Therapy for Relationship and Family Issues
Have you been dealing with a relationship that is problematic or painful? Are you noticing patterns in your relationships that are unhealthy or destructive? Did you have difficult family experiences as a child?
My name is Jennifer Wagner, and I started my own therapy practice to help people improve their relationships and find deeper connection. I help teens and adults from all over the city of Austin, and I would love to work with you! Therapy can help you learn how to make better connections, problem-solve difficulties at home and process the stress of conflict, break-up or divorce. Therapy can also help you to understand how early relationships impact your current relationships.
If you or someone you know are interested and ready to get started, contact me today. To learn more about relationship issues and how therapy can help, read on!
Do I need therapy for relationship issues?
“If we want to fully experience love and belonging, we must believe that we are worthy of love and belonging – Brene´ Brown
We yearn for connection, for belonging, because through relationship we can love and be loved. We are born into roles and relationships that shape our lives in significant ways, and yet we often find ourselves disconnected from or in conflict with the ones we love most.
If your relationships aren’t how you’d like them to be, therapy can help.
Therapy can address a wide range of relationship issues, such as:
- Break-up or divorce
- Destructive relationship patterns or choices
- Difficulties with communication
- Feeling unworthy or unlovable
- Fear of commitment, abandonment and/or rejection
- Early family relationship issues
- Frequent fighting or argument with loved ones
- Conflict at work or school
- Dealing with loved ones who are struggling
- Adjustment to parenthood or co-parenting
- And more!
Although some relational issues can be addressed with couples counseling, individual therapy for relationship issues can offer you a separate space that focuses on your personal needs and growth. This is why many people who engage in couples counseling will also do individual therapy for relationship issues.
You don’t have to wait and hope for things to get better on their own. Take the first step towards improving your relational life, and contact me today.
How can therapy for relationship issues help?
Despite being drawn to relationship, our interpersonal differences tend to lead to disagreement and disconnection. Many of these issues are rooted in our attachment needs – our desire to feel safe, committed, supportive, intimate, and valued.
When one of these needs is threatened, we tend to react in drastic ways. We all want to feel a sense of commitment and security in relationship. We want others to support us in times of need. We want others to see us as having worth or value. We crave emotional and physical intimacy.
And yet, sometimes our relational needs go unmet because of obstacles that occur both in and out of relationships. Some examples are:
Loneliness. We all feel lonely at times. Instead of retreating further into that pain, loneliness can be viewed as a signal to connect. Therapy for relationship issues can help you feel supported in a world that struggles with connection. And, as you learn more about yourself and others, you can begin to build (and rebuild) new connections with others.
Loss of trust. Sometimes, the relationship experiences infidelity, dishonesty or other forms of betrayal. These breaches in safety can lead to severe ruptures in connection, sometimes leading to the end of the relationship entirely. The ability to feel safe is lost, which is why people will say things like “I can’t trust them (or myself) anymore.” Therapy can help you rebuild that trust.
Loss of self. Many people will try to change themselves or act differently in order to maintain the relationship. In other words, they set their own needs aside for the other person. This might work in the short-term but often turns into inauthenticity or resentment. People who experience this may say things like “I have sacrificed so much for this relationship” or “I don’t feel like myself anymore.” Therapy can help you identify your values and express your needs more effectively.
Feeling devalued. Tragically, some of us find ourselves in relationships that are abusive or very unhealthy. This can develop when we lose our sense of value or when others treat us as though we have none. Survivors of abusive relationships often say that they felt “trapped” or “controlled.” If you or someone you love is in an unsafe relationship, please go to TheHotline.org to get immediate help and support.
Floating. Many people experience what is known as “floating,” where you are sort of involved in different social circles, relationships, and friend groups, but you never feel deeply connected and you lack a sense of belonging. Often, floating occurs when we struggle with commitment and or vulnerability, and therapy can help you overcome these barriers to more meaningful connection.
Fighting. If you experience frequent conflict or arguing with others, you may need to learn how to identify and express your needs. Without those skills, you may become angry when others don’t understand you, aren’t hearing you, or aren’t doing what you need. Therapy for relationship issues can help you learn how to express and have your needs met more effectively, as well as to be understand the needs of others.
Therapy for relationship issues can also help you to:
- Gain new insight and perspective
- Change unhelpful ways of thinking
- Feel at ease in social situations
- Accept life’s uncontrollable stressors
- Enhance interpersonal and social skills
- Discover new aspects of your personality
- Regain a sense of control and confidence
- Use personally-tailored coping strategies that actually work
What does therapy look like with Jennifer Wagner?
I am here for you!
As a relationally-oriented therapist, my passion is in building connection. My job is to help you feel seen and heard, to offer support and compassion, and to utilize my experience and clinical expertise in ways that produce real change.
My work is grounded in the latest research in neurobiology and attachment, which means I like to identify and help to transform the underlying processes that make up your experience. I also draw on a variety of helpful tools from DBT, CBT and strategies that help to facilitate awareness of the mind/body connection. I can provide unique insights into your unique attachment needs, communication style, and interpersonal world.
All of our sessions are completely confidential and held in the comfort of my office here in Austin, Texas. I work with teens and adults from all over the area, and I would love to work with you!
Contact me today to get started.
Interested? Let’s work together.
Thank you for your interest! If you would like to learn more about me and how I practice, check out my About Me page. If you have questions or would like to sign up for your first session, let’s connect!
Phone:
(512) 333-4170
Email:
jennifer@youraustintherapist.com
Address:
500 Grace Lane
Austin, Texas 78746