Relationship Therapy
Because love is supposed to be fun.
Wants, Needs, and Understanding
Much of what I do in relationship therapy is ensuring that absolute needs are being met, wants are being strived for, and everyone involved feels seen and understood.
This can be challenging when certain wants have been buried under shame or denial for a decade and a half. Or when a new need arises that challenges the existing rules of a relationship. Or when a person feels too damaged or weird to be fully understood, so they just try to conform to their partner’s ideal instead. Life can interfere with romantic connections in any number of ways, but no matter the issue, we’ll find a solution together.
“…what sex?”
This is the answer I get far too often when I ask about intimacy in relationships. Sometimes a sexual connection withered on the vine, and other times it never really flourished in the first place. But sex is more than just a fun perk at the beginning of a relationship. For most of us, it’s a means of connecting, of building and reaffirming closeness. It’s a release valve for tension and a vacation from stress. It’s supposed to be one of the best parts of a relationship, and if it’s not, that’s definitely something worth talking about.
Together and Apart
We can schedule exclusively relationship sessions if you prefer, and this might be the case for clients who already have their own solo provider, but my best results have come from a together/apart structure. This is where sessions alternate between seeing all clients at once and working with them individually. This can be weekly or biweekly, but it’s important to note that I must be able to see all members of a relationship individually for this model to work.
The Pre-Marital Stress Test
Are you ready for marriage? How about kids?
In my work with relationships, it’s become clear that the questions that land people on my couch aren’t always the ones they ask themselves before making these decisions. Most simply don’t know what they’ll need to address until it comes up, and often this doesn’t happen until after the rings are exchanged or the baby is born.
So I offer the opportunity to ask the hard questions in advance. Let’s talk about the stuff that could happen to your relationship before it actually does. Maybe you’ll get to avoid a very complicated mistake. Or maybe you’ll get to address future pitfalls, reach a new level of security, and move forward with the absolute confidence that you’re making the right decision.