ARE YOU AND YOUR PARTNER EXPERIENCING CHRONIC STRESS?
Does conflict cloud your feelings of connection?
Are you and/or your partner feeling frustrated? Resentful? Bored? Disengaged? Distracted? Lonely?
Do you sometimes wonder if you are on the same team?
Do you feel more like business partners or ships-in-the-night than the lovers you once were?
Our close relationships make a big difference in the quality of our everyday lives.
A resilient relationship can provide the love, comfort and support we need to help us express our authentic selves, share our hopes, fears and dreams and manage the inevitable stresses of our lives. This resource is especially important in challenging times and impacts our physical, emotional, family and community health in myriad ways.
When the emotional bond between partners is weakened by chronic conflict, crisis or disconnection, a variety of problems can develop. Getting stuck in reactivity or avoidance such as repetitive arguments, escalating tension, or increasing distance, showing little interest or affection, people often feel very discouraged, frustrated and helpless.
The Process of Couples Therapy
The complexity of relationship therapy requires extended sessions of 55-70 minutes.
For the first session, I meet with partners together. For the next two sessions, I meet with each partner individually. Thereafter, we almost always meet together.
To gain traction and momentum for change, it is best to schedule sessions weekly at first, or more frequently if in crisis, perhaps transitioning to bi-weekly sessions. I may suggest homework exercises, YouTube videos, books, or podcasts to as a supplement to our work together.