Couple's Therapy
There is nothing more vulnerable than acknowledging that your relationship is not going the way you envisioned it to be, and that you might need support to get out of the rut of disconnection. To invite a stranger into your relationship for guidance and support is daunting, and I understand that fully. I make it my mission to ensure all partners feel comfortable, seen, and heard throughout our therapy sessions. Your relationship itself becomes my "client," where there are no good guys or bad guys, just a pattern of interacting with one another that no longer works.
What to expect from couple's counseling:
The most beautiful part of my job as a couple's therapist is the understanding that there are no two relationships that are the same. They are as unique as a fingerprint, with each person's individual lived experiences, childhoods, and perception of life brought together into something new when melded with another's. And while each relationship is different, the patterns that emerge in unmet needs and unexpressed emotions are often similar, allowing a clear road-map of treatment to be followed.
There is no set "timeline" for couples therapy, however there is an initial format of sessions to begin the therapeutic process:
1. Initial couple's intake - Couple meets together with therapist to share the history of their relationship and presenting concerns.
2. Individual assessment - Each partner meets individually with therapist to further assess attachment and childhood history, as well as give their own perspective on the relationship.
3. First couple's session - Therapist and couple meet together to discuss therapist's assessment of relationship dynamics and plan a treatment path forward.
Beyond the first several sessions, we work together to initially de-escalate the negative patterns and create more space to communicate within the relationship. This allows for room to hear one another, understand how our actions impact our partner, and allow our partner to understand how they impact us. We unpack the meaning-making behind what each partner says and how the other person receives it.
I will label throughout sessions when I think it's important to slow down to truly understand what's going on behind the words. My focus is on the process of how we hear one another, how we feel, and how we protect ourselves from the pain of this feeling and perception. I don't believe in being a referee in the therapy room to give points and dictate a winner or loser from the argument, you don't need years of education about relationships to do that! Instead, we shift our focus away from the content of the fight, and look more deeply at what was heard, felt, and how this impacted our relationship's connection.
Why choose Wildwood Wellness?
Many therapists offer couple's therapy services because they have lived experiences in relationships, or have had positive outcomes with the few couples clients they've had in the past.
There's a difference between casually offering couple's counseling and being deeply trained in treating relational pain, de-escalating conflict, and knowing where to continue in treatment to get your clients to the relationship they want to be in. You want someone who is confident in their skills managing your relationship, who isn't deterred by big emotions in the therapy room, and who knows how to untangle the important parts of a relationship to make it meaningful and connected. You want a therapist who understands what it means for you to be in pain within a relationship, who takes each person's perspective seriously, and who does not shy away from the difficult conversations.
With years of education, specialized training, and ongoing learning, you are in good hands at Wildwood Wellness. Your time, commitment, and dedication to your relationship is not an afterthought to your therapist, but instead the very thing that is seen and harnessed to create an even stronger relationship.
When's the best time to start couple's therapy?
The most common feedback I hear throughout treatment is "I wish we did this years ago." There's never a bad time to decide to begin couple's therapy, as this choice makes the declaration "I care about my relationship. I want it to be the best it can be."
You're here now, looking at potentially beginning a new journey with your partner to building a better relationship. The worst that can happen is you waste 15 minutes in a consultation call. The best that can happen is up to you - but you don't have to figure it out alone.
Extended Session or Intensive?
Extended Sessions
Big feelings emerge in couple's therapy, it's par for the course. When you and your partner are working through a particularly challenging pattern or time keeps interrupting the flow of session, scheduling an extended session can create more room for feelings to be processed in real time, and healing to happen at home.
Extended sessions are typically scheduled as needed with couples who are already in treatment. Some couples know from the onset of therapy they will want or need more time, and this is always welcome.
Extended session options include:
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90 minutes
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2 hours
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2.5 hours
Intensive Sessions
An intensive session sounds emotionally exhausting for many people, and they're not wrong. To spend an entire day, sometimes multiple days, focusing on your relationship with your partner is deep emotional work.
The benefits of carving out a prolonged time to focus on your relationship are unmatched - from making an emotional shift significantly more quickly than weekly therapy, to finding relief from the negativity that sustains itself beyond the treatment room.
If you're a busy professional, parent, or simply a human with a hectic schedule, finding a regular and consistent time to meet and work on your relationship can be daunting. Reach out today to see what kind of changes can be made in a weekend instead.
