A Message for Couples

I enjoy working with couples and believe that couples therapy can be challenging, insightful and, yes, even fun.  I work extra evening hours to help busy couples access treatment.  For those seeking help, I offer two basic models: Short-term skill-based treatment, and longer-term skill and process treatment.

 

Short-term skill-based couple’s treatment is a model that supports rebuilding affection, understanding the dynamics of what’s not working, and building skills to solve problems as they come up in day-to-day life.  This is accomplished in six to twelve sessions, and is based on the science-based models of John Gottman, whose marriage lab at the University of Washington has revolutionized the field of couple’s therapy.  This shorter form of therapy is best for couples experiencing a disruption in connection, loss of communication, or those facing new challenges.

 

For couples experiencing deeper problems that also include more entrenched dynamics, addictions, traumatic past experiences, infidelity, or those who have been in treatment in the past that didn’t work, a longer-term skill and process approach is recommended.  Process therapy is one that goes deeper into the workings of a couple.  It seeks to understand how things go wrong and how past experiences have shaped the ‘you’ that each of you bring to the relationship.  This therapy often includes the use of EMDR to work through deeper issues.  This is a unique model that seeks to resolve both the interdependent workings of a couple as well as the internal workings of the individuals.  This is accomplished together, without needing to send you each out to individual therapy.  Because this therapy seeks to resolve longer lasting problems in a more complete way, more time is necessary.  A typical course will last months, and in some cases, years.

 

Which form of therapy is right for you?  That decision can me made collaboratively and does not need to be made in advance of treatment.  The models are also flexible.  The idea is to fit the model to your individual needs, not vice-versa.  I look forward to speaking about how you can build a stronger, more satisfying relationship.