Codependency Therapy in Arlington, VA
Do you set yourself on fire to keep others warm?
You identify as a people pleaser and have been noticing how much it impacts your life.
Maybe you find yourself in another relationship where you feel used yet again. Or you are exhausted from worrying about what others think of you every moment of the day. Or maybe you have recently felt rejected by someone you tried your hardest to please.
You may often find yourself in relationships where you are the giver and they are the taker. Or maybe you feel worthless without feeling needed or wanted by another person.
Maybe you often blame yourself for anything negative that happens in relationships.
Perhaps you struggle to know who you really are outside of your relationships. You have never learned how to use your voice to advocate for your needs and boundaries.
There is a faint voice inside of you, crying out for change. You’re beginning to realize the impact codependence - you find you:
Need others to like you and need validation to feel good
Struggle to say no
Often find yourself in unrequited love situations - or the opposite - you go from one relationship to the next
Betray self to stay connected to another person
Have a hard time advocating for raises or promotions at work
Often apologize and accept blame when things go wrong
Are quick to agree, even when you don't really agree
Struggle with authenticity
Prioritize other people’s needs and put yourself last
Think your feelings, needs, and opinions aren’t important
Don't know how to ask for what you need
Go to great lengths to avoid conflict, and you are uncomfortable if someone is angry at you
Feel responsible for how other people feel
Don’t admit when your feelings are hurt
Feel guilty when you set boundaries
Often feel tense, anxious, or on edge
Try to fix and rescue others
Feel frustrated/resentful that no one considers your needs
Don’t feel seen, heard, or wanted
Most of all, you don’t feel in control of your life. You don’t feel like you have the power to change because of the people around you.
As a Codependency Therapist, I can help you find lasting change.
Is it time to prioritize your needs for once?
Begin Codependency Therapy in Arlington, VA today!
Hi, I’m Dr. Ann Krajewski, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
I am a Codependency Therapist in Arlington, VA.
I will help you heal the relationship wounds that keep you trapped in your unhelpful patterns through in-depth therapy. Codependency counseling can help you discover who you are and embrace your inner voice, strength, and wisdom. Freedom from depending on pleasing others is possible.
My Approach to Codependency Therapy
Codependency involves a loss of self. You had to abandon yourself to stay connected to the other somewhere along the way.
Maybe this loss resulted from taking care of and pleasing an abusive, addicted, or narcissistic parent. Or perhaps it was more subtle than that.
Maybe you were the emotionally gifted child who was very empathetic and would take care of their parents/siblings and was relied on for your emotional abilities.
Or maybe your parents were sensitive and could not handle you expressing your genuine emotions, so you learned to make yourself small and focus on their feelings instead.
Whatever it was - it created relational patterns that are hard to change.
Fostering and nurturing your internal world and sense of self is central to your healing and growth.
Your internal world has been neglected, and your sense of self is underdeveloped. Mourning the loss and beginning to uncover who you are underneath the tendency to focus only on others is where the work begins.
I am passionate about helping others reclaim themselves and heal the wounds that keep them from living life on their terms.
I want to help you feel safe inside your own skin and not solely dependent on others. The goal of codependency counseling isn’t to cut yourself off from others - but instead learn how to develop mutual relationships and don’t require you to abandon yourself in the service of taking care of the other.
Imagine being in a relationship where you could:
be okay if they didn’t approve of you or need you at all times
express your anger (and any other emotion) towards them
tolerate their anger (or any other emotion) towards you
set and enforce boundaries
not avoid conflict at all costs
advocate for what you need and not always focus on meeting their needs
express your true thoughts even if the other person disagrees
stay true to who you are not feel compelled to become like them
not always assume you are the problem and are to blame
be okay with the relationship ending if it is harmful to you
You could do all these things and more. This reality is possible.
As a Codependency Therapist, I want to help you get there.
Betraying yourself and hiding who you are out of fear of abandonment doesn’t have to be your story.
Reclaim your power and take control of your life today.
Codependency Counseling can help.
Learn more about the therapy process here.
