Couples Counseling

In addition to my experience responding to the needs of persons with histories of trauma, I am trained as a couples and family therapist. I have considerable experience with couples struggling with infertility, family planning, adoption, child-rearing, difference in culture, background or temperament, or struggling with illness, disability, separation, divorce, remarriage, care-giving and questions and conflicts regarding lifestyle or decision making. I have been broadly trained in a variety of modalities with known efficacy in supporting couples, and draw from attachment theory, AEDP, EFT and Collaborative Couple's Therapy in my work. As a therapist, I am kind, thoughtful, warm and fair. I am deeply committed to assisting couples to learn and grow together as partners, and believe that the struggles we experience in our relationships are often an incredible opportunity for learning, growth and deepening understanding and closeness.

Working with couples is a passive as communication, openness, and intimacy are all key things and areas that relationships need.

I really enjoy and value supporting LGBTQ couples.

Heather has worked with many couples as they navigate their relationship struggles.

I work with couples who feel disconnected and misunderstood. I use an eclectic approach including EFT, Gottman and attachment based interventions to help couples gain deeper insight into their own experience as well as find mutual ground with their partners.

Since 2014, I’ve specialized in helping neurodivergent and trauma-experienced couples improve communication and intimacy. I’ve developed a unique curriculum blending Gottman, Brainspotting, IFS, and Mindful Self-Compassion. My approach focuses on intensives (3-hour sessions, full days, or weekend retreats), offering quicker progress, deeper connection, and time to tackle issues without interruption—ideal for busy couples ready to make lasting changes.

We specialize in helping couples dealing with a variety of common couple challenges and situations: -Communication blocks -Repeat Arguments -Disconnection and distance -Not feeling understood or a priority -Not feeling good enough for your partner; unable to make them happy -Not feeling like you can count on the other -Improving sexual connection -Desire discrepancies -Improving sexual satisfaction -Communication about sex -Relationship injury repair such as affairs or addiction -Rebuilding trust -Dealing with jealousy -Betrayal trauma and PTSD from relationship injuries or infidelity -Helping couples on the brink - can we repair? -Working with relationship ambivalence or uncertainty -Divorce prevention -Peaceful divorce -Parenting challenges -Not on the same parenting page -Lack of parenting support -Blending families -In-law conflict -Extended family relationships -Couples who work together; family business -Navigating religious differences

Relationships can be difficult and present unexpected difficulties due to getting married, having children, infidelity, sexual concerns, external stressors or recurring conflicts. Couples experiencing conflict or challenges from communication can benefit from a working with a therapist who can help you understand one another and your relationship better and learn to constructively communicate and cooperate as a couple.

Committing to being real with each other, to explore our own expectations and assumptions, to uncover our unconscious motives and patterns, to talk about what we want, to admit our faults, accept each other's limitations, learn and practice healthy communication, get out of our own way so we can be a lot happier in this relationship and with each other so we can go the distance and enjoy our relationship. I favor Relational Life Therapy (RLT) and mix in EFT and Gottman.

Couples tell me that my ability to hold space for each of their perspectives, as well as my tendency to “translate” their experiences to one another, help them overcome the barriers they feel in communication and support them in being more vulnerable and assertive in their relationships. Clients have expressed appreciation for my ability to listen, reflect back, and provide challenge and new insight into their experiences.

As a couples therapist, I blend evidence-based methods with emotional insight to help partners transform challenges into growth opportunities. Using the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy, I create a safe space for exploring difficult topics and building deeper connections. Together, we'll develop practical strategies to strengthen your relationship while honoring both partners' aspirations.

Couples generally come to counseling to improve their connection with each other. The lack of closeness or the presence of resentment is often due to a variety of circumstances. My approach is to learn about when your relationship used to feel better, what happened to change it, and help each person understand and empathize with each other as we explore the deeper motivators that resulted in distance between them. I draw from a variety of techniques based on my perceived needs of the couple.

Couples Counseling works to help the couple talk in a safe environment in ways in which they are unable to alone. This is a very different conversation than the one in which the two people typically engage. Through a deeper understanding of one another, the relationship can begin to heal.

As a couples therapist, I blend evidence-based methods with emotional insight to help partners transform challenges into growth opportunities. Using the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy, I create a safe space for exploring difficult topics and building deeper connections. Together, we'll develop practical strategies to strengthen your relationship while honoring both partners' aspirations.

I am trained in emotionally focused couples therapy and structural family therapy. These modalities emphasize the power of attachment to solve problems and heal emotional wounds. I specialize, with over thirteen years of experience, in the integration of couples therapy and sex therapy to help relationships of all kinds comprehensively address the complexity of their lived experiences.

John Gottman's research found that emotionally intelligent couples are intimately familiar with each other’s worlds. They know each other’s goals in life, worries, and dreams. Without such a love map, you can’t know your partner. From knowledge springs not only love, but the fortitude to weather marital storms. Couples who have detailed love maps of each other’s worlds are far better prepared to cope with stressful events and conflict.

I got my start in family and marital counseling 16yrs ago. In my culture family is not an important thing; It’s EVERYTHING!! Relationships are as vital and necessary as the air we breathe; after all, children and future posterity/generations are impacted by the quality and longevity of our marital and parenting bonds. If you are experiencing trouble in your marriage or relationship; I can assist you with identifying maladaptive patterns and replacing them with new and healthy ones.

We tailor our approach to meet the needs of each couple. Most couples benefit from an approach that combines learning new skills (e.g., communicating more effectively) with space to work through issues in therapy and practice using these new skills. Couples counseling tends to focus on three areas: (1) strengthening the couple’s friendship, (2) helping the couple more effectively engage with conflict, and (3) helping the couples navigate questions around life goals and values.

As a licensed Marriage Family therapist, I received masters level training in couples counseling. I also worked at several domestic violence shelters and facilitated batterer's intervention programs, where I taught about "healthy relationships" and how to have a relationship based in respect. Since that time, I have studied the Gottman method. I am most interested in helping couples use mindfulness and positive communication strategies to build a better relationship.