I am a psychiatrist. I have had training in psychodynamic psychiatry and knew about relationships( At least I thought!) I got married 2 years ago and we were hit by a lot of stressors just a few months after getting married. We both got sick to a point it affected our function, affected us financially and affected our marriage. I thought I knew a lot, but thinking I knew a lot, was adversely affecting our relationship. My husband was getting more withdrawn and irritable. He felt misunderstood. I was getting more irritable and restful and I did not know what to do. I was trained in mental health but my own marriage was slipping out of my hand.I had just started training in Imago Relationships. I got familiar with how feeling emotionally safe in a relationship was important. My supervisors told me “ If your husband or wife is not telling you something it is because they do not feel emotionally safe around you.” loved it. I started to be more available to understand my husband and how he was feeling, and create an emotionally safe environment for him. Through Imago I heard about workshops and we also went to a workshop by David and Donna Bowman on “Keeping The Love You want”. Both I and my husband loved it. Our relationship has improved which has brought more joy and motivation to my life. After seeing the effects and huge benefit of relationship therapy in my own life, I have become more passionate about helping people improve their relationships. Psychodynamic psychotherapy alone would not have gotten me to where I am today. Sometimes hard circumstances, and noting what you knew before can’t help, are real blessings in disguise. I have found my passion and am more specific in what I want to do. # Daily Prompt
Sara Mazaheri Jones MD