Do You Feel Dissatisfied In Your Relationships?

Do you feel lonely in your relationship or marriage? Or, are you considering divorce? Alternately, perhaps you are single and struggle with creating healthy relationships, so you throw yourself completely into your work, which only makes you feel isolated and unfulfilled. You may not know what a healthy romantic relationship looks like, or how to find one.

Or, it may be that you are struggling with familial relationships, friendships or relationships with those in your workplace. For example, do you find it difficult to connect with your child? Maybe you feel like you’re drifting away from your closest friends and you don’t know how to talk about it with them. Perhaps you don’t feel as connected to your faith or the people within your faith community, which makes you feel alone and lost.

As a woman, you might also feel like you’re not good enough based on the standards you (and society) have set forth. Regardless of the particular issues you’re facing, you may be having a hard time dealing with your day-to-day life because you are constantly distressed about conflict or distance in your relationships. You may be afraid that opening up about your emotions will make you seem weak, which might lead you to shut down in relationships and other aspects of your everyday life. Do you long to connect with someone in a meaningful way and nurture a healthy relationship? Do you wish to simply feel loved and respected by the people surrounding you?

Learning To Navigate Relationships Is Difficult For Many Women

It’s natural for our identities to alter and relationships to change as we get older, and it’s very common for women to reach a moment in their lives when they realize they feel lost in a relationship (or several). Many of us form significant relationships before our mid-twenties, and as we grow older, we sometimes feel like something isn’t quite right or that our intimate connections have faded. In addition, as we grow up, we develop beliefs about what relationships should look like based on what we see in media, and even through the relationships we see in our own families. We then carry skewed visions of healthy relationships into adulthood. For example, if your parents always fought while growing up, or if their relationship was unstable, you might consider those characteristics the norm.

Many women find that communication in relationships can be difficult, particularly in relationships with men. Whether with a partner or a coworker, it’s important to understand that men and women’s brains work differently; therefore, men and women communicate differently. This is why it’s so common for miscommunication to create challenges in romantic relationships between men and women. Relationships typically fail as a result of repetitive issues that never get addressed, and a lack of strong communication between two people can make it easy to completely miss the signs of those issues in the first place. Male coworkers may also be difficult to communicate with for similar reasons; perhaps you disagree on a particular project, or maybe your manager is a man and you can’t find a way to communicate your needs and expectations in a way that makes you still feel respected.

As a woman, you also may feel as though you’re constantly chasing unrealistic expectations, and you don’t know who you really are. As an experienced and empathetic therapist, I can help you put that inauthentic identity you’ve created for yourself away. Through women’s therapy, you can resolve relationship issues, develop a strong sense of self and become the woman that you truly want to be.

Women’s Counseling Can Help You Move Forward

At Wichita Compass Counseling, I work to help women who feel lost find a way to continue living their lives. Often times, when women are struggling with a relationship, such as that with a husband, a coworker or a child, they feel like something is truly wrong with them. The first step is to recognize that your feelings are valid and that nothing is wrong with seeking relationship help—most importantly, nothing is wrong with you. Then, you can feel empowered to take care of your needs and make confident, thoughtful decisions that nurture not only your relationships, but also your life overall.

In my practice, I focus some sessions on educating you about how our brains work. Men and women’s brains operate very differently, so in order to have strong and direct communication in relationships, we must understand how both parties communicate. Developing awareness of different communication styles can be helpful in both romantic and non-romantic relationships, including those with coworkers, employees or bosses. As you learn how your communication style may differ from that of the men in your life, you can also come to understand yourself in a deeper way.

In sessions, I use an assessment tool for a behavioral profile that helps us compare and contrast the people in your life, and then investigate how you relate to the people that surround you. The profile will show how you react to situations and why you act the way you do, which will help you understand yourself better. You can also learn to shift your perspective and responses to challenging conversations. In relationship counseling, we will role-play specific situations so you can practice more effective communication techniques and learn how to approach situations differently for better results in your relationships.

In women’s therapy, I can also help you identify and value everything that makes you different and unique. You can let go of impossible ideals and embrace your innate strengths and worth. To promote your personal growth, I tailor sessions to your specific personality and needs—we will have the conversations you want to have. I utilize a solution-focused approach to help you move forward in life on your terms. As I reframe pressing concerns and offer new perspectives on what you might be going through, I also offer a safe, compassionate and reassuring environment, in which you can feel heard and understood.

When people are having trouble in their relationships, they might feel stuck or even miserable. My 20 years of experience have allowed me to see a wide range of different people and situations, which has taught me that it is possible to move forward and change the life you are living. Even though you may not feel it at this very moment, it is possible to feel joy and peace again. Remember: you are not stuck here.

You might have questions regarding women’s counseling:

• Doesn’t seeing a therapist mean I’m weak?

It takes strength to pick up the phone and talk with a stranger about your personal issues. I understand the difficulty in making that first call, and I admire your desire to be in a better place than you are right now. That first step might be the hardest in your journey to feeling like “you” again. No matter how lost you may feel right now, you are far from weak.

• I’m embarrassed about my reasons for attending women’s relationship therapy—so why should I go?

Sometimes, the best we can do in a single moment doesn’t meet the expectations that we put on ourselves. Often times, we can be really hard on ourselves, and I want you to know that I accept how you are in this moment of your life. It’s okay to ask for help when you feel like you need direction. As we work together, I can help you let go of pressure to please everyone all the time, offering you a chance to clarify what you really want for yourself. As you develop greater self-compassion, you can let go of shame and begin to live as your best, most authentic self.

• I don’t think I can afford therapy right now…

These days, most insurance covers therapy, and I try to make therapy as accessible as possible. I am happy to work with you regarding payment plans, because I believe that healthy self care will lead to a happy life overall.

In addition, many women think that calling me for relationship help means that they will be stuck in therapy forever, but my focus is making this short-term so that you can continue on with your life. By seeking therapy today, you are making an investment in the future of your relationships—including your relationship with yourself.

 Compass Counseling Can Help You Find Happiness Again

I want to help you move forward in all aspects of your life, so it’s important to me that we make sure I am a good fit for you and your needs. When you call, I am the one to answer—not a receptionist. Please reach out to me at (785-851-4343 or send me an email to schedule a free 15- to 30-minute consultation, and I invite all questions about women’s counseling in Kansas