Improve Your Relationships with Couples Therapy in Phoenix
‘Humans have a basic need to connect, love and be loved by another”
It’s not about the dishes…
Relationship struggles aren’t really about what they appear to be on the surface. The fight about the dishes, the tension around money, the scorekeeping — these are signals, not the source. Underneath these signals are two people with their own histories, their own wounds, and their own deeply ingrained ideas about love, safety, and connection. When those inner worlds meet, things get complicated fast — and trying harder rarely fixes it.
All of our clinicians are relational and systemic. This means we have a specialized way of working with relationships. We use an attachment framework to get to the root of disconnection to create space for new conversations and experiences.
WE WORK WITH COUPLES FACING:
• Disconnection, distance, or the feeling of living as roommates
• Betrayal, infidelity, and broken trust
• Emotional or physical intimacy struggles
• Communication patterns that go nowhere despite your best efforts
• Feeling stuck in the same fight, different day
• Mismatched needs around closeness and independence
• Life transitions that have shifted the foundation of your relationship — parenthood, loss, career change etc
Blending families, co-parenting & step-parenting
• Pre-marital work for couples who want to start with intention
Challenges within LGBTQ+ relationships
• Honest, pressure-free exploration of whether to stay or go
• Sexual concerns and shifting desires in long-term partnerships
• Business partners and collaborators whose working relationship needs support too
Relationships comprised of more than 2 partners
Exploring ethical non-monogamy
The Benefits of Couples Therapy
Couples therapy gives your relationship the time needed to dive into areas of concern. With both partners present we can gain an understanding of where you each get stuck when attempting to connect and communicate.
A time for you and your partner to dedicate solely to your relationship
A safe space to work through areas of concern or conflict with a specialized clinician to guide you
An opportunity to improve the way in which you talk to each other
Get to know each other on a deeper level in your relationship
Talk about the hard topics that you can’t seem to get through at home
Learn how to repair conflict rather than sweep it under the rug.
What to Expect in Couples Therapy
An intake process comprised of 4 sessions:
Session 1: 60-90 minute intake that includes both partners to address presenting problems and reasons for therapy
Sessions 2 &3: 60 minute individual sessions with each partner to learn more about individual histories and perspectives on relational concerns
Session 4: 50-60 minute joint session to identify goals and treatment plan to move forward
A non judgmental space where both partners feel heard and accepted
Weekly sessions are recommended in the beginning to build momentum and create shifts at home
Extended sessions are often preferred by couples and may be recommended. Intensives (2-9 hours of therapy broken up into increments) may be ideal for certain couples.
How We Approach Couples Counseling
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
Developed by Dr Sue Johnson, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is highly effective in restoring connection by getting to the root of why you feel disconnected in your relationship by uncovering your unmet needs. In its non blaming approach, the relationship is viewed in terms of the negative interaction cycle that couples get stuck in leading to conflict. It views couples through patterns of pursuit and withdrawal and how this interaction response is based on our attachment histories. EFT can help restore safety, security & emotional intimacy.
IFIO- Intimacy From the Inside Out
Intimacy From the Inside Out (IFIO) is a powerful, evidence-informed model of couples therapy based on Internal Family Systems (IFS) developed by lead IFS trainer Toni-Herbine Blank.
Using the IFIO approach, each partner is guided to explore their own internal world—thoughts, emotions, protective strategies, and unmet needs—so they can show up in the relationship with more clarity and compassion. As partners learn to recognize and speak for, rather than from their most activated parts, new pathways of connection and healing open up.
IFIO helps you heal your relationships from the inside out!
Data driven Assessments
Pre-marital/Dating
Wondering how to make your relationship long lasting and successful? Working through your values and beliefs surrounding key factors in a relationship such as finances, parenting, sex, responsibilities etc. can be game changer for couples. Be proactive in your relationship instead of reactive! We use PREPARE/ENRICH, an evidenced based tool to collect data and find the areas that need the most attention.
Gottman Relationship Check-up
Start with a check up! The Gottman Relationship Checkup is a research-based assessment that gives you and your partner a clear picture of where your relationship stands. You'll each complete an online questionnaire on your own time, covering everything from friendship and intimacy to trust, conflict, and the life you're building together. Your trained clinician will then walk through the results with you both, so you can see your strengths, name what's getting in the way, and leave with a roadmap for what comes next.
What clients are saying: