don’t have the right language to do so!

You could be too nervous to embark on a relationship, because you are still exploring your own preferences or you think maybe you are different.

By Jenny Todd, Relate qualified, BACP Registered, COSRT Accredited Counsellor & Psychosexual Therapist.

For more information about Relationship Counselling (or counselling for any issue) available here at the Clinic, call us on 01844 215555. Or for more information about Jenny, visit www.thamecounselling.co.uk or email her on: jmt.counselling@btinternet.com