HELPING TWO WALK TOGETHER AND FIND AGREEMENT
Types of Sessions: In-Person/Telehealth (Virtual or Telephone)
Couples Counseling is therapy in which both partners in a committed relationship are treated at the same time by the same therapist or therapists. Couples Counseling is concerned with problems within and between the individuals that affect the relationship. Couples therapy is a mode of treatment that aims to enhance to enhance the connection between two adults engaged in a long-term relationship. Couples may benefit from therapy if: They would like to increase their intimacy, improve their sexual satisfaction, or develop more romance in their relationship. It is never a guarantee that the two will stay in the relationship, however the goal is to enhance communication of underlying needs and develop relationship agreements.
Every couple experience ups and downs in their levels of closeness and harmony over time. This can range from basic concerns of stagnation to serious expressions of aggressive behavior. Couples counseling can help resolve conflicts and heal wounds. Overall, couples counseling (or marriage counseling) can help partners slow down their spiral of negative interactions and reestablish realistic expectations and goals, and work together to recognize and resolve conflicts and improve their relationships. Through marriage or couples counseling, the couple can make thoughtful decisions about rebuilding and strengthening your relationship or going your separate ways, or peaceful termination. Marriage counseling can help couples in all types of intimate relationships — regardless of sexual orientation or marriage status. Some couples seek marriage counseling to strengthen their partnership and gain a better understanding of each other. Marriage counseling can also help couples who plan to get married (See “Premarital Counseling Package”). Sessions are 90 minutes. An additional 5 minutes will be allotted for scheduling future appointments, billing, and summarizing “clinical homework.”
In other cases, couples seek marriage counseling to improve a troubled relationship. You can use marriage counseling to help with many specific issues, including but not limited to:
- Getting to the root of challenges in relationships and identifying the underlying needs and core values of the relationship through such treatment modalities as Narrative Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Positive Psychology
- Understanding Your Love Language and Impact on Communication
- Healthy Conversations About Sex and Sexual Health, & Sexual difficulties
- Trauma, Childhood Experiences, and the Impact on Relationships
- Enhancing Intimacy versus Sexual Contact
- Premarital Counseling
- Communication problems
- Conflicts about child rearing or blended families
- Special Topics including Substance abuse, Domestic Violence, Anger Management, and Healing from Infidelity
Factors of everyday life can put an abundant strain on a relationship. Severe stressors may include resentment, infidelity, intimacy issues, lack of trust, infertility, and miscommunication. When problems go unresolved, or a partner is suffering from mental illness or health complications, one can feel helpless or have feelings of guilt or shame. Communicating effectively on both parts can alleviate emotional anxiety from subjects of all kinds.
Couples often seek couples or marriage counseling when the relationship is at a standstill, or if they are unsure whether or not the relationship is worth salvaging. This type of therapy can benefit families with children who have been affected by relationship issues such as divorce and confront the source of the conflict.
SAFETY FIRST
When a relationship is showing signs of addiction, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and/or severe depression, seek guidance from a counselor immediately, for your safety, your partner, and any children in the relationship. Marriage counseling might also be helpful in cases of domestic abuse. If violence has escalated to the point that you're afraid, however, counseling alone isn't adequate. Contact the police or a local shelter or crisis center for emergency support.