Couples Therapy:

All the great literature on the soul shows that the one thing the soul needs most

-more than anything else- is a friend.

-unknown-

Couples Therapy:  For married and unmarried couples (gay or straight), including premarital counseling, parenting therapy, and sex therapy.  Couples Therapy will help you develop intimacy and compassion, improve expressive and listening skills during difficult diaologues, share and compromise, resolve and repair from conflict and face the many varied challenges for couples over their life span.  During couples therapy I emphasize that though love is a wonderful feeling, it is not sufficient for good coupling; you have to put love into actions.  Acts of love include:

• generosity (without expecting return)
• compassion, vulnerability and gentleness even when expressing anger and frustration
• accepting our partners flaws and recognizing their wounds and trauma triggers
• learning the behaviors and sacrifices that will help your partner feel safe and secure in the relationship
• acknowledging how we've hurt our partner, even when we also were hurt by them

Even for couples who function well, regular "check-in" couples therapy sessions can greatly enhance the quality of the relationship and prevent many marital pitfalls.  Many couples begin therapy in crisis or very polarized, which therapy helps them resolve and rediscover their closeness and connection.  In the process they realize that couples therapy is not only for resolving crisis; when times are good it serves as a safe space to enhance the relationship, engage in difficult dialogues, and grow the capacity for love, forgiveness, and deep connection.