Couples Therapy

I work with couples who feel stuck in a cycle in which one of you reaches for closeness and the other pulls away. You both want connection but often end up feeling unseen and lonely, even when you’re in the same room.

You may notice that conversations escalate quickly or shut down entirely. You talk about the same issues again and again, yet the real hurt underneath never quite gets touched. One of you may feel like you’re asking for too much, while the other feels overwhelmed, pressured, or never quite enough. Both of you desire things to get better, but it seems like neither of you feels fully safe being vulnerable with the other.

The couples I work with are at all different stages—and I am deeply passionate about this work. So many of us have experienced wounds in our early life relationships; having a significant other in the therapy space creates the grounds for our relational "stuff" to surface and be tended to more quickly than in individual therapy.

I am an active therapist in the room, which means I like to provide psychoeducation when appropriate and gently challenge my couples to see things from a different perspective or dig deeper. I believe all our behaviors make sense once the context in which they were first felt necessary to protect us is understood. The methodologies I use range from a Psychobiological Approach (PACT) to manage immediate interactions, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for emotional bonding, Psychodynamic therapy - unconscious patterns from the past, and the Gottman Method - skill-building for conflict, all aiming to improve communication, trust, and intimacy by addressing root causes of conflict and fostering secure connection.

I am passionate about working with LGBTQIA+ couples and also love working with couples where neurodivergence is present. I am sex-positive, polyamory, ENM, LGBTQIA+, and kink-affirming.

Things that often happen as a result of couples therapy:

  • It feels more comfortable talking about and initiating intimacy

  • Communication becomes smoother and more efficient

  • That nagging sense of distrust fades

  • You feel more connected as a team. It’s us against the world, not us against each other

  • Partners work together on their past wounds instead of triggering each other more

  • More clarity is gained around how polyamory or consensual non-monogamy could or can continue to fit into your relationship if desired

Individuals

If you struggle with overthinking and a harsh inner critic…

You’ve probably had your fair share of relationship struggles, life transitions, and stress. You might want something more in life but find anxiety and perfectionism getting in your way.

Perhaps you desire deeper connections or for people to care as much as you do about them but also fear being fully seen. You might spend so much time questioning your decisions or getting stuck in analysis paralysis that it’s challenging to be present and enjoy the life you have built for yourself. It’s as if you’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Living in a state of hyper-vigilance and constantly monitoring your environment can be exhausting; it makes it hard to sleep, slow down, relax, and truly enjoy your life. You may have also noticed you have physical symptoms, like stomach issues, headaches, and exhaustion. 

If you’re looking for a place to feel seen, heard, and safe in the presence of someone who deeply cares and understands this struggle, you’ve come to the right place.

If you’re ready to stop questioning your self-worth and step into a way of being that feels less driven by fear and more comfortable relationally, I’m here for you.

Starting (or restarting) therapy can feel daunting. Together, we will create space for all the parts of you to come forth and greet them with tenderness in perfect timing. If this feels like a good fit for you, I would love to learn more about your journey and how I can support you.

EMDR Therapy

Allows the brain to desensitize painful memories and rewire negative internalized beliefs from traumatic experiences

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is highly effective for working with and treating trauma. This modality is grounded in neuroscience and is currently the most researched trauma therapy that exists.

EMDR can treat PTSD from a single incident trauma, such as a car accident or instance of sexual abuse, as well as developmental trauma. Developmental trauma, also known as complex trauma (CPTSD), is trauma that spans over the course of childhood from experiences such as neglect, parental divorce, or not having our emotional needs attuned to and met.

Much like how physical therapy helps the body heal from physical traumas, EMDR helps the mind heal from psychological trauma. This type of therapy works by helping to create new neural pathways in the brain so that traumatic memories are moved into long-term memory. By truly feeling like the past is over, the body no longer has to relieve the trauma when triggered, feeling like it’s happening all over again in the present moment.

As a result, while you will continue to have the memories of what happened, they will no longer have the same impact on your nervous system. Instead of feeling like you are in danger, your system will start to feel more safe. You will no longer be overrun by overwhelming fear or debilitating emotional pain, allowing your body to stay in a more neutral place instead of going into fight, flight, or freeze. The negative internalized beliefs you developed about yourself because of the trauma will be reframed into a more positive, supportive self-narrative.

If this sounds like a type of therapy you might benefit from, please reach out. I would love to connect to see if we might be a good fit to work together.

If you are currently feeling suicidal or are in state of crisis, please call 911.