Couples Therapy

WHY COUPLES THERAPY?

Many people perceive couples therapy as something only needed for those who are already in seriously troubled relationships that are destined to fail. On the contrary, taking a proactive view of couples therapy can help ensure a long and healthy partnership by helping couples hone their communication and connection skills. Addressing serious problems early on can also give you a better chance of working them out in therapy, before negative feelings take over. Many couples face hardships in life and seeking therapy can help you navigate these challenges together. Couple’s therapy is not only necessary during a time of crisis, like a breakup or major life change. It can also be useful to manage recurring conflict or underlying issues. Relationships are very much like a garden. It must be tended to and nurtured to continue to grow and thrive. Most of the time, couples tend to sweep their issues under the rug, and each person in the relationship may continue as if there were never a problem to begin with, only for it to resurface later, possibly during another confrontation, causing even greater problems.

While many couples may think they can handle problems within their relationship themselves, it is not always productive and can cause even more harm to the relationship. In some cases, people can work out relationship conflicts on their own, but if you find yourself having the same argument over and over with your partner without any resolution, it might be time to see a couple’s therapist. Couple’s therapy helps couples of all types recognize and resolve conflicts and improve their relationships. Through therapy, you can make thoughtful decisions about rebuilding and strengthening your relationship or going your separate ways. Couple’s therapy can help partners discuss problems within the marriage, such as an affair, in a controlled environment where both partners can feel secure in the conversation. A skilled couple’s
therapist will not align with either partner. If you are the betraying partner, you should feel accepted in couples therapy, and if you are the betrayed partner, you should feel understood. A couple’s therapist can help each of you move through the trauma while tending to the relationship.

THE GOTTMAN METHOD

Kathryn is one of only five hundred Gottman Certified Therapist worldwide.    The Gottman Method, www.gottman.com, is a world-renowned, evidence-based, and revolutionary framework for improving marriages and relationships. Based on 40 years of research by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, The Sound Relationship Theory  is the guiding  framework for assessing and intervening with specific tools to strengthen every level of the house. Such interventions are  based on what the Gottman’s discovered worked in relationships by studying the “ masters’ closely.  Gottman believes that the  friendship system is the core of an intimate relationship, and is literally the house’s foundation. Further, the  levels of the house represent the key components that interdependently function. By precisely assessing through “ evidence-based assessments”, Kathryn is able to hone in on the areas that require immediate work.  Kathryn works with couples to help manage their conflicts, teaches how to  to tackle solvable as well as perpetual issues, as they must be handled very differently. The ultimate outcome is that the friendship increases as conflict is managed.  Overall, greater appreciation, passion, and intentional time together is the secret sauce for creating shared meaning to keep the relationship strong to endure future challenges.

Some of the relationship issues that Kathryn has been trained to address are:

AFFAIR RECOVERY

EMOTIONALLY DISTANT COUPLES,  LIVING PARALLEL LIVES,

 DIFFICULTIES AFTER BABY IS BORN, OR OTHER ADJUSTMENTS

INTIMACY ISSUES, PORNOGRAPHY ISSUES, PARENTING PROBLEMS, DIFFICULTY WITH IN-LAWS, ETC 

Even couples with “normal” levels of conflict benefit from the Gottman Method. Kathryn’s aim is to facilitate stronger relationships that are not only equipped with the tools to manage any issues that arise , but to expertly co-create, what she calls,  

The Couple’s Logo:

                            the intentional building of  purpose and deeper meaning .