Our relationships have so much to do with our happiness...

...and they don't always go the way we planned. 

Let's work on it.

Premarital Counseling

Clients come in for premarital counseling to get some things sorted before the big commitment. Premarital counseling opens up conversation in a safe setting.  Using primarily Gottman's method; we talk through concepts like money management, children, household responsibilities and family obligations. Research shows that premarital counseling can have a profound impact on length and happiness of your marriage.  The couples that have undergone premarital counseling often report that they talked through concerns they didn't even know were lurking in the corners of their mind.  The stress of the wedding itself is alleviated as we work to remember that you are a team. 

Stress management and better communication will set you off on the right foot for the life you have chosen together. 

Counseling after A Rift

Couples come in following a horrible fight.  Couples come in after finding out about an affair.  Couples come in sometimes with little hope that they can work through what has happened but they feel they owe it to themselves to make sure. 

Life is long and relationships can take the brunt of personal struggles.  When you have two people navigating an untold amount of stress and obstacles, well, your relationship can suffer.  You might come in feeling sure there is a bad guy and a victim.  You might come in not knowing which way is up anymore. 

Couples therapy is hard work.  But if you are looking for someone to get in there with you, and really fight to see what can be salvaged, I'm your therapist.  I would say that the reason I love couples therapy IS because it is so hard.  It is well known among therapists to be the most challenging and some shy away from that. 

I have worked hard to be an excellent couples therapist. In addition to a graduate certificate in couples therapy I have pursued a number of post graduate training opportunities.  I value it so much, that I actually train other clinicians on how to be a couples therapist; both as a clinical supervisor and as a professor at a local Graduate School of Social Work.

Couples Therapy for couples with addiction issues

I don't have to tell you that if one partner in the relationship is or has struggled with addiction, it can affect the couple.  I have worked extensively with addiction and how it plays out in the couple.  I will work with you to arrive at a place where your relationship can begin to heal and be restructured to recover from the chaos of addiction.

I also offer clinical supervision for other couples counselors who are treating couples with addiction issues.  This is a very complicated presentation that cannot be treated like any other issue. 

Theoretical Approaches

Therapy is about good conversation and connection- it's also about good solid research and theoretical approaches.  I employ:

• Gottman Theory
• Narrative Couples Theory
• Emotion Focused Couples Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral Couples Therapy
• Psychodynamic Theory in Couples Counseling
• Solution Focused Couples Therapy.