Couples Counseling

A strong close connected relationship is an enriching wonderful part of life we and our families all benefit from. Social science research is increasingly indicating that people live longer healthier lives when they are in close caring relationships with a significant other, family and friends. Whether you desire to reconnect after several years over focused on careers and life demands, struggle with infidelity, lack of intimacy, frequent painful arguments, ambivalence about remaining married and considering divorce, painful reoccurring conflicts that do not seem to resolve, couples counseling can assist you to move forward to the best goal for your relationship.

From birth, we are driven to connect with others. Connections with our parents help our brains grow stronger and far more capable for accomplishing a diverse range of activities. Diminished connections with our parents can lead to serious struggles with regulating emotions, physical wellbeing, forming strong long lasting relationships and fulfilling life. Our attachment styles to the people who care for us when we are young and as we grow up leave significant residual impacts on us. Successfully connected couples have a broad range of skills that assist in communication and problem solving with one another plus skills in knowing their own values, ethics, emotions, body sensations and thinking styles.

Powerful Couples Counseling and Marital Therapy begins by exploring your desires for your relationship. An assessment is completed using The Gottman Couples CheckUp, a conjoint interview, individual interviews of both partners which includes gathering history on your primary relationships though life, past and current disturbing life experiences, internal and external struggles, individual and couples strengths and social supports.

Once the assessment is completed, I personally review the data collected and map out a plan for change that makes sense to both partners. This plan will incorporate experience I have with The Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Sessions are typically scheduled for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Both partners attend each session unless there is a clear reason defined ahead of time, such as the couple's individual assessments. We will work to build relationship awareness and skills as well as individual awareness and skills to assist you in reaching your goals. Intimate, close relationships happen when both partners can feel safe, share their most vulnerable feelings with one another, feel accepted and valued, and feel intimately connected both physically and emotionally. Problem solving occurs much more easily under these conditions.

Sometimes, it is necessary to explore in greater detail earlier life experiences that may have impacted an individual's capacity to be or feel safe in an intimate relationship. In some cases this work can be accomplished in conjoint sessions but in other cases, individual therapy is necessary.