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 8
- Consensual Non Monogamy 2
- Couples therapy London 91
- Emotional Abuse 4
- Ethical Non Monogamy 2
- Grief and Loss 1
- Infidelity & Betrayal 5
- Jealousy 3
- LGBT+ Therapy 19
- LGBTQ+ Couples 13
- Labels 4
- Mental Health and Wellbeing 20
- Money and Relationships 4
- Neurodiversity and Relationships 6
- Non-Monogamy and Open Relationships 5
- Parenting 8
- Polyamory 2
- Pre-Marital Therapy London 1
- Relationship Therapy London 1
- Relationship therapy London 88
- Separation and Divorce 9
- Sex and Intimacy 12
- Summer 4
- Trust and Repair 4
Contempt in Relationships and How to Turn It Around
Contempt in relationships, why it hurts, how it grows and what helps, for all couples and when to seek help.
How to Stop Arguing with Your Partner: A Guide to Breaking the Cycle
Every couple argues. But when the same fights keep happening with no resolution, something deeper is at play. Relationship therapist Mark Ryan explains what drives conflict cycles and how to break them.
Repair After a Fight: A Step-by-Step Guide to Rebuilding Safety and Trust
Conflict is inevitable in close relationships — but disconnection doesn’t have to be. This practical, step-by-step guide explores how couples can repair after a fight, rebuild emotional safety, and restore trust through intentional communication and empathy. Learn why repair matters more than being right, and how therapy can provide powerful tools to break negative cycles and strengthen long-term connection.
Surviving Christmas Without Falling Out
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.
When One Partner Withdraws. Understanding Stonewalling and Emotional Shutdowns
A thoughtful look at what’s really happening when a partner shuts down, and how couples can move from disconnection to deeper understanding and repair.
Gottman's Four Horsemen: The Communication Styles That Predict Breakup
Criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling: Gottman's four communication patterns proven to predict relationship breakdown, and how to replace each one.
Why doesn’t my partner listen to me? What the Research Says (and How to Fix It)
Feeling unheard in your relationship? A London couples therapist explains what the research actually says about listening, the demand-withdraw cycle, and how to get your partner to engage.
Blame in Relationships: Why We Do It, How It Hurts, and What Therapy Can Offer
Blame can erode connection. Discover why it happens and how therapy can help couples reconnect.