Ways We Help
Couples Therapy
A disagreement about time, affection, or responsibilities may keep returning despite repeated conversations. Couples therapy focuses on what happens between you during those moments and what each partner is trying to express.
Who This Is For
We work with young couples and adults concerned about recurring conflict, distance, or trust. You may disagree about the problem itself. The starting point is hearing how each partner experiences the relationship. You may worry that a session will become another argument. We can talk about how sessions work, what each of you wants to discuss, and what would make the conversation useful.
- Young adult couples
- Adult partners
- Communication and trust concerns
Focus of Care
What We Work On
Recurring Conflict
The beginning of a familiar argument and what keeps it going.
Communication
Each partner's needs and what the other person actually hears.
Emotional Distance
Withdrawal, missed attempts to connect, and questions about closeness.
Trust
Hurt, expectations, and the questions that are still unanswered.
How We Work
We draw on EFT and the Gottman Method to examine relationship patterns. In a session, we may slow a recent disagreement and ask each partner to describe the feelings beneath their response. The work gives couples opportunities to communicate their needs, resolve conflicts, and consider different responses.
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Gottman Method
What Can Shift
Goals may involve discussing a difficult topic without returning to the same argument, identifying a need before withdrawing, or clarifying expectations about trust. We ask what you notice between sessions and adjust the focus to reflect both partners' concerns.
What Sessions Look Like
Couples sessions last 50 minutes and are available in person at 9655 Granite Ridge Drive, Suite 200, San Diego, or by telehealth anywhere in California.
Each partner has a perspective to contribute. We may return to a specific exchange, examine what each person understood, and practice another way of expressing the concern.
Fees in Brief
Individual, couples and family sessions are 50 minutes. We are in network with many plans and provide superbills for out-of-network benefits. Contact us for rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if My Partner Is Unsure?
A free 15-minute phone consultation gives them room to ask questions. We can describe couples work before either of you decides about sessions.
Do We Have to Be in Crisis?
No. Recurring disagreements, growing distance, or questions about communication are reasons to consider sessions before a crisis.
Can We Join from Two California Locations?
It depends on your circumstances. In the consultation, we can talk through your locations and the practical details of joining a session.
Related Support
You May Also Want to Explore
Relationship concerns sometimes involve each partner's anxiety as well as the exchanges between them. These pages describe individual relationship work, panic-focused care and family conversations. Comparing them may help you ask whether the concern needs both partners present, personal reflection or participation from other family members before deciding which service to discuss.
When you contact us, we can start with the conversation you and your partner keep having and what you wish each of you could hear.
Start With a Conversation