Over these 30 years many, many of the people who came to see me for help with anxiety or depression, were actually caught up in conflict with their mate and it became clear that if I could help couples build a safe and sound emotional life together then anxiety and depression were significantly decreased and often disappeared. Hence my passion was ignited.
Most couples in distress have the following stuff going on: it might be put downs, hurtful words, angry reactions, vitriolic statements, raised voices, or even hurtful silences or walk aways. There could be trust issues, jealousy, dominance and control or competitiveness. All of these threaten the emotional security of one or both partners and a fight or flight response usually occurs. Which means that one partner or both, will either fight, or flee the situation….that is walk away….or eventually leave…or seek comfort and love from someone else.
The Fight or Flight response is the basis of our self protective behaviour as human beings. The same goes for most animals who, when under threat from a predator, and their immediate survival is at stake, have to make an instantaneous decision to either stand up and fight the predator off, or flee from the danger. With couples relationship conflict it boils down to the same instinctive fight or flight response.