Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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.

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.

Couples counseling is $175 for a 50-minute session. The initial 30-minute consultation is free.

Some couples come to counseling because they have recently started getting stuck in conflict, while others are working through patterns that have developed over many years. Things like the level of distress in the relationship, past hurts, betrayal, trauma, and each partner's willingness to engage in the process can all affect the length of counseling. Rather than giving you a predetermined number of sessions, we will regularly talk about your goals and whether you are seeing meaningful change. The goal is not to keep you in therapy indefinitely. It is to help you develop a healthier, more secure relationship that you can continue building outside of the therapy room.

Yes. You do not have to come into counseling already certain that you want to stay married. Some couples come because they desperately want to repair their relationship. Others come feeling exhausted, discouraged, or unsure whether the relationship can be saved. My role is not to pressure you toward staying together or separating. Instead, I help create a space where both partners can slow things down, better understand what has happened in the relationship, and make thoughtful decisions about what comes next. When reconciliation is something both partners want to pursue, we can work toward rebuilding safety, trust, and connection.

My role is not to decide who is right and who is wrong. That means there may be times when I challenge one partner more directly, and other times when I challenge the other. My goal is to help both of you understand how the pattern between you is keeping you stuck. The goal is not to find a winner. It is to help the two of you stop fighting against each other and start understanding what is happening between you.

It makes sense to be cautious after a disappointing experience. An attachment-based, EFT-informed approach looks beneath the content of an argument to the cycle that keeps pulling both partners in. Rather than relying only on communication tips, we slow down what happens between you and practice new ways of reaching and responding. No approach can promise a particular outcome, but the consultation gives you a chance to ask how I work and decide whether it feels different enough to try.

Only if you want it to be. I am Christian, and I can integrate faith when that matters to both partners. It is never required. Couples of any belief, or no belief, are welcome and will be treated with respect.