Jamie Kennedy, Ph.D.
Individual Therapy in Atlanta for
Relationship & Communication Challenges
Most of what makes life meaningful happens in our relationships — with partners, family, friends, coworkers. And most of what makes life painful happens there too.
Maybe you find yourself shutting down in conflict, or saying yes when you mean no. Maybe you replay conversations for hours, wishing you'd said something different. Maybe you've noticed the same arguments keep happening — with different people. Or maybe you care deeply about the people in your life but struggle to show it in ways they can feel.
You don't need a relationship to be in crisis to work on this. Communication is a skill, and like any skill, it can be learned and strengthened.
Therapy for the Person You Want to Be in Your Relationships
In individual therapy, we'll get curious about the patterns that show up in your relationships — the assumptions you make, the emotions that hijack you mid-conversation, and/or the things you avoid saying.
Some of the specific skills we might work on together, including:
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Naming what you actually feel and need. Many of us grew up learning to suppress, soften, or hide our emotions. We'll slow things down so you can notice what's happening inside you and put words to it — often a prerequisite for being understood by anyone else.
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Soft start-ups. We'll practice raising hard topics in a way that invites connection instead of triggering defensiveness.
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"I" statements and assertive expression. There's a meaningful difference between "You never listen to me" and "I feel unheard when I'm interrupted, and I'd like us to try something different." We'll work on saying what you mean — clearly, kindly, and without apologizing for having needs.
You don't need the other people in your life to come to therapy for this work to make a real difference.
Resources for Communication & Connection
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Soft start-ups — Dr. Julie Gottman demonstrates the technique: How to Use the Soft Startup
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Assertive communication — Emma McAdam (LMFT) at Therapy in a Nutshell: How to Be Assertive: The Assertive Communication Style
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Reflective listening — Therapy in a Nutshell: Reflective Listening: How to Be a Good Listener