Looking for a Couples Counselor?
Marriage and Couples Counseling in Santa Rosa

If you are reading this and are considering couples counseling, chances are things are feeling pretty desperate. Couples often dread the idea of counseling. And calling a counselor is usually a last resort. Many couples initially express concern that the counselor will judge or lecture them, or even worse, take sides with their partner. I am sensitive to these concerns. So, my first goal is to maintain a balanced approach and to show couples that I do not make judgments on who is right or wrong. This creates an environment where couples feel safe enough to open up so that lasting changes can be made.

My belief is that couples who seek counseling do so because they are stuck in a negative communication cycle. Common cycles I work with involve blame, criticism, and distancing. Couples often feel like they're having the same argument again and again but can't seem to get unstuck. For some couples, the negative cycle is present in most interactions. Other couples find that they can mostly avoid conflict by steering clear of danger zones yet this avoidance creates a more distant and unsatisfying relationship.

My work with couples involves developing new communication patterns that create openness and understanding. Counseling enables couples to share their needs and their experiences of their struggles. As couples feel safer, more effective and satisfying ways of relating can be practiced in therapy and then used at home.

My practice is non-discriminatory and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals are welcome.