Counseling for Complicated Relationships

Therapy for Individuals: A Space to Focus on Relationships, Past, Present & Future

You are so frustrated you could scream. The voice in your head that’s been telling you “It’s not that bad” isn’t keeping you numb anymore. You can’t pretend your relationship with your parent, sibling or partner is (or was) normal. You’ve read the books on attachment and healthy relationships. You’ve heard the podcasts on setting boundaries. Your “For You” page algorithm has a definite theme. Posts about abuse or emotional neglect, gaslighting and narcissism are hitting a little too close to home and leading to tough questions. 

You are exhausted and stuck.

You know your relationship isn’t (or wasn’t) what you’d like it to be, but you’re not sure how to move forward. You suspect you need to set some boundaries, but you aren’t sure how or even what they should be. And you’re afraid of what might happen if you do. Maybe doing all the work of a relationship is less scary than having no relationship at all.

Or maybe you want to leave the past in the past and move on. But you don’t know how. Healing from past relationships sounds great, but it hasn’t happened yet.

You are exhausted and stuck.

Will anyone really understand you? Or will they just judge you?

You are finally ready for therapy, but you worry that nobody will understand or really get it. After all, your friends look at you like you have two heads when you describe arguments with your partner or what it is like when you go home for the holidays (or why you don’t). You don’t want to be judged for your family or your choice in partners. You don’t want to be told to cut them out of your life or be shamed if you already have. But you know you just can’t live the rest of your life like this, waiting for other people to heal (or even for a parent to pass away) so that you can enjoy your life and relationships….or waiting still to finally move on emotionally from a relationship that ended long ago.

You have knowledge but you don’t know how to take action.

Hi, I’m Anne, your therapist for complicated relationships

Hi, I’m Anne, I’m a trauma-trained therapist with training and experience in relationships that are “complicated,” whether that involves physical or emotional neglect or abuse, narcissism, some combination of each or just some element that doesn’t feel right or healthy. I help people untangle the dynamics of their relationships to see more clearly what is happening and why so that they can build the support system they deserve. As a former domestic violence counselor, I won’t be shocked or appalled by what you tell me…or make something into more than it is. I understand rough childhoods and complex relationships. 

If a relationship in your life is (or was) more energy-depleting than energy-giving, I am here to help you chart a path through the pain, the confusion and the self-doubt to a place of healing, self-compassion and confidence. Clients come to me from a place of frustration, sadness, anger and betrayal. They leave therapy with a greater ability to discern what they want in their relationships and how to get it. They feel more confident and at peace with the boundaries they set and the decisions they make.

I often use EMDR and mindfulness exercises in our work so that we can address past events and pain and you can finally heal and move on. You’ll also learn how to develop habits that will strengthen your ability to respond to life with more calm and ease. My clients see me weekly so that change is foundational and we can move beyond symptom management to true healing and beyond trouble-shooting to building a support system in your life that is truly supportive. People appreciate my knowledge base, compassion and dedication to my clients. I listen deeply and respect where you are while also thinking critically about what you need to get to where you want to be in your relationships and in your life.

Email me at anne@mindfulpaththerapypllc.com or phone me at 206-454-8382 to schedule your free 15-minute phone call. Good therapy can help you assess your relationships and make the changes you need with greater calm and confidence. Let’s see if I am the right therapist to help you heal from and/or manage your complicated relationships.

My other specialties include Divorce Counseling, Trauma Therapy, PTSD Therapy, EMDR, and EMDR Intensives. And you can read about my other areas of experience by clicking here.