Couples counseling is for any couple and all relationships. I support the Sex Positive community and the Alchemy Arts Therapy space is LGBTQIA+ friendly. I use Gottman Method based framework techniques and invervention strategies as well Emotional Focused Couples Therapy to help you traverse confilct, build trust, increase effective communication, deepen connection, work through resentments, and learn how to set healthy boundaries.
- Intake Session
This first session is informational for you and for me. I will gather information about your relationship history and dynamic and you will learn specifics about the methods we will be using to begin charting a course for treatment.
- Individual Sessions with Each Partner
Each partner will have an individual session with me so I can begin to understand your unique background and perspectives.
- Subsequent Sessions
All future sessions will be with both partners present and we begin our collaborative journey toward meeting your goals.
This therapy, based on 40 years of research by psychologists John and Julie Gottman, focuses on the couple creating shared fondness and admiration for each other. Couples learn to replace negative conflict patterns with positive interactions and to repair past hurts. Interventions are designed to increase closeness and intimacy and are used to improve friendship, deepen emotional connection, and create changes that strengthen the couple’s shared goals. This method works to reinforce trust and commitment to a lifelong relationship.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a humanistic, evidence-based approach to psychotherapy, drawing primarily from attachment theory to facilitate the creation of secure, vibrant connection with self and others. Rooted in the science of emotions and attachment, EFT helps clients identify and transform the negative processing and interaction patterns that create distress.
1. The relationship is stuck in negativity
A couple may seek counseling if a long-term relationship or marriage has reached a stalemate and issues cannot be resolved, but the partners want to make a sincere effort to find a new path toward resolution. Often one partner begins going to counseling, but there’s a much more realistic chance of creating a better relationship if both people seek out the guidance of an experienced therapist.
2. Sexual issues
A healthy relationship must have a strong physical component based on the needs and desires of each partner. For some, probably for most couples, a passionate sexual relationship is desired, but emotional experiences from the past can get in the way of trust that leads to passion. For others, it might be important to spend time sitting close together on the sofa watching movies or walking hand-in-hand. Some couples enjoy close physical time in projects, perhaps building things at home, or may prefer hiking or camping. What can often cause a problem is the difference in the physical and sexual desires of the individual partners. That’s why it’s important to find a therapist you trust and are comfortable with, to clarify each person’s hopes and needs and find a way to reach a mutually satisfying physical relationship.
3. Preparing for marriage
Sometimes couples seek counseling before marriage and some go to counseling before marriage even if they are living together with no immediate plans to make it official. Getting a good start can build a solid relationship that endures through times there is disagreement or trouble not of your own making, perhaps a job loss or illness in the extended family. Life’s challenges can and do happen in any family, and a couple is bound to experience some unexpected turmoil during the time they are together. Two people are never mirror images of each other and learning techniques for managing differences will enrich a relationship and give it the strength to stay afloat through tumultuous tides and calm seas.
4. Giving it one last try
People on the verge of divorce often go to counseling as a ‘last ditch’ effort to try to make it work. Working with a therapist you trust can help each person remember the reasons they were attracted to each other in the first place. If there are truly ‘irreconcilable differences,’ a therapist can help a couple understanf why the relationship doesn’t work for the long-term, and guide each of the partners to move forward with insight to make future relationships better.
5. Family problems
Parenting conflicts can force the two people to grow farther apart, so turning first to couples therapycan help develop unified family goals and create a more peaceful home. The therapist may suggest family therapy, if it would be suitable to include the children or teenagers at some point.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.