Relationship Therapy in Vienna, VA
Callahan Therapy & Consultation offers in-person relationship therapy at our Northern Virginia office in Vienna, VA as well as telehealth services for residents of Virginia & North Carolina
Are Relationships A Source Of Struggle?
Are you in a relationship, but feel misunderstood, lonely, and unsatisfied?
Or, are you in a relationship transition, and realize that you consistently struggle to find or maintain a partner?
Do you want to understand "what went wrong" and what has drawn you to certain people and dynamics?
Maybe you are an individual hoping for a relationship but haven’t opened up to many people, and feel anxious or unsure of how to go about finding a partner. Or perhaps you struggle with finding a real, genuine connection, regardless of how many people you meet or relationships you involve yourself with.
No matter your circumstances, you might be curious if therapy for relationships can help you make sense of where you are, where you've been, and what you hope to experience in your relationships, moving forward.
Relationship Dissatisfaction Can Impact Your Quality Of Life
Secure relationships should feel safe and supportive, in which you feel seen and heard, but it’s not always easy to recognize what you need for this to happen.
In a romantic relationship, maybe you work hard to figure out just what the other person needs to be happy, but your attempts don't feel recognized or effective. This focus on trying to please someone else hides your real self.
You may feel like no one truly understands what you need. After endless attempts to connect or truly bond, your relationships with partners, friends, or family can leave you feeling empty or hopeless, leaving you to question if you are just "too much."
Over time, being in repeated unfulfilling relationships can impact your self-esteem and overall sense of self. If you notice repeating relational patterns that have consistently caused pain, creating something different for yourself can help break the cycle. Therapy can start the process of looking at your past, your patterns, and your hopes to pave a peaceful path toward relationship success.
Have any questions about relationship therapy? Let’s connect.
Callahan Therapy & Consultation offers in-person relationship therapy at our Northern Virginia office in Vienna, VA as well as telehealth services for residents of Virginia & North Carolina.
Looking At Our Role In Relationships Can Be Hard
It isn’t easy to gain a clear understanding of why a relationship doesn't feel fulfilling. Taking the time to look back on relationships or process them insightfully takes courage because it is not an easy process.
If it seems like we are having the same experience across all our relationships, it becomes necessary to look at the people we choose to be in relationships with. Are we choosing relationships because it's what we are told we should look for? Or are we selecting people based on our authentic values and needs?
Understanding what we need in a partner requires us to explore ourselves and what contributes to our unique sense of security and fulfillment. Focusing on external attributes like accomplishments, achievements, or status can be misaligned with what we really need, resulting in yet another unsatisfying relationship.
It Is Common To Carry Patterns Through To Other Relationships
Oftentimes, we struggle to know how to show up authentically with important people in our lives if we carry a lot of pain connected to past relationships. This pain can morph into fears of rejection and abandonment, creating anxiety in current relationships. Our worries of being hurt again can unknowingly keep us in a place of self-protection, making it difficult to genuinely share our real selves.
Therapy can help you look at the impact of early interpersonal relationships and see how they affect you today. By exploring within and discovering more about yourself, you can show up authentically and create relationships that are more aligned with what you need to feel seen, heard, and understood.
Relationship Therapy Can Provide Understanding And Hope
At Callahan Therapy, we can help you understand how current and past relationships shape the way you see yourself and others. Whether you are partnered or single, or struggling with family or friendships, relationship therapy can help you understand the patterns that repeat in your connections and how those attachment injuries influence your reactions today.
Individual therapy for relationship issues can offer you relief from self-criticism, worry, and cyclic patterns of heartache. Our work together will center on helping you connect to your most authentic self while building healthier, more secure relationships.
Long-term goals are co-created and developed between you and your therapist based on your unique relationship needs and circumstances. In therapy, we will revisit childhood experiences that have shaped your view of relationships, the role you play, and any trauma that may still be impacting you as an adult.
Evidence-Based Modalities For Relationship Boundaries And Fulfillment
We utilize a variety of modalities:
Internal Family Systems (IFS) for individual relationship therapy focuses on healing, improving, or navigating relationships by addressing your internal "parts" such as defensive protectors, reactive firefighters, or wounded exiles, rather than just the external conflict.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) applies the principles of attachment science to help you understand your emotions, overcome negative relational patterns, and build secure connections with others.
Attachment-based therapy explores how early childhood caregiving experiences shaped adult relationship patterns and emotional regulation. It can help you identify insecure attachment styles (anxious, avoidant, or disorganized), heal past wounds, and develop a more secure, trusting, and healthy way of relating to others.
Relationships can be the most fulfilling, yet most painful aspects of our lives. At Callahan Therapy, we will guide you with gentle curiosity, compassion, and a commitment to your growth. Your therapist will help and provide opportunities to increase your confidence as you witness yourself making different decisions moving forward. It's never too late for self-discovery that increases relationship satisfaction, and we look forward to helping you on your journey.
Walking Through Your Story Will Help You:
Understand how your past has shaped who you are today.
Identify the strategies you've developed in your relationships to keep you feeling safe and secure.
Identify how those actions and tendencies are blocking you now, even though they may have been helpful in the past.
Find ways to make shifts so you can take risks in showing up more authentically within yourself and sharing that with others.
During therapy sessions, we will help you create individual boundaries in your relationships that foster safety and align with your authentic self. You will have the chance to develop communication skills that help you express your truth effectively and accurately. We’ll also look at how you can find satisfaction in relationships, but also find satisfaction outside of relationships.
You Might Still Have Questions Or Concerns About Relationship Therapy…
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Therapy is meant to be a resource for you, whenever you need it. Some appreciate long-term therapy because it provides a space for self-reflection and introspection, allowing them to be more intentional in their daily lives. Others look to therapy as a brief, short-term process that helps identify a few areas of growth, creates a new understanding of self, and provides strategies to try out in the real world.
Both are valid approaches to the therapy process. The length of time we are together is up to you, with encouragement and guidance from your therapist.
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Starting therapy after a negative experience in relationship counseling is a courageous step that can bring up a lot of vulnerability, and it’s important to find the right support. At Callahan Therapy, we work hard to earn your trust from the beginning of the therapy process, and you will be met with understanding and warmth.
We believe in the inherent strengths of humans and will learn the positive attributes you already have within you, while also helping you identify your growth edges. Furthermore, our evidence-based therapeutic modalities can effectively help you grow and heal.
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At times, digging up the pain and history of our lives can hurt. However, the only way out is through. Shining a light on hidden problems may bring up feelings of tension or pain, and while this can feel counterproductive, it can break unhealthy patterns, address deeply rooted issues, and encourage stronger, more honest communication.
Revisiting painful experiences and relationships from the past allows you to reprocess those events in the present with new perspectives and insights.
Healthy Relationships Are Possible
At Callahan Therapy, we can help you uncover the roots of your patterns and choices that aren’t in line with your values, so you can maintain, develop, or find fulfilling relationships. Reach out to us at (703) 495-3598 or through our Contact page to get started.