Case Study: Sally and Patricia
Sally and Patricia had both had successful careers which had taken them away from home much of the time. When Sally developed serious health issues which encouraged her to accept a valuable redundancy deal, Patricia felt she should try and support Sally by cutting her work schedule down. Neither had anticipated the effect on their relationship of both illness and being together so much more. Sally began to feel Patricia resented her time at home, missed her work colleagues and was probably likely to leave her. Patricia offered Sally the support she thought she wanted but gradually both felt lonely and isolated. Eventually Patricia had an affair and it was this that brought the couple to Relate.
Through talking together and with their counsellor, Sally and Patricia came to realise that they had both completely misinterpreted each others feelings and actions. This enabled them to talk honestly and lovingly about their relationship and find different ways forward that were mutually supportive.