Relationship advice & insights.
I'm Mark Ryan, a BACP Accredited Psychotherapist and NCPS Accredited Relationship Therapist working with relationships, couples, individuals, and polycules across London. This is where I write about the things that come up most often in the therapy room; jealousy, coming out to a partner, separation, sex and intimacy, and the ordinary arguments that usually aren't about what they first appear to be about.
Some of what's here is written for couples working through something together. Some of it is for one person trying to make sense of their own experience before bringing a partner into it. All of it is grounded in research and real clinical practice, not generic advice dressed up as insight.
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- Attachment 7
- Attachment and Patterns 2
- Communication 5
- Communication and conflict 7
- Consensual Non Monogamy 2
- Couples therapy London 69
- Emotional Abuse 4
- Ethical Non Monogamy 2
- Infidelity & Betrayal 5
- Jealousy 3
- LGBT+ Therapy 19
- LGBTQ+ Couples 13
- Labels 4
- Mental Health and Wellbeing 19
- Money and Relationships 4
- Non-Monogamy and Open Relationships 1
- Parenting 4
- Polyamory 2
- Pre-Marital Therapy London 1
- Relationship Therapy London 1
- Relationship therapy London 67
- Separation and Divorce 7
- Sex and Intimacy 9
- Summer 4
- Trust and Repair 4
Surviving Christmas Without Falling Out: How Couples Can Navigate Conflict During the Holidays
Christmas can place unexpected strain on even the strongest relationships. Heightened expectations, family pressures, and emotional fatigue often mean conflict feels closer to the surface. This article explores why tensions rise at this time of year, how couples can navigate disagreements more gently, and when relationship therapy might help.