I imagine that if you're reading this, you're concerned about some aspect of your relationship. You probably want to know what can be done to help or to stop a divorce from happening. As an expert couples counselor who specializes in marriage counseling and couples therapy, I know I can help you reconnect and repair your relationship.

I often hear from couples that are in despair - frightened that their relationship is beyond help. Their communications have broken down, trust has eroded and sex is almost nonexistent. I also frequently see fundamentally strong couples that may be facing a specific crisis and want the aid of a professional.

Couples come into counseling with a variety of issues to address including communication and conflict resolution, sexual and intimacy issues, fighting and anger problems, identity and role conflict, dependence vs. independence, religion, ethics and values, jealousy, parenting, infidelity, money and finances, addiction, family and in-law struggles, step family issues, gender roles, infertility / adoption, among others.

If your marriage or relationship is on the rocks, I can teach you how to get things back on track. If you're thinking about getting married and are interested in premarital counseling, I can help you master the secrets to having a strong and loving relationship for life.

My Philosophy and My Approach

I believe that any relationship - no matter what state it's in - can be made better with marriage and family counseling. The simple truth is that I love people and whole-heartedly believe that relationships give meaning to our lives. When you're in a great relationship, your world seems better, brighter, and stronger. Having this kind of relationship is my wish for you.

I view couples therapy as extremely collaborative and I use a strong team approach to get quick results. I am very involved in the session at all times and will honestly communicate to you what I see, feel and think. I begin by working with you to establish a vision for the relationship, which incorporates the ideals of both partners. My office becomes a safe haven, where problems can be discussed without fear of pain, judgment or retribution. Our consultation time is used as a living laboratory, a place where we can explore different styles, interventions and techniques. These can be used to change hurtful and destructive patterns in the relationship and create a stronger, more open and meaningful connection.

I practice a special kind of couples counseling, which is a blend of evidenced-based therapies. I believe in using methods that have been studied and proven to work. For example, one of the therapies I like is Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). I like it because it is short term; most couples find their relationship is much better after 8-20 sessions. In addition, EFT is positive and structured, where we focus on the strengths of each partner and learn how couples get stuck in hurtful cycles. Research studies on EFT have shown that 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery and approximately 90% show significant improvements.

What do I expect from you as my client? A commitment to our work, an ability to be open when looking what you bring into the relationship (both positive and negative), and a commitment to altering your own ineffectual behaviors. When these conditions are met, there is an excellent chance that I can not only help you get your relationship back on track, but take you to an even stronger place - one you may not have ever imagined was possible!

Some clients get concerned because their partner is unenthusiastic about couples counseling. If this is the case, I think it's important to remember that it only takes one person to make a change, to start things moving in a different direction, and make things better.

Developing Communication Skills

Healthy communication is a key ingredient of a successful relationship, and successful couples know how to communicate in a way that can actually improve their relationship. Through couples counseling I will help you to understand the way in which you presently communicate, and then teach you new skills and solutions to improve ways to talk to each other.

Working together as a team, I will guide you to:

• Identify negative patterns that are hindering the quality of your relationship and friendship.
• Learn how to stop blaming each other so you can work through problems without power struggles.
• Recognize the ‘cause & effect’ patterns in your relationship.
• Find healthy ways to communicate and relate to each other, which will strengthen the quality of your partnership.
• Get through the difficult phase when ‘the business of love’ (daily stressors) interferes with romance and connection.
• Reconnect to the love and passion of your earlier relationship.