Elena is a 34-year-old elementary school teacher who has been married for seven years. During her intake session with you, she states that she’s been feeling “on edge” and “tired of walking on eggshells” at home. She initially describes her stress as being related to “relationship tension” and “communication problems,” but as the session progresses, her body language shifts as her shoulders tense, and she begins wringing her hands.
When you gently ask her to share more about what happens during arguments, Elena hesitates before saying, “Sometimes things just get out of hand. He yells, and I just try to stay quiet so it doesn’t get worse.” After a long pause, she adds softly, “He’s never hit me hard, but sometimes he grabs my arm or blocks the door when I try to leave. Last week, he threw a glass against the wall. I know he doesn’t mean to scare me—he just loses control.”
Elena quickly follows with, “He’s under a lot of stress, and I don’t want anyone to think he’s a bad person. He always apologizes afterward and says he’ll do better.” She describes feeling conflicted part of her wants to believe he can change, but another part of her feels increasingly anxious and unsafe at home. She’s been having frequent headaches, difficulty sleeping, and trouble concentrating at work.
Elena says she hasn’t told anyone else about what’s happening because she’s embarrassed and doesn’t want her family or coworkers to know. She’s also unsure what counseling can really do, saying, “I’m not ready to make big decisions. I just need to figure out what’s wrong with me and why I can’t handle this better.”