You feel like you’re constantly being run over.
It doesn’t feel like you’re getting the respect you deserve.
Saying no sounds like an impossible task.
When you’re in a relationship, you feel like you have to be all in and doing everything for everyone. The pressure you put on yourself to make others happy is extreme. You will gladly sacrifice your wellbeing to make others happy. Sometimes, you’d like to be able to say no, but when you try to set healthy boundaries or stand up for yourself, it makes you so uncomfortable that you immediately back down.
It might be time for Codependency therapy
Perhaps Something or someone in your past made you feel like women are supposed to be “seen not heard.” Maybe you’ve tried standing up for yourself and have been met with hostility from the people you care about. So you just stopped trying. Or, you’ve just been this way for so long, you don’t even know why you’re struggling.
It Can Be Hard to Fix Codependent Relationships
You’re always being taken advantage of. Whether it’s personally or professionally. You know you deserve more respect and consideration, but you don’t know how to communicate that to others. Especially to people who intimidate you. Maybe you’ve tried asking for a raise but “chicken out” every time you’re in a meeting with your boss. Or your family asks you to do things for them that make you uncomfortable or really put you out. But, because they’re your family you feel like you can’t say no. Perhaps, you have begun relationships by being intimate with your partner before you’re ready because they want it and you hope that this will be the time it turns into more than a fling. You know you deserve to set healthy boundaries, but you’re not sure how to get what you want and need.
What you’re experiencing is codependency. Codependency is used to describe someone who was being manipulated or taken advantage of by someone suffering from a mental health condition or addiction. However, this term now applies to situations where you sacrifice your own well-being to please others. Although it’s commonly used in the context of romantic relationships, it can also be used in the context of friendships, familial relationships, and professional relationships too.
Signs and indicators of a codependent relationship vary from person to person, but they generally include:
- People pleasing
- Poor self-esteem
- Trouble saying no
- Wanting to “save” others
- An overall lack of boundaries
- Caretaking
- A desire to control other’s actions
- Promiscuity
You don’t have to be a pushover and be taken advantage of. You can learn to assert yourself and set healthy boundaries with others, no matter how intimidating they may be. Setting and maintaining healthy boundaries is a sign of self-respect and self-love. Therapy will help you determine the thoughts and feelings that are causing codependency. This is usually rooted in negative beliefs you have about yourself and your self-worth. Then, you will learn tools to help you relax and feel more comfortable standing up for yourself in a variety of situations that you find intimidating.
My Approach to Codependency Therapy
If it feels appropriate to both you and your therapist, we may recommend trying EMDR to help you determine what’s causing you to feel stuck in the cycle of a codependent relationship. This can be especially helpful if you’ve tried other forms of therapy and haven’t found success overcoming codependency. Ultimately, our goal is to help you feel empowered and recognize your own worth. After all, you’re awesome and deserve to be treated well. This will help you with setting healthy boundaries which will lead to more fulfilling relationships.
Begin Codependency Therapy in Orange County, CA
If you’re ready to learn how to stand up for yourself and get the respect you desire. Codependency therapy can help. Our Orange County therapy clinic has a caring therapist that can help you overcome codependent relationships, and start setting healthy boundaries. To begin therapy in Orange County, follow these simple steps:
- Fill out the form below to schedule a FREE CONSULTATION.
- Meet with a member of our team.
- Start giving yourself and your relationship the support it deserves!
Other Services Offered at Moxie Family Counseling
Codependency therapy isn’t the only service that we offer in our Orange County Counseling Clinic or via Online Counseling. Other mental health services Moxie Family Therapy provides include treatment for loneliness, counseling for women, EMDR and counseling for trauma, adoption counseling, counseling for young adults, counseling for college students, counseling for teen girls, counseling for children, play therapy, art therapy, couples therapy, therapy for therapists, and family therapy.