Navigating Romantic Relationships
Couples include romantic partners that are straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, exploring, and those who find these categories too limiting. Partners may live together or separately. Relationships can be monogamous or polyamorous. Some couples are prompted to enter therapy to address specific issues (communication problems, boundaries, infidelity, trust ruptures, sexual issues, transition to parenthood, illness, addiction) or major life decisions (such as relocation or whether to have or add more children to their family). Other times, couples enter therapy due a more general lack of fulfillment that has been eroding the quality of the connection.
Everyone wants “ideal romantic relationships,” where there is minimal fighting, quality affection, a deep sense of trust, emotional support and fulfilling connection—and of course plenty of laughter and fun.
It can feel frustrating and disheartening when relationships feel fraught with distress, communication problems, and a lack of intimacy. It might be tempting to fall into the trap of thinking that “if only my partner(s) would be different, we wouldn’t have this problem,” but the truth is that intimate relationships are complex and ALL relationships have challenges to navigate and difficult situations to overcome.
What is the Purpose of Couples Therapy?
Couples therapy is a great way to strengthen connection, address the setbacks from a perspective that honors differing points of view, and start working toward a more clear vision of what you hope for the future. Therapy helps to examine important relational patterns (such as anxiety and avoidance), offer support and skills that nurture openness, and create a more satisfying sense of interdependence.
Why You Shouldn’t Wait…
It is estimated that couples wait an average of seven years from the onset of a problem before seeking professional help for the issues they’re experiencing. What an unnecessary tragedy?!
People often assume that seeking help for their relationship means that a breakup is looming in the near future. On the contrary, many mostly happy couples pursue counseling to achieve a greater sense of satisfaction and to work through “normal” ups and downs associated with a long-term relationship.
Couples therapy can help you and your partner to:
· Identify the problematic cycle of interaction and how to change it
· Build a deeper level of understanding for each other
· Gain the valuable experience of actually doing things differently in the therapy room so you can build a new roadmap for challenges and conflict
· Learn new skills to work through difficult conversations
· Address sexual issues in your relationship and enhance your physical intimacy/ affection
· Deal with a painful point of contention that you just can’t seem to move past
Areas of Focus:
Communication Issues/ conflict management
Premarital Counseling
Sexual issues/ physical intimacy
Transitioning to parenthood
Trust and Infidelity
Divorce/Co-parenting
Treatment is tailored to meet your unique challenges in the present and designed to maintain lasting positive change.