Simply said: A relationship in which Trust is missing is not a fun relationship. Without trust in your marriage you live a life of ill ease and cannot feel safe sharing your emotional, physical and spiritual self with your partner. In most relationships trust is not a concern at the beginning when you make your commitment to your partner. Love overrides all doubts and blind spots you may have, and as such you pass the first stage of your relationship in a blissful state.

Sometimes this bliss goes on forever as your relationship grows and matures, but for a good number this is not the case. Mistrust in its various disguises slowly insinuates itself into your marriage. (more…)

Filed under: Relationship Counselling by admin

Self harming is a dangerous and pervasive problem especially common among adolescents and young adults (Craigen & Foster, 2009; Craigan & Foster, 2009). Self harming is considered to be a common reason for emergency admission to hospital and also a common reason for suicide (Low, Jones, Duggan, Power & Mac Leod, 2001).

However, research suggests that self harm and suicide are different whereby self harming does not occur as an attempt to end life (Gollust, Eisenberg & Golberstein, 2008). Self harming, or self injury as it is often referred to, is defined as a deliberate destruction of one’s own body tissue without the aid of another person and without a conscious decision to suicide. Suicide refers to a self inflicted injury with an intent to end one’s own life (Knock, 2007). (more…)

Filed under: Mental Health Issues by admin

Anger is an emotion that although not classified as either good or bad can damage a relationship if it is not understood or dealt with in an appropriate manner. It is only human to get angry now and then at issues that are important to us.

If left unaddressed anger can become abusive and may be just one more symptom of a dysfunctional relationship. In this article we are not entering the realms of abusive anger but are exploring how to control anger so it does not escalate and impede the flow of an otherwise healthy relationship. (more…)

Filed under: Relationship Counselling by admin

Communication is the primary activity from which to build a healthy, enjoyable, and fulfilling intimate relationship. Most problems in relationships either develop from or are maintained through either a lack of communication or poor communication. 

Because of this, relational issues can really only be resolved effectively through the use of appropriate communication skills. Interestingly, while couples who have open lines of communication usually find support in each other during the more challenging times of their relationship, most couples tend to communicate less when they are having problems in their relationship (Long & Young, 2007). (more…)

Filed under: Case Studies, Communication, Relationship Counselling by admin

Couples when they get married usually believe that they are on an equal footing and that marriage or their decision to live together gives them the permission to express their feelings and wants with an expectation that they will be respected, to state their views and opinions with an understanding that they will be listened to, and to say “no” openly without feeling guilty.

This does happen in many partnerships but there is no guarantee that it will in all, for sooner or later many couples will feel the discomfort of an imbalance in their relationship. This disparity will become noticeable when for instance one partner asks their partner to do something that they don’t want to do. It may be something simple as to go out with people they dislike, or more complicated as packing their bags and moving away from family and friends. In either case due to one partner’s inability to say “no” they submit to the request thus magnifying the inequality in the relationship. (more…)

Filed under: Communication, Relationship Counselling by admin