Relationships, Couples, & Families
treatment areas & process
Relationships in romantic partnerships and within family systems can present some of the most challenging interactions, and can also provide some of the most rewarding and loving experiences in life. We offer therapy to support and help you navigate the various hurdles that can arise in these relationships. We work with romantic partners, couples, and families from various backgrounds, such as sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, race, and religious beliefs. Our therapists are LGBTQIA+ affirming, polyamory supportive, and kink aware.
Relationship and couples therapy is a type of psychotherapy that can help individuals in a romantic partnership resolve conflict by gaining insight into the relationship, improving communication skills and interactions, and developing relationship satisfaction. Therapy focuses on identifying specific challenges and unmet needs, as well as understanding the nuanced dynamics between the partners. This approach helps the partners develop deeper understanding and appreciation for each other that can motivate them to work together towards interconnectedness.
For many people, the first childhood memories of being in a community are within a family system. With all of the possible dynamics between members within this unique group, families are often a complex and complicated space to explore identity, expression, and social connection. Family therapy is a type of psychotherapy that can help family members improve communication skills in order to resolve conflict. The goal of family therapy is to address discord associated with emotional, psychological, or behavioral challenges, and to create a sense of interconnectedness and understanding within the family unit. Sessions can sometimes include only individual or certain family members, while other times the whole family might meet together as a group.
During the first few sessions of relationship, couples, or family counseling, a therapist will conduct an intake where they learn about your reasons for seeking counseling and get to know you individually and as a partnership, couple, or family. Your therapist will ask each individual various questions regarding childhood and family history, how your relationship began and changed over time, and other aspects of your personal lives. These initial sessions are an important and necessary part of the therapeutic process in order to help your therapist better understand the various dynamics in your relationship(s). Learning about your whole story helps your therapist make a proper assessment and create an appropriate treatment plan. Oftentimes, exploring the past helps you build perspective about your current relationship concerns, which then empowers you to work together with more clarity, understanding, and intention.
Some benefits of relationship, couples, and family therapy can be:
improve communication skills
provide skills for coping with challenging situations
offer new insight and understanding
develop a fuller understanding and appreciation for cultural differences and experiences
experience a deeper interconnectedness between the couple or within the family
identify problem areas between the couple or within the family
provide strategies for handling conflict
improve and strengthening relationships
