Christmas puts pressure on relationships. You may need relationship advice to deal with it.

Disappointment and resentment could be said to be directly proportionate to expectations. At Christmas time and building up to and during any holiday pressure builds, expectations build, costs accelerate and potential crises wait to take over. We have precious time off from work but certainly at Christmas time someone has to work even harder to prepare, buy presents and make sure everyone is happy.

Couples have to spend extended periods of time together and with families. They may not be used to it. Pressure is on to have fun and enjoy it! Patience is stretched and tested. If there are any issues in the relationship, it will be further tested and could even be pushed over the edge! Resentments are sometimes brought to the surface.

As at all other times the way forward is with good communication. But either because we don’t want to risk confrontation or we are so bound up with blaming ourselves or our partner. We allow thing to ferment inside until we explode or find a way to be distracted through drink, work, withdrawal or someone else. Couples need to get out of their ruts and pay attention to what is happening; how they are rationalising their position, finding evidence to prove what they already believe and stop digging a hole that they will find harder and harder to get out of. You need to be shown how to step back and look at things from a different perspective. Sometimes it’s necessary to take the risk of doing things differently even though you can’t be sure of the outcome. After all, that is what a risk means. Continuing to do things the same way will only keep you stuck. Doing them differently will, at least, give them a chance of being better than they are.

If you talk to me I can explain all of this in more detail. I can help you have the confidence to have the faith in yourself that you need.