Perhaps, on the outside, things look reasonably fine. You may have a career, a relationship, children, friends and a life that seems to be working. But something doesn't feel right.

Perhaps your relationships leave you feeling tense, misunderstood or dissatisfied. You may find yourself having the same arguments, becoming caught up in the same patterns, or wondering why something that should feel good doesn't. You might desperately want to feel close to someone, while at other times finding yourself withdrawing, becoming defensive or struggling to trust.

Perhaps you are questioning your career or the direction your life is taking. You may know that you want something to change, but find it difficult to work out what that change should be. You might be capable and responsible, yet still struggle with self-doubt when it comes to pursuing what you actually want.

Perhaps you are a parent, or are considering becoming a parent, and this has brought up feelings you didn't expect. You may find yourself worried about reacting more strongly to your children than you would like, struggling with boundaries or discipline, or worried about parenting feeling much harder emotionally than you anticipated.

Or perhaps you simply have a sense that something keeps going wrong, without being able to quite put your finger on what it is.

You might find yourself thinking:
 

• "Why does this keep happening?"

• "Why can't they understand me?"

• "Why does this relationship feel so difficult?"

• "I wish this felt better."

• "I want to feel seen and loved."

• "I want to feel respected."

• "I want to feel like we're actually on the same page."

• "I know what I should do, so why can't I seem to do it?"

• "I want to be more confident in the choices I make."

Therapy can be an opportunity to slow down and understand what is happening beneath these experiences.