What is Relationship Counselling?

Posted March 14, 2022 by Cristina Vrech

Cristina Vrech - Individual and couples therapist

Cristina Vrech

Founder and Director - Individual & Couple Therapist, Corporate Services

Co-founder and director of Leone Centre, Cristina Vrech, has 20+ years of experience in working and supporting people, 14+ years of extensive experience as a therapist and offers valuable knowledge to individuals and couples. Prior to being a therapist, she worked in the financial sector.

Cristina takes a down-to-earth and direct approach across the landscapes of relationships, communication, stress, infidelity, confidence, loneliness, addiction, separation and divorce, IVF, and anxiety.

Offering Online Counselling and in person counselling.

Cristina Vrech can help with...

Relationship is everything; everything in nature is connected. Due to this innate desire of connection which we all share, relationships are a central priority in most people’s lives. Humans are naturally wired to relate and be in a community. The words – Relationship Counselling, may stimulate images of Couples Counselling. Although this is a thriving service at Leone Centre, relationships span to all edges of the human experience.

The common narrative associated with Relationship Counselling paints a monochrome picture of only being for married couples. However, this is not the case.

When is Relationship Counselling recommended?

Couples counselling is recommended for anyone in a relationship who is devoted to its improvement. Counselling is available for all stages of relationships. The early seed planting period, during long-term relationships and it is also a beautiful remedy for creating more harmonious departures.

If you search for advice on how to have a healthy relationship, you will find a rich repertoire of books and teachings. These teachings can be streamlined into core competencies. A healthy relationship is one that is rooted in authentic intimacy, trust, honest communication, respect, patience and a willingness to show up for the showers and the rainbows of joy that precede them.

It is fruitful to explore intimacy through the lens of in-to-me-I-see. In order to enjoy a healthy relationship with others, we must tend to the garden of our internal relationship. The ancient Greek aphorism ‘Know Thyself’ is the wise pillar of a healthy relationship. A person who is equipped with true knowledge of their needs is able to set healthy boundaries and teach others how they would like to be treated.

We are all entrusted with a tremendous gift,  exclusive time with our unique selves for an entire lifetime. Wouldn’t it be a great idea to nurture that connection with loving compassion? Depending on your experiences in life, turning the light on you may feel like an alien concept. Relationship Counselling can help you to make this fundamental shift, investigate the inner workings of your psyche without any judgement and discover what you truly desire in a relationship.

Common relationship problems, such as financial difficulties, parenting issues, deflated sex life, infidelity and emotional disconnection, stem from poor communication. Some of the signs that the communication network in your relationship is weak are frequent misunderstandings, feeling unheard, avoiding talking together and so on.

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, reserving the energy and time to maintain a healthy relationship is challenging. Relationships are a living entity, which requires all involved parties to care for them. Over time it is easy to see how many of us get caught in negative patterns which become the norm. If the environment you find yourself in is impoverished, your vitality and zest for life start to wither. Self-worth, confidence, inner peace and your sense of belonging begin to dwindle.

This raises stress levels in the body and eventually affects physical health. The good news is we always have a choice to come back into alignment and regain relationship homeostasis. Sometimes this is reached in partnership, and other times, the healthiest option is to exit the relationship gracefully.

Relationship Counselling

How can Couples Counselling help?

Sitting with a trained specialist who will cultivate a safe space for you to communicate effectively can illuminate blind spots and greatly enhance the chances of reaching mutual understanding.

What happens during Relationship Counselling will vary based on what is requiring attention within the dynamic. Essentially, the depth in which you go is yours to navigate. A counsellor is there to act as a neutral channel for your communication to flow through. You get to decide your own pace, topics of discussion and boundaries during the session.

Similar to dating, your initial consultation can be treated as a screening stage. It is important to find a counsellor with whom you resonate, who can help you to meet your relationship goals. At Leone Centre our therapists are informed to support all colours of sexual orientation and gender. Experienced with working with the challenges that the LGBTIQ+ community face with discretion and confidence, our Relationship Therapists can help you work through your emotions and relational dynamics.

It takes a lot of courage to face our issues within relationships and reset habitual patterns. These cycles often run generations deep and are learned behaviours from what has been witnessed whilst growing up and within the culture. The first step in solving any problem is to acknowledge its existence. The fact that you are here now reading this article says that you have already started to walk the path of healthy relating.

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Talk with a Leone Centre Professional

If you do feel like you need some help and support, our Leone Centre professionals are available 7 days a week. Call us on 020 3930 1007. We can also provide fast track therapy.

We can offer in-person counselling in London appointments at our head office in Fulham and our offices in Kensington, Wimbledon and Belgravia, We also service Victoria, Putney, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Mayfair, and City of London.

In addition, we offer Online Therapy appointments wherever in the world you are located, should this better fit around your existing commitments or if you are not able to attend an in-person appointment.