What Are Healthy Relationships?

Healthy relationships are built on trust, respect, curiosity, and better communication. When something feels off in a relationship, whether with a partner, family member, friend, or even yourself, it often shows up as stress, conflict, or emotional distance. Beginning relationship therapy in Chicago and surrounding suburbs, and virtually in IL, IN, MI, D.C., IA, VA, UT, MO, OH, WI, GA, AZ, CO, MD, and FL, allows for a thoughtful space to understand those patterns and begin changing them.

Lynn Zakeri, LCSW provides relationship therapy for individuals and couples in Chicago and the North Shore, and virtually. Her work focuses on how people relate, communicate, and respond emotionally, especially under pressure, during transitions, or when old patterns keep repeating.

Relationship therapy is not about fixing one person or assigning blame. It is about understanding how relationships function, your part in the relationship, where you tend to get stuck, and how to create healthier ways of connecting.

What Is Relationship Therapy?

Relationship therapy focuses on attachment styles and emotional and relational patterns that shape connections with others. These patterns often develop early, repeat across relationships, and intensify during stress or change.

In therapy, we look at:

  • how communication breaks down

  • how emotional needs are expressed or avoided

  • how boundaries are set or not set

  • how past experiences influence present reactions and how attachment styles play into this

Whether you come on your own or with a partner, the work centers on increasing awareness, emotional clarity, and flexibility in how you relate.

When Relationship Therapy Can Help

People seek relationship therapy for many reasons. It can be helpful if you are experiencing:

  • recurring conflict or communication breakdowns

  • difficulty expressing needs or setting boundaries

  • trust issues or unresolved relational wounds

  • emotional distance, disconnection, or resentment

  • challenges related to parenting, blended families, or life transitions

  • anxiety, stress, or emotional reactivity that affects relationships

Therapy is not only for moments of crisis. Many clients use relationship therapy proactively to better understand themselves and improve how they show up with others and with themselves.

A Relational, Attuned Approach

Lynn’s approach to relationship therapy is collaborative, grounded, and emotionally attuned. Sessions focus on understanding how past experiences, attachment patterns, and nervous system responses influence present day relationships.

Rather than relying on one fixed method, the work is tailored to the person or relationship in the room. The goal is to help clients slow down reactive patterns, strengthen emotional awareness, and develop more intentional ways of relating.

When helpful, Lynn Zakeri LCSW Clinical Services may integrate gentle body based awareness and specific somatic techniques to support regulation and insight.

Relationship Therapy for Individuals

Relationship therapy is not limited to couples. Many individuals seek therapy to understand patterns that show up across relationships, including dating, family dynamics, friendships, or workplace interactions.

Clients often come in wanting to:

  • understand recurring relationship patterns

  • understand the value of different types of relationships

  • explore attachment styles and emotional responses

  • strengthen boundaries and communication

  • feel more grounded and confident in relationships

This work helps individuals relate more clearly, calmly, and intentionally, both with others and with themselves.

Relationship Therapy for Couples

For couples, relationship therapy focuses on improving communication, rebuilding trust, and understanding how stress, life transitions, or unresolved patterns such as early developed attachment styles impact connection.

Rather than taking sides, therapy creates space for both perspectives, helping couples slow down reactivity, increase understanding, and move toward more respectful and connected interactions.

This work complements but does not replace more structured couples counseling when that is indicated.

In Person and Virtual Relationship Therapy

Relationship therapy sessions are available in person in Northfield, serving clients throughout Chicago and the North Shore, as well as virtual therapy across Illinois, IN, MI, D.C., IA, VA, UT, MO, OH, WI, GA, AZ, CO, MD, and FL. This flexibility allows you to choose the format that best supports your schedule, comfort, and consistency.

Begin Relationship Therapy in Chicago

If you are looking for relationship therapy in Chicago and want a therapist who approaches relational work with clarity, depth, and care, our team offers a safe and supportive space to begin.

Whether you want to strengthen a relationship, understand long standing patterns, or feel more grounded in how you connect with others, therapy can help you move forward with greater awareness and confidence.

Contact Lynn Zakeri, LCSW to schedule a consultation and take the next step toward healthier, more satisfying relationships.