Now accepting new clients. Book a free 30-minute consultation.

Telehealth across Texas · Couples only

Find your way back.

Warm, active couples counseling for the patterns that keep pulling you apart.

Book a free 30-minute consultation

$175 per 50-minute session

John Pecina, LMFT Associate and couples counselor
LMFT Associate · Telehealth across Texas · Couples only

If you're here

You might be feeling stuck

You still care about each other. You may simply be exhausted by the tension, distance, resentment, or misunderstandings that keep building.

  • The same argument keeps happening, even when you both promise it will be different.
  • You feel more like roommates managing a life than partners sharing one.
  • A hurt has changed the way trust feels between you.
  • Parenting, stepfamily roles, or daily stress keep putting you on opposite sides.

Look beneath the conflict

The problem may not be the argument itself

The topic on the surface is often only one part of what is happening. Underneath may be a need to feel heard, valued, safe, or close.

John helps couples slow down the cycle that pulls them into pursuing, defending, criticizing, or shutting down. When you can see the pattern as the shared problem, you can begin responding to each other differently.

What this will actually be like

From Stuck to a Stronger Us

The shape the work tends to take. Not a fixed formula, just the path most couples travel.

Step 01

Feeling Stuck

We keep having the same fight, and we cannot find our way out of it on our own.

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Start where you are

What Brings You Here?

Choose the statement that feels closest to your relationship right now.

Choose one thought to begin. You can change it at any time.

The subject may change, but the cycle often feels familiar. John helps you slow down what happens underneath the argument so both partners can understand the pattern—not just win the point.

Learn more

You are not the only couple here

You might be closer to one of these stories than you think.

A relationship pattern, not a client story

Alex

You and your partner still care deeply, but nearly every difficult conversation follows the same path. One of you pushes to be heard while the other shuts down to keep things from getting worse. By the end, neither of you feels understood. You are not looking for someone to declare a winner. You want help slowing the pattern down and finding a safer way to reach each other.

These are fictitious names and scenarios used only to illustrate real-life situations.

A clear beginning

How Couples Counseling Works

Step 01 · Vibe check

Meet John together

Use the free 30-minute consultation to ask questions, share what you hope might change, and see whether the fit feels right.

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Portrait of John Pecina

Hi, I'm John

Warm, calm, and active couples counseling

I know how easy it is for stress, parenting, stepfamily dynamics, work, and everyday life to create distance between two people who still love each other. As a husband, dad, proud grandparent, and member of a blended family for more than 13 years, this work is personal to me too.

Therapy does not have to feel stiff or clinical. You can expect genuine conversation, practical help, and probably some laughter along the way.

Meet John

A short introduction

Meet John Pecina

Get a feel for John and his approach to couples counseling.

John Pecina, LMFT Associate · 2 minutes, 19 seconds

For the hesitant partner

You do not have to be equally ready

Skepticism is welcome. No one gets ganged up on, and the consultation is not a commitment to therapy. It is simply a chance for both of you to meet John and ask direct questions.

The worry

“What if counseling turns into two people telling me everything I am doing wrong?”

John's approach

The work focuses on what happens between you. Both partners are heard, both may be challenged, and neither is treated as the problem.

Meet from where you are

Telehealth Across Texas

Both partners can meet securely from separate or shared locations while physically located in Texas.

Eligibility check

Can We Meet With John?

Telehealth across Texas

John works with couples by secure telehealth. Both partners must be physically located in Texas during each session.

Choose an answer to check whether telehealth is available to you.

Common questions

A Few Things You May Be Wondering

What happens during couples counseling?

Couples counseling is more than simply learning better communication skills. We will work together to understand the patterns that keep pulling you into conflict, distance, defensiveness, or shutdown. Often, the argument happening on the surface is connected to something deeper underneath it. My approach is attachment-based and informed by Emotionally Focused Therapy. We will slow down difficult moments, identify the cycle you get caught in, and help each of you better understand what is happening emotionally for both partners. Over time, the goal is to help you respond to each other differently, rebuild emotional safety, and create a stronger connection. And while the work can be serious, therapy does not have to feel stiff or clinical. You can expect genuine conversation, practical help, and probably some laughter along the way.

What if my partner doesn't want to come?

This is very common. Sometimes one partner is ready for counseling long before the other. Your spouse may be skeptical, uncomfortable talking about personal things, worried about being blamed, or simply unsure whether therapy will actually help. I try to create an environment where both partners feel heard and respected. Couples counseling is not about deciding who is right or who is wrong. It is about understanding what is happening between the two of you. If your spouse is unsure, a free 30-minute consultation can also be a low-pressure way for both of you to meet me, ask questions, and decide whether counseling feels like a good fit.

Do you take insurance?

I currently work on a private-pay basis rather than billing insurance directly. Depending on your insurance plan, you may have out-of-network benefits that allow you to submit documentation for possible reimbursement. I recommend contacting your insurance company directly to ask about your specific benefits for couples or family therapy. Private-pay counseling also allows us to focus on the needs and goals of your relationship without an insurance company determining the length or direction of treatment.

See all frequently asked questions

Free 30-minute consultation

Ready for a low-pressure first step?

A free 30-minute vibe check gives both of you room to ask questions and see whether working with John feels like a good fit.

$175 per 50-minute session