Counseling for Couples

According to Dr. John Gottman, couples wait six years on average to begin counseling. Imagine the amount of anger, resentment, and hurt feelings that can accumulate over those six years! Couples, especially in shorter relationships, question why they should entertain the idea of couples counseling so early in a relationship. And if they are considering counseling in an earlier stage of a relationship, doesn’t that mean that their relationship isn’t meant to be? Our answer – be proactive and begin working on healthier communication, intimacy, appreciation, etc. now rather than waiting years for things to get worse.

Couples counseling can be effective in improving communication, trust, intimacy, and more. Christina, Stacy, and Jen are trained in the Gottman Method, an evidence-based approach which is highly structured and goal oriented.

Premarital couples counseling utilizing the Gottman Method is also available. By teaching the method and skills, couples will grow with their fiance and be prepared for possible future difficult issues. The Gottman Method has been shown to work well with happy and healthy premarital couples looking to learn more about each other, as well as improve relationships where there are problems to work on.

If you are concerned about your relationship, but not ready to get started with couples counseling, that’s ok! We often work with individuals who want to address their relationships in individual counseling without their partner. We can utilize the same tools from The Gottman Method to help the individual make changes in their relationship. If you’d like to get started in individual counseling to discuss your relationship, please contact us today!

The Gottman Method, developed by Dr. John Gottman and his wife Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman in the 1980’s, is an evidence-based form of couples therapy. The goals of the therapy are to end conflicting verbal communication, learn how to manage conflict, increase intimacy, fondness, admiration, and respect, and improve empathy and understanding within the relationship. Therapy begins with a thorough assessment, which includes three to four appointments and the Gottman Relational Checkup, a clinical tool. Once the relationship’s strengths and areas of improvement are identified, treatment begins, utilizing several different exercises and tools.

Christina, Stacy, and Jen use other skills in couples and relationship counseling in addition to The Gottman Method. All three therapists completed their graduate studies in a dual community counseling and marriage and family therapy program, which means that our therapists have additional in-depth training of treating relational problems.