Sometimes a relationship can begin to feel difficult or uncertain. You might notice the same conversations repeating, or a sense of distance that is hard to shift. At times, things may feel tense or conflicted. At other times, quieter, but still not quite settled. Therapy can be a space to look at this together as a couple, or individually.
This can show up in different ways. For some people, it feels like frequent disagreements or tension. For others, it might be a sense of distance, or feeling less connected than before. Sometimes it relates to something specific. Other times, it is harder to put into words.
Some people come on their own to reflect on what feels important to them. Others attend as a couple to work through things together. For those living away from their home country, relationships can carry additional weight. Being far from familiar support can change how things feel, especially when a relationship is under strain.
In therapy, there is space to take a step back and look at things more slowly, without needing to come to any immediate conclusions.
I am originally from Scotland and moved to Norway, so I know some of the complexity that can come with rebuilding a life somewhere new. The cultural rules are not always visible, and language and belonging can take time to settle. At times, living abroad can leave people feeling slightly out of sync with the world around them, questioning themselves more than they normally would, or feeling pressure to adapt more quickly than feels possible.
My background is in psychology, psychotherapy, and behavioural science, and I work in an integrative way that adapts to the person and what feels most relevant to them. My approach draws from relational psychotherapy, Compassionate Inquiry, and other approaches that support reflection, emotional awareness, and self-understanding.
Therapy can offer space to better understand yourself, your relationships, and the ways you may find yourself responding to stress, uncertainty, or difficult experiences over time.
Questions people ask when they are trying to make sense of relational difficulties.
In couples therapy, both people attend and the focus is on the relationship as a system. In individual therapy, the focus is entirely on you: your patterns, your history, your responses, your part in what keeps happening. Individual work is useful when your partner will not attend therapy, or when you need to understand your own contribution before deciding whether the relationship can shift.
Living away from home often means your partner becomes your entire support system. When you are far from family and established friendships, the relationship carries more weight. Small cultural differences in how emotions are expressed or conflict is managed can become significant. Isolation magnifies difficulties. When a relationship is struggling and there is nowhere to retreat, the pressure intensifies.
What you learned about closeness, anger, need, and conflict in your family of origin shapes how you respond in adult relationships. If expressing needs led to rejection, you may withdraw when you need support. If conflict was frightening, you may placate or avoid. If closeness felt intrusive, you may create distance. These adaptations were useful once. The work is recognising when they are no longer serving you.
Attachment theory describes how early relationships with caregivers shape your expectations of closeness and safety in adult partnerships. Secure attachment means you can tolerate both intimacy and independence. Anxious attachment often shows up as fear of abandonment and a need for reassurance. Avoidant attachment can look like discomfort with closeness or a tendency to withdraw when things become emotionally intense. Understanding your attachment style helps you see what gets activated when relationships become difficult.
Yes. Relationships are systems. When one person stops participating in a familiar pattern, the system has to reorganise. If you stop pursuing, the withdrawer may move closer. If you stop placating, real negotiation becomes possible. If you set a boundary that was previously absent, the dynamic shifts. This does not guarantee the relationship will improve, but it does mean change is possible without both people being in therapy.
From people who came to therapy for relationship difficulties.
My partner refused to go to couples therapy, and I thought that meant we were stuck. Working with Andi individually shifted something I did not expect. I started to see my own patterns more clearly, how much I was trying to manage his responses instead of being honest about what I needed. The relationship did not survive, but I am clearer about what I will and will not tolerate now, which feels like progress.
I kept choosing the same type of person and then feeling confused when it went badly. Andi helped me see the attachment stuff underneath it, how I was drawn to people who were emotionally unavailable because that felt familiar. The work was uncomfortable but necessary. I am in a different kind of relationship now, one that does not feel chaotic, and I am still adjusting to that being possible.
My wife and I were not speaking properly for months. I thought the only option was couples therapy, but she was not ready. Working individually gave me space to understand how much I was shutting down during conflict, which came from my family and how anger was handled there. When I stopped doing that, she noticed. We are talking now in a way we have not in years. It is not fixed, but it is moving.
You're welcome to share a brief message or suggest times that work for you, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
In couples therapy, you attend together and focus on the relationship as a whole. In individual therapy, the space is just for you. You might use this to reflect on what feels important, or to think about how you want to move forward. Both approaches can be useful depending on what you're looking for, and sometimes people use one and then the other.
That is okay. Sometimes it is more of a feeling than something clearly defined. We can start there, and the work develops from what feels most present and relevant to you.
Being away from familiar support can change how a relationship feels, especially during more difficult periods. There may be less of a buffer around the relationship, which can make existing tensions feel more noticeable. This isn't the case for everyone, but it can be worth exploring if it feels relevant.
Yes. Even small changes in how you respond, or what you need, can begin to shift how the relationship feels over time. Individual therapy can be a useful space to understand your own part in a dynamic, and to consider what you want.
You can bring anything that feels difficult or uncertain in your relationships. Sometimes it is something specific. Other times, it is more of a feeling that something is not quite working. There is no particular threshold for what is worth bringing.
You can still come on your own. Therapy can be a space to step back, reflect, and consider what feels right for you, regardless of what your partner chooses to do.
Individual sessions are 50 minutes and cost 1200 NOK in person or 1100 NOK online. Couples sessions are typically 90 minutes and cost 2100 NOK in person or 2000 NOK online. Payment is via Vipps or bank transfer.
Yes. Sessions are available in person and online via Zoom. You can find a format that works best for you.
You can get in touch using the form on this page or by email. If you'd like, we can arrange a 20-minute call to talk through what's going on and whether working together feels like a good fit.
If you'd like to arrange a 20-minute call or book a session, you can do so below.
Book a free call +47 906 02 994