July 2026:
For many of us, July brings longer days, holidays, family visits and time spent outdoors. Social media fills with photographs of holidays, celebrations and smiling faces, creating the impression that everyone else is making the most of summer.
But life is not always reflected accurately in a photograph. Behind closed doors, July can be one of the most emotionally demanding months of the year.
Couples spend more time together, families navigate the school holidays, routines change, and expectations can quietly build. For some, this brings joy. For others, it brings tension, disappointment or loneliness.
As an Interpersonal Psychotherapist (IPT), I’ve learnt that our mood is often influenced less by what’s happening around us and more by what’s happening between us.
Relationships don’t stop being complicated because the sun is shining
It is easy to believe that summer should make us feel happier. Yet relationship difficulties do not disappear with better weather. In fact, they can become more noticeable. Perhaps you are finding yourself:
- Arguing more with your partner while spending extra time together.
- Feeling left out when friends seem busy with their own plans.
- Navigating difficult family dynamics during visits.
- Feeling lonely while everyone else appears connected.
- Missing someone who is not here to share another summer with you.
These experiences are deeply human. They do not mean you’re failing to enjoy life they simply remind us that relationships have a powerful influence on how we feel.
Expectations can quietly affect our wellbeing
Summer often arrives with unspoken expectations.
That we will relax.
That family time will be enjoyable.
That holidays will bring us closer.
That we will feel happier.
When reality does not match those expectations, it’s common to feel disappointed or even guilty. You might find yourself thinking:
“Why can’t I just enjoy this?”
The truth is emotional wellbeing does not change simply because the season does. If you’ve been carrying stress, grief, conflict or loneliness, those feelings don’t disappear in July. Sometimes they become even more noticeable when everything around us suggests we should be feeling differently.
When Communication Breaks Down
One of the key areas we explore in IPT is communication. Many relationship difficulties are not caused by a lack of love or care. They are caused by misunderstandings.
Unspoken expectations.
Assumptions.
Conversations that never quite happen.
We often hope that the people closest to us will simply know what we need.
When they don’t disappointment grows.
Learning to express needs clearly and compassionately can transform relationships not because conflict disappears, but because understanding begins to grow.
Food Can Become Part of the Story Too
Periods of emotional strain often influence our relationship with food. For some people, busy family gatherings or eating with others can feel overwhelming. Others notice themselves eating for comfort after difficult conversations or reaching for food when feeling lonely despite being surrounded by people. Rather than asking, “Why can’t I stop?”, it can be more helpful to ask,
“What has today been emotionally asking of me?”
That question often opens the door to understanding rather than self-criticism.
Relationships Need Care, Not Perfection
Healthy relationships are not free from disagreement. They include misunderstandings. They involve repair. They allow space for people to be different. One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is letting go of the idea that relationships should always feel easy. Instead, we can begin asking:
“What helps this relationship feel stronger?”
Sometimes the answer is better communication.
Sometimes it is healthier boundaries.
Sometimes it is grieving what has changed.
And sometimes it is recognising that you deserve relationships where you feel respected, valued and emotionally safe.
A Gentle Reflection for July
As July unfolds, perhaps there is no need to compare your summer with anyone else’s. Instead, take a moment to ask yourself:
- Which relationships leave me feeling energised?
- Which relationships leave me feeling drained?
- Is there something I have been needing to say?
- Who helps me feel most like myself?
The answers do not have to lead to immediate change. Simply noticing is often where change begins.
You Don’t Have to Navigate Relationship Difficulties Alone
Whatever this summer looks like for you, remember that emotional wellbeing is not about having a perfect life or perfect relationships. It is about feeling understood, supported and connected.
If relationships are affecting your mood, or if emotional eating has become one way of coping with life’s pressures, Interpersonal Psychotherapy offers a compassionate, evidence-based space to explore what is happening.
Together, we can make sense of your experiences and work towards relationships and a life that feel more balanced, fulfilling and emotionally connected. Sometimes the smallest changes in how we relate to ourselves and others can make the biggest difference.
You can contact me on 01470 517214 or email janetaylormadeipt@gmail.com you don’t have to do this alone.