Like many people from all walks of life, you may be wondering how to end a codependent relationship. This is the term for a relationship based on an unhealthy bond of reliance between you and someone else. You can take steps to break this bond on your own. However, you may find it much easier to break free with help from experienced professionals. That help often comes in the form of relationship counseling or family therapy.
At Arkview Recovery, we understand the strain that codependency can put on daily life. That’s one of the reasons why we feature a comprehensive family therapy program. Our personalized, sensitive care will help you develop healthier ways to relate to your partner or spouse. If you are interested in learning more about ending a codependent relationship, reach out to one of our compassionate team members by calling 717.744.0756.
How Do You Know if Your Relationship Is Codependent?
There is a difference between a healthy dependence on someone and being codependent on that person. How can you tell if you’re in a codependent relationship? Not all relationships of this type look exactly the same. However, codependent relationships tend to have certain key features, such as:
- Relying on someone else to define your own identity and self-worth
- Being dissatisfied with any part of your life that doesn’t include that person
- Supporting a person’s mental and physical health at the expense of your own
- Having no values or interests outside of the context of your relationship
- Disregarding or forgetting your own wants and needs to support another person
- Feeling worthless without another person’s approval
Many codependent relationships are romantic or intimate. However, there can be codependent bonds between any two people. Often times it takes someone going through behavioral therapy to take back aspects to find an independent sense of self-worth to improve their lives.
Getting Help Through Relationship Counseling or Family Therapy
Relationship counseling is also sometimes known as marriage counseling. Each session has three participants: you, your spouse or partner, and your counselor or therapist. This form of counseling focuses specifically on resolving issues within your relationship.
Family therapy differs in a couple of ways. First, it involves anyone who forms part of your family unit or household. Just as importantly, it does not focus solely on issues within your main relationship. Instead, it focuses on issues affecting your entire household or family.
Both forms of treatment can help you recover from codependency. That’s true because codependent behavior can have a major impact on how your household functions. For this reason, you may need to address problems in both areas of your life.
Skills You Can Learn Through Counseling or Therapy
Counseling and therapy at Arkview Recovery help you break a codependent bond in a variety of ways. Examples of the skills you will learn to develop include:
- Recognizing the patterns and experiences that led to codependency
- Taking gradual steps toward changing your relationship
- Developing the ability to advocate for yourself in your relationship
- Identifying your own personal wants and needs
- Giving validity to your own personhood and agency
- Widening your net of influences to include other, supportive people
You may need to walk away from a codependent situation. However, you don’t necessarily need to end your relationship to end codependency. The person with whom you are codependent may be willing to change. If that’s the case, counseling or therapy may end up saving your relationship or household.
End a Codependent Relationship with Help from Arkview Recovery
Ending a codependent relationship may be vital to your health, safety, and well-being. To learn more about ending this kind of relationship, contact the professionals at Arkview Recovery. We have the expertise needed to answer your questions and point you to essential resources. Arkview also specializes in evidence-based family therapy. With our help, you can finally begin breaking the bonds of codependency. Contact us today at 717.744.0756 or through our easy-access online form.
Kyle is Lead Therapist at Arkview Recovery Center. He holds a Master of Social Work degree from Temple University and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He has years of experience working directly with individuals who suffer from addiction and mental health disorders. Being in long term recovery himself, Kyle is very passionate about the recovery process. He is heavily involved in the local recovery community in which he enjoys his commitments to service and giving back. His specialty is in group therapy and developing clinical staff. Kyle brings to Arkview a holistic approach to recovery, specializing in mindfulness, reality therapy, and solution-focused therapy.
