Healing Relationships: With Ourselves, Others & The World

Why can being loved sometimes feel more frightening than being alone? In this episode, I explore why safe, healthy intimacy can sometimes activate fear, particularly when previous relationships have taught us that closeness means losing ourselves, being controlled or getting hurt. We’ll look at attachment, nervous system responses, relationship patterns and why feeling unsettled by healthy love doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. I also explore how we can gradually teach our nervous system that closeness and autonomy can exist together. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

Do you feel you can take your whole self to therapy without feeling responsible for or taking care of your therapist? If you experienced having to take care of the feelings and needs of others growing up, this relational experience may find its way into the therapy room. In this episode, I talk about: - The worry and concern you may feel for your therapist - How you may monitor and analyse your therapists response - Where the feeling you are responsible for others may have come from - How your therapist will have their own support system and clinical supervision. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

In this episode I talk of the financial cost of being a therapist in private practice. There are many overheads for therapists, which isn't always taken into consideration when it comes to charging a fee for therapy. In this episode I list many outgoings a therapist has solely to run the practice alone. Please let me know if I have missed any out! Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

When we think of being single, it can sometimes come with negative connotations. And so many of us can put our lives on hold while we wait for 'our person' before doing the things that we would really love to do. Have you ever thought that you would never dream of going to a certain restaurant or visit a holiday destination unless you were in a relationship? If so, this episode is for you. In this episode, I talk about: - What being single means to you - What are the beliefs about being single that are stopping you from living your best life. - How it can be being single with kids - How you can starts taking small, tolerable steps towards building the capacity in your nervous system to do the things you would love to do. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

We can manifest and create vision boards, but if our nervous system does not feel like we are safe to have financial abundance, it will stop us from getting to the place we truly desire. In this episode, I talk about: - What having money means to you - What are the earlier messages you received growing up about money - How you imagine yourself to be with more money - Looking at our historical patterns and our relationship to money. - How we can take small steps to show our system it is safe to have more. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

At the start of the year, many of us like to set new goals for ourselves, but sometimes they don't always work out. In this episode I talk about: - Ways to set new goals for ourselves, and how to break them down. - How creating new goals can challenge our script beliefs. - How younger parts of us are activated when it comes to creating change and how we can manage this. - How our self protective parts can sabotage us reaching our goals. - Ways in which we can 'get in our own way' when it comes to achieving a goal we have set. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

Christmas can stir up lots of grief, whether it is grief we are experiencing now, or grief from many years ago. In this episode, I cover: - Why Christmas can intensify the feelings of grief. - Why it's important to give ourselves permission to do things differently. - Reduce pressure and expectations of ourselves during the festive season. - How our nervous system handles grief. - How connection with ourselves, others, the world and nature is so important during the grieving process - How joy during grief can feel painful. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

Christmas can be a tough time for so many of us. This season can stir up so many emotional memories from our past. In this episode I talk about ways in which our inner child and younger parts can show up, how to soothe and take care of those parts, and how to give our inner child the Christmas they deserve. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

In this episode I am sharing ways to help support yourself and your partner(s) if you are in a relationship, through the holiday season. Christmas time can be stressful with many expectations and pressures, so I wanted to share some ways you can look after and soothe yourself, and one another during the festive period. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

In this episode I talk about how to get the most from your couples and relationship therapy sessions. Therapy can be expensive and a long process, so I want to offer some ways which may help the process along. I talk about: Ways in which you can utilise the therapy process in between sessions. Learn how to self reflect and discover what you would like to change for yourself, the kind of partner you aspire to become. How you can look at the kind of relationship you want to build together, and how you can get there in small steps. How willingness and motivation can look different in the beginning. I also look at unproductive patterns we can sometimes get into with Couples Therapy, and ways of doing this differently. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

In this episode, I talk about the power of appreciations in relationships. In long term relationships, we can often reduce the amount of appreciations we give compared to when the relationship started. I cover: - Why giving appreciations is so important - How appreciations can make you feel more connected and valued in your relationship. - How to give an effective appreciation. - Practical steps on how to do this. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

This episode is answering questions that have been sent to me via social media. Here, I respond to questions: - How can I manage living with a Narcissist? What should and shouldn't I do? - I am attracted to someone at work.. What can I do? - I have anxiety when dating and feel so much better alone - What should I do? Please note the answers to these questions are not to give you advice but some suggestions of what to think about to help support you to make decisions that are right for you. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

In this episode I talk about The Developmental Approach to couples and relationship therapy. I look at the different developmental stages that partners go through in their relationship, and the stages that partners can find the most challenging. I also talk about the reasons I find this approach to be helpful in supporting couples and relationships, and why it's one of my favourites! Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

In this episode, I talk about burnout therapists can experience. I look at - How to recognise signs of burnout - How isolation as a therapist can contrite to this - The ways in which burnout can impact your therapy practice. - Ways to take care of yourself and prevent burnout in the future. Being a therapist can be very emotionally demanding, and it's important that you are fully taking care of yourself so you can show up for your clients without it having a detrimental impact for you. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

In this episode, I explore: - What burnout is - Ways we might experience burnout - Ways to slowly come out of burnout through regulating resources and reconnection. - How to prevent yourself from experiencing burnout again. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

In this episode I explore: - How we experience love - and why it can sometimes feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable. - The protective parts of us that rise up to keep us safe, but also keep love at a distance. - The subtle ways others might be trying to show us love (and why it doesn't always land). - How we can begin to soften, to notice, and to let love in.. slowly, gently, in small, titrated steps. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

Are you tired and frustrated of repeating the same patterns in relationships? You keep falling for the same sort of partners and are left feeling alone, isolated and deeply unsatisfied? In this episode I cover: - The pattern we experience of falling for the same kind of person/personality. - What makes us drawn to these partners in the first place - How our younger parts or 'inner child' may be choosing our partners for us. - How to become consciously aware of this pattern - How to take care of your younger parts so you can begin to choose people who are healthier for you Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

Do you find it difficult to spend time alone? In this episode, I talk about what we do when we find it hard to be by ourselves, and how we 'fill the space'. I also cover: - How we can feel activated by having time alone - How to show our nervous system it is safe to be by ourselves. - How our attachment style contributes to the feeling of being 'unsafe' alone. - Tips and tools on how to slowly introduce small amount of time alone to show our nervous system it is safe. - Resources that are regulating for our nervous system, and help build security and safety within ourselves. I hope you find this episode helpful and supportive. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

Welcome to this weeks episode where I talk about Emotional Infidelity. Here I'll be exploring what starts to happen when we enter into infidelity territory and the blurring of boundaries. I also cover: How Emotional Infidelity can make us feel. How our 'younger parts' or 'inner child' can be active during this process Signs to look out for that we are entering into Emotional Infidelity ground. Ways to prevent this from happening. The grief that comes with moving away from the relationship with the emotional affair person. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html

In this episode I talk about self trust, and the reasons why we stop trusting ourselves. I talk about the ways this may show up in our relationships and also explore how we can take small steps towards building trust within ourselves. I also reflect on how childhood experiences can lead us to rely on external validation and influence above our own wants, needs and desires. Connect with Claire on: Website: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.co.uk / Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cr_psychotherapy/?hl=en & @relationshiptherapyuk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cr_psychotherapy Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-ratcliffe-psychotherapy Join my Healing Relationships Monthly Membership: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/healing-relationships.html Join my online Group Supervision for Couples & Relationship Therapists: https://www.claireratcliffepsychotherapy.com/small-group-supervision.html