Couples Therapy

Experience deeper connection, trust and intimacy with your partner.

Your intimate relationships can be a source of your greatest healing and your greatest pain. There is often no relationship in life that comes with so much possibility but we are given so few tools to navigate. You may feel stuck in negative communication patterns with your partner that can lead to pain and resentment. We will work together to learn and unlearn to communicate the thoughts, feelings and experiences that keep you stuck in these patterns. Together, you will learn and practice positive communication patterns that will help you feel closer, more connected and experience lasting change. Cascade Family Therapy is LGBTQIA+ affirming.

  • Couples therapy

  • Couples welcoming new children

  • Couples and neurodiversity

  • Premarital counseling

sun_behind_mountains

Couples therapy

If you are experiencing disconnection, conflict about important decisions or want to build a closer and more trusting relationship, couples therapy can be a place to meet these goals. Couples therapy provides a safe space for you to have a neutral third party guide your conversations. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I have specific training and experience in working with couples. I use Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT) methods to help you experience a trusting connection with your partner. I have Level 2 training for The Gottman Method Couple Therapy which provides evidenced-based skills to help you build positive communication and conflict resolution skills. And I have training to administer the Gottman Connect assessment.

unsplash-image-QhUEi_Yx06w.jpg

Couples welcoming new children

If you are preparing to or have recently welcomed a child into your home I can help you process this transition to your new normal as a couple. We will discuss the impact of this change on your couple relationship, emotional and mental health, self care patterns and self esteem. We will discuss your expectations and cultural view of the division of labor in the parenting journey. We will strengthen your communication skills and provide you practical tools for conflict resolution and problem solving for the joys and challenges of this transition.

I am a Bringing Baby Home Educator. Click here to learn more about the Bringing Baby Home workshop for couples.

forest

Couples and neurodiversity

If you are parenting a child with neurodiversity or if one or both of you identify as neurodiverse, you may benefit from the support of couples counseling. Couples therapy can be a place to feel more connected as a parenting team or to help each other learn more about your inner worlds and experiences in the world.

road_to_mountains

Premarital counseling

Congratulations on this next chapter of your relationship! I am a certified Prepare/Enrich facilitator. Studies have shown that participating in premarital therapy reduces the chance of divorce by 31%. Invest your time, energy, money, focus and attention in more than just your wedding day, invest in your future together. Learn more about the Prepare/Enrich assessment.

What to expect in couples therapy:

Intake

When we decide to work together after our free consultation, easily and securely complete intake forms online. We complete a 75-90 minute intake and cover the history of your relationship, communication patterns, challenges, strengths and goals for therapy. We then each meet individually for a 60-75 minute session to learn more about you as a whole individual person as well as gain insight into your family and history and how these impact you and your relationship and communication today. From there, all sessions are back together as we begin to address your goals. We may use assessments like Gottman Connect for all couples or Prepare/Enrich for engaged couples.

Sessions

We begin with weekly sessions for the first 8-10 sessions. Sessions are often 50 or 60 minutes long but can be up to 90 minutes and are scheduled and charged based on length of session. Scheduling and payment happen easily and securely online. After the first three sessions and as often as needed, I check on how the fit is feeling working together with my approach. As you begin to meet and maintain your goals, we transition to biweekly then monthly sessions. This taper approach can help you feel a sense of mastery that the changes you are experiencing are lasting and working in your real life, not just in sessions. We often meet for 12-20 sessions initially depending on your goals and history.

Transition

At various intervals we will discuss your progress towards your goals. Throughout our work we will address the supports and resources you need in your couple and individual lives to promote ongoing change. We will address the factors impacting long term changes, not just your communication but the deeper reasons why your communication was not working for you in the first place and what you want for your relationship. We will work together to support you towards maintaining progress over time and through life’s challenges. Couples I work with often like to schedule check in sessions seasonally or return even years later for a few sessions as various needs arise.

Click family therapy to learn more about family therapy.
Click individual therapy to learn more about individual therapy.