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6 Ways they kept their love alive

Sandra Bowden 20/12/2017

In the business of relationship counselling, you would not expect to see a marriage you would admire, but there have been a few I admired for different reasons. A couple made an appointment to discuss the difficulties they were experiencing with an adult son, who is struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. They made it […]

WHO IS TO BLAME

Sandra Bowden 06/12/2017

The professional counselling relationship can only be beneficial, when there are healthy boundaries in place. One such boundary for the counsellor, is to not participate in work which is more harmful than helpful for clients. As a relationship counsellor, I am at times presented with a couple, where there is a lack of empathy, and […]

THE REWARD OF CONSIDERING DIVORCE

Sandra Bowden 27/09/2017

As a counsellor I am acutely aware, not every marriage can be saved. When a lady in her early 50’s made an appointment for herself, and her husband, to discuss the end of their marriage, I prepared the process I would take them through, to dismantle 22 years together. CLOSURE In the first session both […]

PERSONAL GROWTH AND HEALTHY COMMUNICATION – KEY FACTORS IN HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

Sandra Bowden 26/09/2017

We cannot grow as husbands, wives, partners and children, when we are not supported, and encouraged, to become independent and responsible individuals. We cannot grow in someone else’s pre-existing desires and expectations. Unfortunately, for most of us, we were not raised by truly unselfish parents. We are often raised by parents who have the best […]

COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP

Sandra Bowden 13/09/2017

Are you experiencing constant arguments which are left unresolved? Has anger and irritability sneaked into your relationship? Do you find you are hurting each other? Do you feel disrespected and criticized? Making a relationship work needs two people who can communicate effectively with each other, on both a social and emotional level. Relating on a […]

Life is a process of relationships

Sandra Bowden 11/09/2017

At Newlands Counselling our focus is the process of life, and the inevitable challenges you may encounter across your lifespan. Counselling is as old as human kind, as we have sought through the ages to understand ourselves, to make sense and find meaning in our experiences, and transcend painful life events. This guidance was often […]

MOTHERS AND SONS

Sandra Bowden 28/08/2017

There are many questions in the counselling room. Questions are an attempt to gather information, explore, understand, and set goals for the work ahead. Clients can come in confused, fearful, anxious, and with no clear vision of how to address the challenges they are facing. Then, there are clients such as one young woman, in […]

MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS

Sandra Bowden 26/08/2017

5 Key Factors which led to a successful relationship A few years ago, a mother presented in my counseling room very concerned about her relationship with her young adolescent daughter at the time. She clearly valued a relationship with her daughter, and was concerned no matter how she tried to connect, how she communicated, […]

HERE’S WHY PRINCE HARRY SHUT DOWN EMOTIONALLY

Sandra Bowden 15/08/2017

Prince Harry said this to royal correspondent, Hannah Furness, during a recent interview about the death of his mother: “I have probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions when all sorts of grief and sort of lies and misconceptions and everything are coming to you from every angle.” These are words […]

HOW TO NAVIGATE THE DIFFICULT YEARS IN MARRIAGE

Sandra Bowden 14/08/2017

HOW TO NAVIGATE THE DIFFICULT YEARS IN MARRIAGE All great marriages go through tough times! The journey of marriage, and the two people in it, transition through different stages throughout its lifetime. It could be when the first baby comes along, children going through adolescence, young adults leaving home, a partner’s illness, challenging in-laws, unemployment, […]