Couples Therapy

Couples therapy entails both partners earnestly working together to improve their relationship with the guidance of a couples therapist. You and your partner meet together in a safe, confidential space without fear of judgment or blame. You get the chance to work through barriers to intimacy, enhance communication skills, and find solutions to your problems. Couples therapy can help you whether your relationship is in crisis or you are just looking to build a deeper connection.

Many couples seek therapy because something isn’t working:

• The “spark” has gone out
• Issues with (or lack of) intimacy
• Difficulty solving problems together
• Loss of satisfaction in the relationship

Sometimes, things go from bad to worse:

• Attempting to control one another
• Frequent fighting or arguing
• Abuse (physical, emotional, sexual)
• Cheating and infidelity
• Lying or hiding things from one another

Every relationship has room for improvement. Therapy can give you and your partner a chance to work through your struggles together.

Connection

Connection is the degree of intimacy and closeness in the relationship. Although some couples have issues related to physical intimacy and dissatisfaction in the bedroom, nearly all couples need help with improving emotional intimacy. The two of you can learn to open up to one another, risk vulnerability, and express your thoughts and feelings.

Commitment

Commitment is all about feelings of safety and trust. You might be making decisions about making a formal commitment (e.g., marriage), or you might be struggling with staying committed. Many couples come to therapy because commitment has come into question due to an affair or cheating. Couples therapy offers a chance for you to rebuild broken trust, have difficult conversations, and restore feelings of safety.

Communication

Communication is about being able to express, understand, and meet needs. Most, if not all, relational issues are rooted in problems with communication. One person feels ignored or disrespected; the other feels overwhelmed and ashamed. One person tries to “fix” things and talk it out; the other tries to let it go. No one feels understood or appreciated. Couples therapists can help you learn to notice and break free from patterns as you build stronger systems of communication.

As you make progress in couples therapy, you and your partner can:

• Be vulnerable and open with one another
• Break free from unhealthy patterns
• Solve problems together
• Learn to meet unmet needs
• Enhance satisfaction and joy
• Work through the pain of infidelity
• Boost feelings of intimacy
• Make difficult decisions (e.g., divorce, having kids, moving)

No matter how bad things might seem, no matter how long you have struggled, couples therapy can help.

Sometimes, individual issues need to be addressed before or during the couples therapy process. For example, if you or your partner struggle with trauma, depression, anxiety, or addiction, those issues may prevent progress from happening in couples therapy. Additionally, if there is a risk of ongoing or future abuse, or if one partner is forced into attending, couples therapy cannot proceed until those issues are dealt with.

You deserve a relationship that feels safe and satisfying. You deserve to feel connected and close to one another. You deserve a bright, meaningful future together.