These are just a few of all the very common issues couples experience at some point during their relationships. Being in a relationship, especially at the beginning, during the honeymoon phase, might feel magical and easy! Our brain is completely flooded by chemicals (like dopamine) that make falling in love seamless. However, this first relationship phase where everything seems easy soon fades away, and we understand that relationships in fact require really hard work! Moreover, none really teaches us what that hard work looks like! In fact, either than sex education classes, schools typically (I am saying typically because I am aware this is finally starting to change, see here) do not offer classes on marriage and relationship education. Teenagers and adults alike, in fact, do not receive any education on what it means to be a good partner or what a healthy relationship looks and feels like! Society simply expects us to know all of that and succeed in marriage/relationships on our own. Some of us are lucky enough and have experienced healthy relationships in their lives at some point, (with their parents, friends or partners). Some of us, however (and I know it because this is the case for at least half of my clients, individuals and couples) never experienced healthy relationships, in any form, in their lives and therefore have no idea what a healthy, loving and caring relationship looks/feels like! 

I have seen so much growth in so many couples after they started working on themselves by starting couples counseling (and sometimes individual therapy, too)! You do not have to struggle anymore, the sooner you reach out for help, the better! 

Unfortunately, most couples reach out for help too late, as the last attempt to save a relationship/marriage where so much pain and hurt has already been inflicted and experienced that no repair can really be made. According to Dr. John Gottman, in fact, unhappy couples wait an average of six years before seeking help with couples counseling. Even more sadly, on average, 50%  of couples get a divorce within their first seven years together. Therefore, if you wait too long to address the issues in your relationship, you might end up on the path towards divorce, instead. In other words, the sooner you enter couples counseling, the higher your chances to resolve your issues and save your relationship/marriage. 

In couples therapy with me, I strive to help you: 

1. Learn what is your relationship style
2. Familiarize with your past relationship (trauma) history and your unhealthy relationship patterns/dynamics that are keeping you stuck NOW
3. Learn how a healthy relationship looks like
4. Learn new, healthy relationship patterns by learning how to effectively identify and safely communicate your needs and feelings to your partner (the same skills translate to communication with friends, parents, colleagues and, why not, your boss!)🙂
5. Reprocess with me any stressful/traumatic relationship memory that is preventing you from moving forward/foster healthy patterns in your current relationship(s)
6. Experience the transition from feeling you are barely “surviving” to LIVING and LOVING your life, feeling loved, safe and secure within yourself and in your relationships.

Until you familiarize, understand and reprocess/replace your unhealthy relationship patterns with healthy ones, you will continue to engage in unhealthy relationships that make you feel unsafe, insecure and unloved.

By working with me, you will learn how to experience and foster the loving, nurturing and secure relationships you always deserved and wanted. No matter if you are a couple or individual seeking help with therapy, I can help you achieve these goals!

My approach in working with couples (and clients) is integrated (influenced by several therapeutic approaches). However, my most prominent approach in couples work is influenced by Dr. Sue Johnson’s Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), a short-term structured form of therapy developed in the 1980’s in tandem with the science of adult attachment/bonding. EFT allows couples to feel emotionally connected, as well as more loved and secure in their relationship (learn more here). My approach in couples therapy is trauma informed, experiential and active (I engage my clients with weekly exercises in between sessions to consolidate the new knowledge gained in session). We are going to concentrate on the present issues and negative patterns that are affecting you right now, and you are going to feel like you will have an overall better understanding of your way of relating, as well as having new tools you can use to improve your relationship.