Black Ballad is celebrating Love Month, and each week in February Dr Michelle Nyangereka, a counselling psychologist, chartered member of The British Psychological Society (BPS) and a registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council, will be answering your relationship dilemmas. Grouped around a theme, the problems represent Black Ballad readers’ common concerns.

This week’s question:

“The pandemic + grief put strain on the relationship and led us to break up! Before lockdown, everything was great but not being able to see each other for months on end, along with a close family member passing really affected us. The last two years have left me feeling quite depressed and my boyfriend was great at supporting me but it’s all taken a toll and communication has suffered. Do you have any advice on how to revive relationships that may have altered as a result of this pandemic?”