Couples Therapy
“We come together on the basis of our similarities; we grow on the basis of our differences. - Virginia Satir
As human beings we are wired to connect. We live in relationships to ourselves, those in our community, the world, and with the people we love.
When we find a partner, we go through a phase of passion and excitement and focus on our shared interests and traits. In this phase, we may underplay or miss all together, the things that make us different from our partner.
Our relationships can become strained by these now noticeable differences and past experiences.
When our relationships are struggling, we feel frustrated and alone.
You may feel betrayed by your partner because you feel they “knew who you were when you got together.”
If you are struggling to communicate in your relationship and feel misunderstood, I can help.
I work with individuals and couples who:
• Feel stuck in the same conflicts that occur over and over.
• Experience distance and tension with their partner.
• Don’t feel heard or cared for.
• Experience a loss of passion and connection in their relationship.
• Feel lost in what to do and feel like no matter what they do it just leads to stress and frustration.
• Don’t trust their partner due to betrayal (affair or other breach of trust).
• Have unfulfilling or non-existent sex lives.
If you resonate with any of these statements, I may be a fit for you.
Oftentimes, both parties may not agree about going to couples therapy. It can be hard and uncomfortable inviting someone else into your relationship experience. Because you do not know what to expect or have assumptions about what will happen.
I believe when you are willing to try therapy, this is your first step to communicating your commitment and respect for your partner. And it takes a lot of courage to try new things such as couples therapy.
I am passionate about working with individuals that are uncomfortable coming to therapy. I ensure I work with you from a flexible, collaborative, and person-centered approach as not all couples are the same.
My job is not to take sides. I support you both in learning from your conflicts and understanding what you need to resolve these conflicts and to feel heard, respected, and cared for in your relationship.
We all have conflict in relationships. However, we get to choose how we respond in these conflicts.
I help you to heal your relationship pain, have meaningful connection, and experience excitement in your relationship again.
You will be amazed at how capable you are to:
• Talk about hard things without big reactions.
• Feel satisfied in your connection with your partner.
• Learn how to fight differently and resolve conflicts.
• Feel closer to and more trusting of your partner.
• Share more intimacy and have a satisfying sex life.
I offer services to couples who are at various stages and experiences in their relationship journey. This may include:
Communication skills for newer relationships.
Maintaining connection and decreasing stress in new parents.
Creating empathy and understanding of differing beliefs and values.
Working through the pain associated with infidelity, separation or divorce.
I am trained in leading approaches that are research based including Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and Gottman Method Couples Therapy.
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy was developed by Sue Johnson in the 1980s and has been proven to be effective in creating long-lasting change in relationships. It focuses on understanding and re-organizing one’s emotional responses, creating positive changes in partners communication patterns and beliefs, and building a secure bond between partners.
Dr. John Gottman, developer of The Gottman Method, has over 40 years of couples research and has been able to predict with over 90% accuracy which couples will divorce and which will stay together. His work, in collaboration with his wife, Dr. Julie Gottman, focuses on neutralizing verbal communication and removing barriers that make couples feel stuck, and helping them to increase intimacy, respect, and affection.
Both approaches emphasize the importance of managing your emotions, increasing respectful communication, and building connection.
Whether you just want to polish up on your communication skills, or want a complete reset, I am committed to supporting you in creating a more fulfilling and lasting relationship.
If you are ready to explore what is getting in your way and figure out what to do next, then give me a call or email to book a FREE-15 minute inquiry call.