Relationships & Family Dynamics
Family Sunset by Mike Scheid
Relationships can involve both closeness and strain. At times, patterns emerge that feel familiar but difficult to shift.
In psychotherapy, we may look at:
How you have learned to relate to others
The roles or positions you tend to take on
What happens internally in moments of conflict or closeness
How different parts of you respond—for example, one that moves toward connection, and another that pulls away
This work is informed by relational and attachment-based approaches, including those developed by Sue Johnson, which understand many of these patterns as ways of responding to closeness, distance, and the need for connection.
It is also shaped by research from the Gottman Institute, as well as communication approaches such as Nonviolent Communication, developed by Marshall Rosenberg, which emphasize the importance of recognizing underlying needs and expressing them more directly.
At times, this may involve noticing how you respond when connection feels uncertain—whether by moving closer, stepping back, or trying to manage the situation in other ways.
Over time, this can support more direct communication, clearer boundaries, and relationships that feel more mutual and less reactive.