In the early stages of therapy, I encourage each partner to identify how you can make concrete changes that will visibly improve the relationship. Making these changes, and seeing positive results, often creates the seeds of hope that you can find healthy new ways of being with your partner lovingly and respectfully. If you like, I can suggest "homework" to do between sessions to move the repair process along.

Once therapy is underway, we will explore your past to uncover where and how you learned unhealthy relationship patterns and how unhealed wounds from childhood or adulthood serve as trigger points for conflict in your current relationship. Gaining insight into some of those problems is an important step in making lasting changes.

Oftentimes in relationships, beneath the surface-level problems lies a flight from intimacy. Intimacy can indeed be very scary. It takes a lot of trust and courage to allow your partner to know you completely, to not only see the parts of you that you proudly present to the world, but also the fears, self-doubts and pockets of darkness within you.

As relationships progress over time, many couples get into a "pursuit-retreat" pattern, where one partner aggressively tries to make contact and the other feels pressured by the pursuit and backs farther and farther away. Each ends up feeling isolated and often unloved.

As your therapist, I can serve as a catalyst for change and somewhat of a translator to help you hear and understand your partner in ways you haven't been able to on your own. My "client" will be your relationship, and together we will explore ways you can achieve the type of connection you long for.

Ultimately, our goal is for you to create a loving, committed relationship characterized by mutual respect, joy, passion and compassion.

Call or e-mail me today to get the process underway!