Couples Therapy

Reclaim the Laughter – Reclaim the Love

You couldn’t wait to be together. You held hands, shared secrets, finished each other’s sentences. You were connected, in tune with each other.

When you fought, you couldn’t wait to make up.

You trusted each other – respected each other – supported each other.

What happened?

Relationships aren’t easy. Even the strongest couples can struggle under the weight of everyday issues:

  • Finances
  • Sex
  • Children
  • Social Media
  • And more

These points of contention can lead to disconnection, a lack of emotional and physical intimacy, a breakdown of respect and trust for each other, and diminished companionship and communication.

If only we could reach each other

Although it helps, mere communication is never the whole answer to your problems as a couple.

Past trauma and individual baggage can bog down and destroy your relationship.

What don’t you know?

Lack of communication often isn’t the problem. It’s not the words, situation or circumstance that leads to arguments. It’s our own emotional reactions to them and our inability then to be emotionally vulnerable with ourselves and each other. Many never learned or were never taught how to communicate emotionally. You may have this problem as part of your individual baggage – baggage you’ve accumulated over the course of your life. Unvoiced needs, expectations, assumptions – some positive… some negative – can cause major problems that you often can’t see because you’re too close to the issue.

Unpacking it all

We’ll help you to help each other; reconnect, rebuild mutual respect, trust, and honesty; understand what’s not working and why; develop mutual solutions for your problems; and re-experience friendship and simple joy of just being with each other.

Together, we’ll address companionship, emotional intimacy and vulnerability, reconnection, communication, companionship, respect, trust, honesty, boundaries, emotional vulnerability and physical intimacy.

We’ll explore and share relationship needs, expectations, and assumptions.

We’ll compare individual and mutual values, goals, and beliefs.

We’ll explore how past trauma and all the baggage you’ve each brought to the relationship are affecting who you are and how you live as a couple.

And finally, we’ll examine your physical health and discover how improved health can enhance your relationship, as well.

The ground rules

We have three hard rules for couples therapy:

We don’t play favorites. Our client is you as a couple – not two separate individuals.

We don’t keep secrets. In couple’s therapy, secrets and lack of honesty are too often part of the problem.

We don’t condone violence. If any physical or sexual violence is occurring, we will not do couples therapy but am willing to suggest other options, including individual therapy, for you.

And one suggestion: If past trauma is a factor, we strongly encourage you to tackle that first, whether individually or as a couple.

Sweeter, stronger, smarter, sexier

You’ll enjoy each other again – spending more time together, holding hands, rekindling romance with a renewed sense of commitment and intimacy.

And you’ll learn a great deal about yourselves, each other, and who you are together.

You’ll have the skills, sensitivity, and savvy to make your relationship work – really work.

Put away your baggage today

Contact me at (850) 684-3059, and let’s get started.