Mindfulness does not end with ourselves or our children, although we often find ourselves in relationships that have eroded over time. For better and for worse, relationships test our core beliefs and ideals — they force us to face our deepest desires, whether we are aware of them or not.
When those desires are met, the result is intense. We fall in love, become infatuated, and experience great joy.
But, eventually some desire is left unmet. An underlying fear is realized. We reflexively pull back, disconnecting not only from our partner but from ourselves. As a society we are good at pointing out the obvious lack of communication and understanding, but the root of this void is often unexplored.
Learning to be mindful of your relationship is not simply learning to be mindful of the other, but also of oneself. Together we will work to build a new framework of understanding between you — a scaffolding to help you support each other’s vulnerabilities rather than feeding off them to defend yourself from fear and longing.
Joshua is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapy Intern (IMF #63602) completing the final half of his hours under the supervision of Dr. John C. Schureman (MFC #13547). He particularly loves working with children and parents, helping them develop closer, more loving relationships.