Relationship issues can manifest in lots of different ways. The problem may be in a work, home, marriage, or other partnership situation. When I see clients for this, communication within the relationship has broken down, and neither party, despite their best efforts, can resolve the situation. Before I agree on any session time, I always ask for a full set of client notes from the parties involved so the session time is used to best effect.
Most of the problems that occur in these situations stem from a mismatch in expectations, and those in the relationship are too engrossed in the situation to resolve them. Regardless of the type of relationship, I always ask clients the following question –
“When you think about this relationship now, is the whole thing worthwhile?”
We all form relationships in our lives, and some come to a natural conclusion, while others stand the test of time. There’s no right or wrong here, but in each situation, there is a trade-off between who gives what and who gets what. The question is “Is this a good trade for both parties?” If the whole relationship is deemed worthwhile by those involved, then it’s worth exploring how to resolve the miscommunications and apparent differences. If the whole thing is deemed not worthwhile, it’s questionable whether this is a good use of everybody’s time and energy.
Before working as a practitioner, I worked in business for many years, managing staff. This taught me a great deal about defining and managing expectations in relationships. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a business, personal, or marriage situation; the process for exploring common ground is the same. I avoid overanalysing past events, and the focus is mainly on how best to proceed in the future and create a healthier, more effective means of communication. If the issue involves a couple, both people need to attend the session and complete a set of client notes independently in advance. I see clients at my Leeds and Manchester hypnotherapy clinics, as well as conducting sessions via Skype.