Couples therapy

    

For more than two decades I have been inspired, challenged, and often deeply moved by my work with couples from all over the world. I have sat with couples who argue and those who avoid conflict; with couples that are getting back together or getting a divorce; dealing with betrayal and reestablishing trust; managing cultural differences; and of course anything to do with parenthood, children and parent guidance. I have also worked a lot with couples of non-mainstream sexual orientations (L/g/b, kink).

Couples therapy generally involves one or more initial sessions for evaluation, and may include some individual sessions as part of either evaluation or treatment.

My training in couples therapy began with psychodynamic and family systems approaches, but evolved through learning and experience into my own mixture of approaches. ‘Emotionally Focused couples therapy’, which includes a strong attachment theory framework, comes close to describing my work, but I also recognize elements of other approaches in what I do, and of course it varies according to who I am working with.

In addition to a general practice of couples therapy, I have training in collaborative divorce, and I am certified to use the Myers Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI)

The MBTI can be useful for understanding difference in a relationship, as well as the common theme of ‘opposites and projections’ where both members of the couple feel stuck (and misunderstood) in their polarized roles. For example, the ‘logical’ one in the couple may turn out to be very emotional, while the ‘emotional’ one has their own very reasonable form of logic.