Relationships
Our first childhood relationships impact our future relationships. Whether its our relationship with the world, ourselves, our family, friends, or intimate partners, relationships can be challenging.
When a child's fundamental needs for safety, consistency, predictability, love, nurturance, and support are not consistently met during childhood, it can lead to the development of maladaptive patterns. These patterns often emerge in romantic relationships as attempts to fulfill those unmet needs.
When a child's reality is denied, it often leads them to strive harder for their caregiver’s approval or validation. This can foster patterns of enmeshment, codependency, and self-betrayal in their quest for love. As adults, they may choose partners who silence, shame, belittle, mock, or dismiss their feelings and needs. Instead of leaving these abusive relationships, individuals struggling with codependency often believe that by trying harder to meet their partner’s needs, their partner will recognize their value and worth, perpetuating a cycle of self-betrayal.
Through our work, you can nurture healthier relationships in all areas of your life. You will foster a more secure and loving relationship with yourself, learning to recognize and honor your own needs and boundaries. In your friendships and family dynamics, you'll cultivate balanced and reciprocal connections, free from patterns of enmeshment and codependency. In your romantic relationships, we will identify compassionate support to help you identify and move beyond harmful patterns, creating partnerships built on mutual respect, trust, and genuine affection. I am here to support you every step of the way, helping you build fulfilling, nurturing, and resilient relationships across every aspect of your life.
How can EMDR help?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy can be a powerful tool in improving relationships by addressing and healing past traumas that influence current relational patterns. Here’s how EMDR can help:
Healing Past Trauma: Many relationship issues stem from unresolved trauma or negative experiences. EMDR helps individuals process and integrate these past experiences, reducing their emotional charge and influence on present behavior.
Reducing Emotional Triggers: EMDR can help diminish the impact of emotional triggers that lead to overreactions or misunderstandings in relationships. By reprocessing distressing memories, individuals can respond more calmly and rationally.
Building Self-Esteem: Low self-esteem often affects relationships. EMDR can help individuals address and heal from negative self-beliefs formed due to past experiences, leading to increased self-worth and healthier relationship dynamics.
Enhancing Communication: By resolving internal conflicts and reducing anxiety, individuals can communicate more effectively and openly with their partners, friends, and family members.
Breaking Negative Patterns: EMDR helps individuals recognize and break free from maladaptive relationship patterns, such as codependency or avoidance, that were formed as coping mechanisms for past trauma.
Fostering Trust and Intimacy: By healing past wounds, individuals can become more vulnerable and trusting in their relationships, fostering deeper intimacy and connection.