Modern life can be hectic and stressful and this can place relationships under great stress and cause enormous personal distress. Relationships and marriages bring together unique individuals with histories and can create complex dilemmas, difficulties and challenges. Sometimes it can be helpful to seek outside help from an objective, independent mediator with skills to identify and mediate areas of dysfunction and dispute. These can include unhelpful patterns of interaction, poor communication, and conflict regarding separate contributions to the relationship. In healthy relationships partners work together so that each partner is able to reach their full potential and this can require compromise and cooperation. Healthy relationships depend upon each partner feeling heard, understood, respected and valued by the other, so that each partner feels that their own needs are being met. Where there are children in the relationship, it is essential parents practice self-sacrifice and work together in the best interests if the child.
Children can be a frequent source of conflict in relationships. Many parents worry about the healthy development of their children who have minds of their own and can present a challenge for their parents to manage. In order for children to make a successful transition into the adult world and reach their life goals, it’s essential for parents to promote the qualities of resilience and self-control in their children. Parenting management strategies can be beneficial to reduce unhelpful or harmful behaviours. Particularly when there are children in the family, it is essential that differences between separated parents be resolved amicably and fairly. After separation, relationship counselling can also be beneficial to negotiate parenting agreements without the need to resort to legal arbitration.