Couples
Couples
When couples come to therapy, it's for a variety of reasons. Some find they're stuck in a repeating pattern, others feel they've lost their spark, and some are just starting out, wanting a strong foundation.
Statistically, most wait an average of about six years before seeking help. It's never too early or too late to get started.
I will meet you right where you are in your relationship.
I've been married for over 20 years so I know from both personal and professional experience that it's a journey of daily choices. In therapy, I give couples strategies to take home so they can practice these small steps that accumulate to make a positive change.
I help couples by using a combination of evidence-based practices including solution-focused and emotionally-focused therapies within a framework of the Gottman method. This approach is based on years of research into what makes marriages work well. Rather than taking sides, I will help the two of you find middle ground because that's where the healing can happen. For pre-married couples, I'm also a certified Prepare/Enrich facilitator.
Intimacy
If you're one of those couples who has lost the spark of sexual intimacy, or are just having difficulties talking about sex, there is hope. After over 300 hours of training in human sexuality, I am comfortable discussing as much or as little as you two want. In the Christian community, especially, many clients find that this topic is unaddressed or done so in a way that is unhelpful.
The first steps are often about finding new ways for you to communicate outside the bedroom so you can connect or (re-connect). Along the way, we'll also work on how you two can build fondness & admiration for one another, manage conflict in a healthier way, and create shared meaning as you move forward.
By discovering your overlapping goals, you might be surprised at how much you both want the same things.
Parenting
If you have children (from toddlers to teens), then you know how hard it is to raise kids in a consistent way. Sometimes parents hover too much and other times they're too harsh. I can help you find balance with strategies that actually work.
Using techniques from Love and Logic parenting, we'll work on how to combine empathy with healthy boundaries. You may find that besides being an effective style of relating to your kids, it can also help your relationship by being 'on the same page' together.