Couples Therapy
What is Couples Therapy?
Couples therapy helps you and your partner express your relationship needs, worries, or conflicts in a neutral and comfortable setting. Many couple’s issues are rooted in poor communication or strained connection, which often leads to marital conflict, sexual issues, infidelity or emotional withdrawal. Therapy helps to restore open communication and to recognize and release the negative emotions that are getting in the way of your relationship.
Are you feeling distant or avoiding each other?
Do you feel like roommates? Is the affection missing?
Do you feel like you’re walking on eggshells or tired of having the same fight?
Have you contemplated divorce or splitting up but aren’t sure whether to stay or go?
Has an emotional or physical affair affected the trust in the relationship?
Are you needing to work on the quality of the sex and/or communication you have with your partner?
Couples counseling can help you break the cycle, find common ground, and renew your relationship.
My passion is partnering with clients to overcome uncertainty and ambivalence in their relationships and break free from destructive self-doubts and negative interactions. I utilize the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples which aims to enhance awareness and effective communication, as well as emotional connection between partners. I work with couples to help each partner feel better understood, strengthen the respect they have for one another, learn to communicate more effectively and ask for what each partner needs.
Together, we will assess the relationship past and present to gain new understandings and develop a path for moving forward including:
Modifying “gridlocked” conflict patterns
Repairing past hurts and injuries
Improving intimacy and communication
Restoring trust and stability
Getting back into a vibrant, passionate commitment with your partner (and yourself)
According to the American Counseling Association, it is not ethical for a therapist to see a client for both individual and couples therapy at the same time due to potential breaches of confidentiality or issues of loyalty. Therefore, when beginning treatment with me, it is recommended that you choose between individual or couples therapy.
If you are interested in couple’s therapy and your partner is also willing to attend, I often encourage couples to come in together for the first session. This will allow each partner to have an opportunity to share their perspective and decide if couples therapy is a good fit for them. I will also be able to assess the role of each partner in the relationship dynamic, clarify goals, and then we may address relationship concerns in individual therapy, if you choose to do so.
Yes, you may choose to pursue individual therapy for couples concerns or opt to bring your partner into session with you later on. I have had success in working with clients who wish to address relationship issues in individual therapy as well as self-esteem, anxiety, and depression as it impacts their current relationship. At times, the other member of the couple may want to attend a session or see me to process thoughts and feelings on their own. It is important to understand how including your partner in therapy may impact your privacy and we will outline my policy on confidentiality and third-party disclosure of information in our first session.
I am accustomed to working with a client or couple who is also pursuing counseling with another therapist. With your permission, I will make every effort to communicate or collaborate with your individual or couple’s therapist so that you may receive treatment in a consistent manner. I can also make a referral if you are seeking one.
“The goal in marriage is not to think alike but to think together.”
– Robert C Dodds
