In therapy, I frequently work with couples who have focused on togetherness and might have neglected separateness, or vice versa. We can spend so much time and energy strengthening our relationships that our own individuation can get neglected. Here’s some of what I’ve learned from working with couples
September is here. This bittersweet mix of summer ending and autumn beginning brings a wave of nostalgia, making it a natural time for gentle reflection. Just as the seasons shift, we can soften into letting go, practicing forgiveness, and beginning anew.
Entering a long-distance relationship often feels like an emotional whirlwind - anxiety, worry, sadness, excitement. Whether you’re beginning your relationship long-distance or transitioning into it, the experience can be a major adjustment.
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “I understand why I feel like this, but I still feel stuck,” you’re not alone. Insight can be powerful because it helps us make connections and understand ourselves in new ways. But sometimes, no matter how much we talk through things, the same reactions keep coming up. This is usually a sign we’re dealing with something deeper, where EMDR can really help.
If you’ve ever had a thought so disturbing it made your stomach drop, you’re not alone. Most people occasionally experience random, intrusive thoughts like imagining pushing someone into traffic, blurting something offensive, or even harming a loved one. These thoughts come and go without much weight. But for people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, they aren’t as temporary. The thoughts tend to stick, sparking fear, doubt and spirals of self-questioning.
Do you ever find yourself reacting to certain situations in a way that feels overwhelming or outsized? Do you find yourself yearning for others to reassure you amidst this feeling or insist that someone else act in a particular way that will relieve your activated emotions? Do you ever get teary-eyed or tender when you think of yourself when you were a child, or see an adorable picture of you when you were a kid? If so, you may have just uncovered your wounded inner child.
When previously romantic long distance relationships depended on idealization, pining, and pen-pal style correspondences, these days, LDRs contain as many emotional, logistical, and relational challenges as more geographically convenient connections, compounded by the added variable of physical distance. Because of this growing access to romantic partners across the world, long distance relationship advice, support, and communication tips for couples navigating love across the globe have never been more needed.
