Relationship Counseling

Our relationships are often one of the greatest sources of meaning and joy in our lives, providing mutual support, acceptance, and companionship. Yet, sometimes, a sense of disconnect can occur, leaving us feeling disappointed, frustrated, or distressed.

Understanding Relationship Conflict

Whether it is a marriage or some other romantic bond, a close friendship, or an adult parent-child relationship, arguments do occur. Although arguments are natural, they do not always feel good. Arguments can become intense or frequent. Sometimes they seem like they come out of nowhere—one minute, you are enjoying yourself, and the next locked into a heated argument. Some people find themselves in a conflict loop, where they have a recurring argument that never seems to go away. Arguments are not always what they seem either; what might seem like a minor dispute can be representative of a much deeper conflict. As a metaphor, arguments can sometimes be the “mushrooms” that seemingly “sprout up” on their own, but instead rise from a complex bed of entanglements just below the surface.

Connected Communities

Communities are sometimes hard to define, but at one point or another, most of us have a longing for a sense of community. We find different avenues to satisfy our sense of community. Sometimes it is in the neighborhoods in which we live. At other times, it is in spiritual/religious groups or other kinds of groups in which we participate. Sometimes communities are places to which we physically go and sometimes they stretch beyond the limits of geography.

Disconnection in Communities

While communities can provide an experience that is rich and rewarding, members of communities can also feel frustrated, disappointed, and disconnected. In neighborhoods and cities, people want to see change, but do not know how to go about it. In other situations, people are not satisfied with the quality and level of engagement they experience within the groups that are the most meaningful to them. In other circumstances, communities experience significant conflict and strife and struggle to find their way through it.

Trauma Counseling

Ideally, organizations are places where people gather to collaborate on a mission to provide some good or service that contributes and enriches the lives of those they serve. From this perspective, organizations are to be a source of community, connection, and purpose for their members and their clients.

The Actuality of Organizations

Yet, the complexity of human relationships that exist in even the smallest of organizations can make experiencing the ideal of an organization challenging for all members and clients.

Founders and CEO’s.

While founders and CEO’s might have great vision about the purpose their organization is supposed to serve, they do not always experience ease in realizing that vision in cooperation with the other members of the organization.

Managers.

Through leadership, managers serve to create a spirit of cooperative purpose amongst teams and departments. At the same time, even the most experienced of managers can struggle to lead teams to collaborate in a way that is both productive and satisfying, not only for the managers, but for their teams or department.

Individual Members.

The heart and the power of organizations comes from individual members who work to realize the vision and mission of the organization. Yet, individual members often struggle with a sense of empowerment about their own work or creating change in organizations.

Clients and Customers.

The clients and customers are who organizations live to serve and who make the organization sustainable. Yet, it is easy to get disconnected from the true needs of the clients and customers. Such a disconnect can leave customers and clients with a sense of alienation, and looking for other places to get those needs met.

The actual conditions at organizations can leave members and clients, alike, with a sense of disconnection. When this happens there can be conflict, a sense of “disorder,” or malaise in parts of the organization or in the organization as a whole. Additionally, organizations can find it difficult to retain customers or members to serve them.