Communicate & Connect Counseling

Communicate & Connect Counseling Do you struggle with communication in your relationships? Do you feel more like roommates than partners? Do you wish your relationships could somehow be better?
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Relationship Counseling in Virginia Beach & Fairfax, Virginia.
>> Free Consult via the Website!

11/15/2025

Sometimes what looks like “stonewalling” is really a partner trying to keep the relationship from getting more painful.

In Emotionally Focused Therapy, withdrawing isn’t about not caring, it’s often about protecting the connection they’re scared of losing.

When someone walks away, goes quiet, or shuts down, it usually means they feel overwhelmed, afraid of making things worse, or worried the conflict might threaten the relationship itself.

Understanding this softer fear underneath the behavior can open the door to compassion, clarity, and safer conversations together.

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11/15/2025

Relationship cycles don’t repeat because couples are “failing”, they repeat because every relationship has a pattern.

When one reaction triggers the next, and that reaction triggers another, it can feel like dominoes falling over and over.

Underneath these cycles are often **unmet needs**: a need for reassurance, closeness, safety, or to feel valued.

When we can slow down and gently name the need behind our part of the cycle, the entire pattern begins to shift.

Awareness is the first step toward changing the loop and creating a safer, more connected rhythm together.

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When trauma enters a relationship, both partners feel its impact. Understanding the symptoms can help you respond with e...
11/12/2025

When trauma enters a relationship, both partners feel its impact. Understanding the symptoms can help you respond with empathy instead of frustration.

Here are some common PTSD symptoms that can show up between partners 👇

Common PTSD Symptoms That Impact Relationships:

1️⃣ Emotional numbness
You or your partner may feel detached or “shut down,” making it hard to connect emotionally.

2️⃣ Irritability & anger outbursts
Small triggers can lead to frustration or conflict.

3️⃣ Avoidance
Avoiding certain places, conversations, or emotions that bring up painful memories.

4️⃣ Hypervigilance
Feeling constantly on edge, tense, or alert for danger.

5️⃣ Intrusive memories or flashbacks
Past traumatic experiences replay unexpectedly, disrupting the present moment.

6️⃣ Difficulty trusting or feeling safe
Even small misunderstandings can feel threatening or overwhelming.

If these sound familiar, you’re not alone.

Healing from trauma takes patience, understanding, and often, the help of a trained therapist.

Read the full blog to learn more about how PTSD impacts relationships and what healing together can look like.

👉(http://www.communicateandconnect.com/resources/ptsd-symptoms-in-relationships )

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11/06/2025

Every couple has arguments.

But when they start feeling repetitive or go nowhere, it’s often a sign of a deeper pattern beneath the surface.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) helps you uncover those patterns so you can see the cycle for what it is.

A loop that keeps you disconnected even when you both want closeness.

At Communicate & Connect Counseling, our goal is to help you slow down, identify what’s really happening underneath the conflict, and begin responding to each other with more understanding and care.

When you start working with each other instead of against the cycle, healing and connection become possible.

Ready to stop fighting the same fight?
Book your free 20-minute consultation and start building a relationship that feels safe, secure, and close again.
https://www.communicateandconnect.com/team/jeanne-burno/

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11/05/2025

Telling your partner what not to do isn’t the same as asking for what you need.
Comment "EP68" to listen to the full conversation!
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Conflict isn’t the enemy — disconnection is.Every couple argues.What makes the difference is how you repair afterward.Wh...
11/04/2025

Conflict isn’t the enemy — disconnection is.

Every couple argues.
What makes the difference is how you repair afterward.

When you slow down, listen, and stay curious, conflict becomes an opportunity to grow closer — not apart.

Read the full blog to learn more ⤵️
(http://www.communicateandconnect.com/resources/conflict-resolution )

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We all tell ourselves stories — about our partners, our relationships, and even about who we are.But what happens when t...
11/03/2025

We all tell ourselves stories — about our partners, our relationships, and even about who we are.
But what happens when those stories start to hurt our connection instead of helping it?

Lindsey and I explore how these stories form, how they impact our reactions, and what we can do to change them.
We also talk about what it really means to slow down, respond with intention, and remember that you and your partner are on the same team.

If you’ve ever found yourself overthinking, assuming, or feeling misunderstood, this conversation will help you slow down, get curious, and reconnect with what’s actually true.

Comment "EP68" for the full episode.
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Want to make your communication more effective?Try using the DEAR MAN skill — a powerful DBT tool to help you express yo...
10/29/2025

Want to make your communication more effective?

Try using the DEAR MAN skill — a powerful DBT tool to help you express your needs clearly *without conflict.*

Start small, stay mindful, and watch how it transforms your conversations and relationships.

Your challenge this week: Use DEAR MAN to ask for something you want.

You’ve got this!

- Dr. Elizabeth Polinsky

Follow for more

10/28/2025

Boundaries are so hard.

Especially when you’ve been taught to take care of everyone else first.

Saying “no” can feel uncomfortable, even wrong, when your heart has always said “yes.”

But choosing yourself doesn’t mean you’re abandoning others.

It means you’re finally learning to show up for you.

🎧 Listen to The Communicate & Connect Podcast Episode 67 with Heather Jones.
https://www.communicateandconnect.com/podcasts/episode67/

Address

283 Constitution Drive, One Columbus Center, Ste. 600
Virginia Beach, VA
23462

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 8:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 8:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 8:30pm
Thursday 8am - 8:30pm
Friday 8am - 8:30pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm
Sunday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+17578566049

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