Relationship Breakdown Counselling in Worthing & Online
When the relationship you've built your life around comes to an end, it can feel as though the ground has been pulled from beneath you, leaving you feeling lost, overwhelmed, and unsure of who you are or what comes next.
Whether you're going through a separation, a divorce, or the end of a relationship you thought would last, you don't have to face it alone. I offer a calm, supportive space where you can untangle what's happened, process your feelings at your own pace, and begin to reconnect with yourself and what matters most to you. We can meet in person in Goring-by-Sea or Worthing, or online.
What relationship breakdown can feel like
The end of a relationship can feel like unbearable loss, and it can hurt in ways that are hard to explain to other people. Not only are you grieving for your relationship but also for the future you’d pictured sharing together.
Some days you might feel angry. Other days you might feel hurt, rejected, relieved, guilty or simply numb, sometimes all within the same hour. Many people tell me they can’t switch off. They lie awake replaying conversations, wondering what they could have said or done differently.
If this sounds familiar, please know there is nothing wrong with you. This is what relationship loss can do, even when you know ending the relationship was the right thing for you.
When children are involved
When you have children together, a relationship doesn’t simply end. It changes shape, and you may still have to stay in contact with the person who has hurt you most.
You might be holding things together for your children while your own world feels as if it’s falling apart. There can be difficult conversations about arrangements and quiet evenings when the children are with your ex. There can be worries about money, the house and how everyone will cope. Many parents tell me they’ve put their own feelings to one side for so long that they no longer know where to put them.
Counselling can be a place where, for an hour, you don’t have to be the strong one.
When you’ve lost sight of yourself
When a relationship has been a big part of your life, it can leave you wondering who you are without it. Your routines, your friendships, even the way you see yourself may have been tied up with being part of a couple.
You might feel your confidence has gone, or find it hard to trust your own judgement. It can be difficult to imagine a different future, let alone one you could look forward to.
It can be hard to believe right now, but these feelings don’t last forever. With time and support, many people begin to reconnect with parts of themselves they’d lost along the way.
How counselling can help
The end of a relationship can leave your mind full of questions, doubts and emotions that feel difficult to carry on your own. You may be feeling angry, heartbroken, confused, relieved, or a mixture of all these emotions.
Counselling offers a calm, supportive space where you can talk openly about what's happened and how it's affected you. A space where you don't have to hide how you're feeling or pretend you're coping better than you are. Together, we can make sense of what's happened, helping you reconnect with yourself and find a way forward that feels right for you.
You can read more about this in my blog, Grief following a Relationship Breakdown.
What it’s like to work with me
Before becoming a counsellor, I worked for many years as a nurse and health visitor. I’ve also volunteered with Samaritans and Cruse Bereavement Support. I’ve sat with many people through some of the hardest moments of their lives, and I know the difference it can make simply to be heard.
Sessions last 50 minutes and you decide what we talk about. Some weeks you might arrive with a lot to say. Other weeks you may not know where to start, and that’s fine too. We can meet in my quiet, cosy campervan in Goring-by-Sea, a few minutes from the seafront, or you can have online counselling from home if that feels easier.
Nothing you bring is too much, too messy or too small.
When you’re ready to talk
If you’re struggling with a relationship breakdown and think it might help to talk, I offer a free 30-minute introductory session. It’s a relaxed conversation, with no pressure to share anything you’re not ready to, and a chance to see whether working together feels right.
You don’t need to know what to say. “I’d like to book the free chat” is enough.