Relationship and Attachment Difficulties
You want closeness. But something keeps getting in the way, and you're starting to wonder if the problem is you.
It probably isn't. But there is something worth looking at, and it almost certainly started long before your current relationships did.
What this work actually addresses
Relationship difficulties rarely start with the relationship. They start with how you learned to be in a relationship, usually in your family of origin, and what you had to do to feel safe there. I work with the roots of those patterns, not just the current conflict or dynamic.
Using Internal Family Systems, we look at the parts of you that show up in relationships: the part that shuts down when things get hard, the part that over-explains or over-apologizes, the part that picks fights before someone else can leave first. We get to know those parts and what they're protecting. When they feel genuinely understood, they don't have to work as hard.
This is individual therapy. The work happens inside you, which is exactly where lasting relational change has to start.
When the past shows up in the present
The way you learned to connect with people, or protect yourself from them, started early. If the people who were supposed to be safe weren't consistently there, weren't attuned, or made love feel conditional, you adapted. You found ways to manage. Those adaptations made sense then.
The problem is that those same patterns tend to show up now, in your adult relationships, even when the situation is completely different. You might find yourself pulling away from people you actually want to be close to. Or staying in dynamics that leave you feeling small, because at least they're familiar. Or swinging between the two and not understanding why.
This isn't a character flaw. It's an attachment pattern. And it can change.
Some of what clients describe when they first reach out
They keep ending up in the same kinds of relationships, even when they've tried to choose differently
They feel either too much or not enough, and they're exhausted by both
They want to be close to people but something in them braces when it starts to feel real
They've been told they're too sensitive, too needy, too distant, and they've started to believe it
They feel disconnected from themselves, like they lost track of who they are outside of their relationships
What starts to shift
Change in this area tends to be gradual, and it usually shows up in small moments before it shows up in the big ones. Clients often notice:
They can recognize their patterns as they're happening, not just in hindsight
They start to feel less at the mercy of how other people respond to them
They're able to stay in conflict without either shutting down or escalating
They feel more like themselves in their relationships, less like they're performing or managing
The pull toward familiar but painful dynamics gets quieter
What to expect when you start
We start with a free 15-minute phone call to talk about what's bringing you in and whether we feel like a good fit
Before your first session, you'll complete a few intake forms through the secure client portal
The first session is about getting to know you and your history at whatever pace feels right
Most clients start weekly and shift to every other week as the work develops
All sessions are virtual. You can work with me from anywhere in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, or South Carolina.
Who this is a good fit for
I work with adults 18 and up who are ready to look at the patterns underneath their relationship struggles, not just the surface-level conflict. You don't need to be in a relationship to do this work. A lot of the clients I work with are working on their relationship with themselves first, which is usually where everything else starts.
This space is open to everyone regardless of background, identity, or relationship structure.
Fees and insurance
Session length: 50 minutes
Private pay rate $165: sliding scale available down to $100
Insurance accepted: Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Carelon, Quest
Platform: HIPAA-secure client portal, no extra software needed
Cancellation policy
Please cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours before your session. Cancellations within that window carry a $75 fee. If the session is missed without cancelling, the full session fee applies. You can manage this through the client portal or by reaching out by email or text.
Questions people usually ask before reaching out
Do I need to be in a relationship to work on this?
No. A lot of the clients I work with are single, or not in a relationship they want to focus on. Attachment patterns show up everywhere, not just in romantic relationships. And the most important relationship to start with is usually the one you have with yourself.
I know what my patterns are. Will therapy actually help me change them?
Knowing the pattern and being able to change it are two different things, and most people find that gap frustrating. Understanding where the pattern came from, and working with the parts that are keeping it in place, is what actually moves it. That's the difference between insight and real change.
How long does this kind of work take?
It depends on what you're working through and how long those patterns have been in place. This isn't short-term work. But the changes that come from it tend to carry over into every area of your life, not just one relationship. We check in regularly and adjust as we go.
Ready to take a closer look?
It's okay if you're still figuring out whether this is the right step. Most people sit with it for a while before they reach out. When you're ready, I'm here.