How I can help
Counselling for family relationships in Pontefract
In the words of someone for whom home feels hard
Home is meant to be the place where I feel safest, especially with the people I love. Right now it feels more like the place that takes the most out of me. There is a tension that never really lifts, and certain relationships leave me worn down. I end up caught in the middle, trying to keep the peace for everyone else while carrying far more than anyone sees. The hardest part is the gap between how things are and how I always hoped they would be.
If this feels like you
Many people feel guilty for struggling with family, even when the strain has been there for years. It is common to feel alone with it, and to find yourself comparing your family to others that seem more "perfect". Reaching out to a counsellor does not mean you are being disloyal. It simply means you have been carrying this on your own for too long.
How counselling can help
Counselling offers a space that belongs entirely to you, the person seeking support. It gives you room to step out of your role and speak openly, without worrying about how anyone else will react. Together we can begin to untangle what is really happening, the patterns that have built up over the years and the expectations that come with them.
It can also help you understand your own limits and learn to hold them with more confidence and less guilt. You may not be able to change how others behave, but you can change how much it drains you, and you can choose where to set your boundaries.
I'm Alison, a BACP registered counsellor. I offer counselling in person in Pontefract and Wakefield, and online across the UK. We can start with a free, no pressure 20 minute call so you can decide if I'm the right counsellor for you. Sessions are 50 minutes, at a pace that suits you.
If this feels familiar and you'd like support, please get in touch. A short, no pressure call or a simple message is enough to start.