Relationship Challenges

Relationships can be a source of great joy and support, but they can also bring challenges. Common relationship difficulties include:

• Communication problems: Difficulty expressing needs, active listening, and understanding each other's perspectives.

• Conflict and arguments: Frequent disagreements, difficulty resolving conflict constructively, and escalating arguments.

• Emotional distance: Feeling disconnected, lacking intimacy, and struggling to express emotions.

• Trust issues: Difficulty trusting your partner due to past hurts, infidelity, or breaches of confidence.

• Boundaries: Difficulty setting and maintaining healthy boundaries, leading to resentment or feeling overwhelmed.

How DBT Can Help with Relationship Difficulties:

DBT skills can be instrumental in improving your relationships by helping you:

• Increase Mindfulness: Develop greater awareness of your own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors within the relationship, as well as your partner's cues and needs.

• Improve Distress Tolerance: Learn to manage difficult emotions and navigate challenging situations within the relationship without resorting to unhealthy behaviors or conflict escalation.

• Regulate Emotions: Understand and manage your emotional responses, reducing reactivity and promoting more balanced interactions.

• Enhance Interpersonal Effectiveness: Communicate your needs clearly and assertively, listen effectively, and navigate conflict constructively, fostering mutual respect and understanding.

DBT-Informed Therapy for Relationship Difficulties at New Horizons:

Our therapists integrate DBT skills and principles into individual therapy, helping you develop the skills needed to navigate relationship challenges effectively. We will help you:

• Improve communication skills: Learn to express your needs and concerns clearly and respectfully, and practice active listening to understand your partner's perspective.

• Manage conflict constructively: Develop skills to navigate disagreements, find common ground, and resolve conflict in a healthy way.

• Build emotional intimacy: Increase your ability to connect with your partner on an emotional level, express vulnerability, and build trust.

• Set healthy boundaries: Learn to establish and maintain boundaries that protect your well-being and foster respect within the relationship.

• Develop a more secure attachment style: Increase your ability to form secure and fulfilling relationships.

Next Steps:

• Learn more about our therapists with expertise in relationship issues

• Schedule a consultation to discuss your relationship challenges and how DBT can help

• Explore other DBT-informed treatments at New Horizons

• Consider couples therapy for additional support