Couples Therapy

Couples therapy gives couples a chance to discuss their thoughts and feelings in new and more effective ways that often are not accomplished at home. I work with couples actively to improve their communication, thereby increasing intimacy and fostering care and compromise. Within a safe environment, I both teach and model communication skills without blame or judgment. Each member of the couple is to understand both themselves and their partner more deeply in an effort to reduce conflict within the relationship and increase satisfaction.

Couples often react to one another, without taking the time to clarify with their partner. They assume their partner can read their mind. Issues that tear couples apart can range from secrets to money to control and/or betrayal. Relationships do not work on attraction alone. When children are involved, or part of the problem, the couple must learn in parenthood to present a united front. More couples are broken because each parent sets a different rule or standard without discussing together what they believe is right for their children. Often times this involves a discussion of each partner’s background and what was demonstrated to them by their parents. Since most parents learn to parent from the way they were raised, they carry on dysfunctional patterns in their own marriages with their spouses. A review of each partner’s values must be considered in order to create more honesty in the relationship. Couples must make a commitment to the therapy process and attend regular sessions in order to forge future success towards a common, collaborative goal.

Relationships take ongoing work.