Therapy for Couples
Most of us didn’t grow up with the best relationship models, and the more non-traditional our families are, the harder it is to find a playbook for what life could look like for us. The bottom line is that it takes work to co-create a life with someone else when things are going well. Now, try it when you’re feeling distant or distracted. Add in some differing ideas about parenthood, repetitive disagreements, communication breakdowns, and losing “the spark” – it’s no wonder our relationships significantly impact our well-being.
Informed by the Gottman method, couple’s therapy will help you understand yourself in the context of a committed relationship, communicate needs, notice communication challenges, and cultivate the skills to overcome them. Through this process, you create more intimacy (and moments for intimacy) to create a healthier, more adaptable relationship.
Areas of Expertise
Communication
Communication can make or break a relationship. That’s why it can be so hard when our relationships go through communication breakdowns or are without communication entirely. Discover how to communicate your needs better and understand those of your partner through the ups and downs of life.
Intimacy
Building deep, meaningful intimacy with a partner is like learning to dance with one another.
Couples therapy can help you understand the dance in your relationship. Learn what steps each of you take to learn better to move together more easily. Cultivate strategies to feel more connected and satisfied. And understand how to find each other when you fall out of rhythm.
PLEASE NOTE: While all identities and expressions are welcome, discernment counseling, as well as relationship therapy for those in poly/ethically non-monogamous relationships, are outside of my scope of practice.
Family Planning
Family planning brings up a lot for couples. Tough conversations about what your family will look like. Deciding who’s responsible for what. Navigating different parenting ideologies. Whatever it is, couples therapy can help you explore these conversations more graciously so you can stay connected to your partner amid transition.
Work/Life Balance
Work can become a significant source of conflict and resentment in relationships if we aren’t intentional about it. We may have once loved our partner’s ambition – but late nights at the office or emotional unavailability? Not so much. The same goes for a partner who is unemployed or struggling to find meaningful work.
The work we do in therapy will acknowledge this critical balance. I’ll help you reconnect with your innermost values and set better boundaries so your relationship has more space to flourish alongside your work.
Still have questions?
You can think of therapy as a [super worthwhile!] investment in you. But even if you believe it’s going to be worth it, any investment takes some consideration.
Take a look at our rates and FAQs to determine if Driftwood Psychotherapy is the right fit for you.