Couples Counseling
Relationship Challenges in Couples
Do you feel hopeless about your relationship? Does your marriage seem like an endless power struggle? Are there communication barriers that get in the way of the happiness that you both should be experiencing?
Coming together with a partner who comes from a family with different values can often lead to conflict. Do you and your partner have difficulty working through conflict?
I help couples work through the conflicts that are difficult. I support couples in developing courage in speaking up safely with their partners. I also help both members of the couple to listen well. Struggling couples could use a supportive, non-judgemental person to offer them positive direction to become better friends, and learn through the conflict. I help couples gain a greater understanding of themselves and their partners so they can develop a consistent, intimate connection.
Conjoint Couples Therapy
Are you on the verge of divorce? Has there been too much fighting in your relationship? Have you even tried couples counseling and had little progress? Sometimes traditional couples therapy doesn't offer enough support for each member of the couple particularly when there is extreme conflict. I help these couples through conjoint couples therapy.
Conjoint couples therapy is when two therapists work together with the same couple. My colleague Mary Crocker Cook, LMFTand I have worked together for over 15 years on behalf of couples who are in high risk. We have found that working this way with couples brings about needed relief in the fastest way possible.
It starts with the couple meeting with Mary and me together to discuss the challenges for the couple. Then, each person in the couple is paired with either me or Mary for individual therapy. After a period of individual work, the couple meets with both therapists together again. At this point the routine is that every other week there will be individual therapy and on alternative weeks there will be couples therapy.
Many couples we have worked with have told us they feel like this model allows them to get their work done quickly and efficiently. As two therapists working with one couple, our role is to provide a supportive, emotionally safe atmosphere in which both people can grow and change.