For Personal and Professional Assistance
Serving Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area
220 S. California Ave. Suite 202 Palo Alto, California 94306
(650) 455-5040
Psycho-Therapy and Counseling FAQ 3:
FAQ 3: How do I improve my relationships?
This is often what brings people into my office, even if
they have other issues that might need addressing. Relationship
problems are harder to ignore than most other issues that
might bother us. We all have a fundamental need to love
and to be loved. When that need is blocked, it is hard to
enjoy the other rewards of life to the fullest extent. We
might distract ourselves from our need by focusing on other
areas such as work or surface relationships.
I help clients to understand their relationship patterns
in order to develop behaviors that enhance their attractiveness
to others. For some, it means learning new skills. Others
may need to deal with the past in order to get into a long
term relationship. It might mean undoing old, habitual patterns
within an existing relationship. Therapeutic work may also
address other relationships with family, friends or coworkers.
Some clients find the technique of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization
and Reprocessing) helpful to relieve panic or anxiety. This
may free them up to interact in the ways they desire. Many
clients enjoy working with the Enneagram as a way to better
understand human nature so they can focus on how they uniquely
interact with other personality types. This tool can help
a person to find creative ways to interact with a greater
variety of people.
In order for a person to change their patterns, they may
need to address their fears or unproductive beliefs about
relationships. Possible related therapeutic work might include
dealing with shyness, coping with misunderstandings, improving
communication and healing from past wounds. Working with
these issues can lead to satisfying relationships and can
produce positive side effects in enhancing the quality of
one's life in many areas.
