Couples and Marital Counseling
Puzzled by your intimate relationship?
A quick story
Megan and Darren had been together for ten years and found themselves having the same argument, followed by days and sometimes weeks of avoiding the elephant in the room. Darren wanted more intimacy in the bedroom and Megan wanted to feel more of an emotional connection. They had three young children and desperately wanted to avoid separating because of irreconcilable differences. After four months of attending weekly sessions together and individual sessions on a bi-weekly basis, their communication style changed from blaming and criticizing to listening and empathizing. Darren learned to ask Megan how her day was and listened actively, asking follow-up questions (including what he could do to support her). Megan felt a deeper connection to Darren and began initiating intimacy with simple and small gestures—sitting next to him on the couch, reaching out to hold his hand, and whispering in his ear. These changes seemed so minor, but they opened up both Megan and Darren’s ability to talk about what their needs—for different forms of connection—stem from. They could no longer blame one another for unmet needs once they saw that they were equally responsible for not only the problem, but the solution. This was a powerful lesson for both parties.
COUPLES
In intimate relationships, we learn very quickly how we wish to be treated by another person. We are simultaneously learning how the other person wishes to be treated by ourselves. Couples benefit from learning how to communicate more effectively by understanding what sensations, emotions, and thoughts are impacting their actions and consequently the relationship. Discord melts away when partners become more considerate and expressive of their feelings, needs, and requests for change not only with the other, but with self. Call today for your free 30-minute phone consultation if you and/or your partner identifies one, or more more of the following in your relationship:
Frequent conflict without resolution
Ineffective communication
Possibility of divorce, or separation