By Teresa Franz, LCSW — licensed clinical social worker with over a decade of experience in trauma, anxiety, and women’s issues.
What is One-On-One Relationship Therapy and What to Expect?
Therapy can be a space to help you work on the relationship with yourself so that you can have better relationships with everyone else. We’ll start by looking at what you truly want and need, and how to express that with confidence. It’s about learning to be your real self in relationships, without the fear of rejection or conflict, and setting boundaries that actually feel good and empowering.
If you’ve been stuck in cycles of people-pleasing, feeling drained from taking care of everyone else, or constantly walking on eggshells, you’re not alone. (In fact, I used to do this in my relationships, too! The good news is, I did my own healing, got all the training, and now help others heal.)
Together, we’ll figure out what’s working in your relationships, what’s not, and how to start making changes that bring you more peace and connection.
And if you’re navigating the pain of relationship abuse—whether it’s past or ongoing—I’ll help you feel safe to make decisions that reflect your values and not your fear. This work isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about real healing and real change. (Again, I’ve been there, too. It is painful and confusing, and used to make me question myself and my worth. But not anymore!)
I specialize in helping people improve relationships of all kinds, no matter where things stand right now. That includes support for healing from narcissistic abuse, codependency, growing up with emotionally immature parents, or being the partner (or adult child) of someone who struggles with addiction.
During our time together, we’ll explore what’s been weighing on your heart, talk through the hard stuff, and come up with real tools to help you build healthier, more fulfilling relationships. Because let’s face it—our relationships deeply affect our overall well-being. Learning how to make them healthier is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself.
My goal is to offer a safe, non-judgmental space where you can be fully seen and heard. Whether you’re working through something painful or just wanting to grow, I’m here to support you. I’m based in Round Rock, TX, but I also offer online therapy across Texas—so wherever you are, help is just a click away.
If you’re ready to feel more at peace in your relationships and more connected to yourself, I’d love to walk alongside you.
Is Relationship Counseling Right for Me?
You don’t have to be in a crisis to benefit from relationship counseling. Whether you’re navigating a breakup, working through ongoing issues in your marriage, dealing with family dynamics, or just wanting to feel more connected and less alone, therapy can help.
Some common reasons people seek relationship counseling include:
- Constant arguments or communication breakdowns
- Trust issues, infidelity, or emotional distance
- Struggles with setting healthy boundaries
- Feeling unappreciated, unseen, or emotionally drained
- Recovering from toxic, codependent, or narcissistic relationships
- Difficulty connecting or feeling safe in intimacy
- Being the partner or adult child of someone with addiction or emotional immaturity
If any of these sound familiar, you’re not broken—and you’re definitely not alone. Relationship counseling gives you the tools and support to understand patterns, heal from past hurt, and build stronger, more meaningful connections moving forward.
Healing from Past Relationship Wounds
Our past relationships—whether with parents, partners, friends, or others—can leave emotional wounds that quietly shape how we show up in the present. If you’ve been hurt by betrayal, abandonment, emotional abuse, or felt unseen or unimportant, those experiences may have taught you to stay small, to walk on eggshells, or to expect love to come with conditions.
Without realizing it, these past wounds can influence how you connect with others today. You might find yourself repeating the same patterns—picking partners who aren’t emotionally available, struggling to trust, fearing conflict, or giving too much of yourself just to keep the peace. These patterns aren’t your fault—they’re your mind’s way of protecting you from getting hurt again.
But you don’t have to stay stuck in those cycles.
Therapy offers a safe place to explore those old wounds and understand how they’ve been affecting your relationships. With support and compassion, we’ll work on healing what’s been hurting so you can start showing up in your relationships with more clarity, confidence, and self-worth.
When you heal the past, you open the door to healthier, happier relationships in the future—ones built on mutual respect, trust, and real emotional connection. It all starts with understanding yourself and believing that you’re worthy of that kind of love.
By Teresa Franz, LCSW.
Teresa is a licensed clinical social worker in Texas with a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin. She has more than a decade of experience supporting women through trauma, anxiety, relational challenges, and major life transitions.
Her advanced training includes internal family systems, EMDR, cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, motivational interviewing, attachment work, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.
Read Teresa’s full bio here