Couples & Relationships
Relationships can be deeply meaningful—and sometimes complicated.
Even strong relationships can fall into patterns that leave both partners feeling frustrated, misunderstood, or disconnected. You may find yourselves having the same argument over and over, feeling unheard or becoming caught in cycles of blame and defensiveness. Resentment may have built up over time, or the pressures of everyday life may have made it harder to feel close.
Sometimes the difficulty is less about conflict and more about feeling out of sync. You may have different needs around intimacy, affection, communication, or time together, or simply feel that you've lost some of the ease and connection you once had.
Couples therapy can offer a space to step outside of these familiar dynamics and begin to understand one another differently.
Understanding the patterns between you
When couples get caught in familiar ways of relating, it can begin to feel as though you’re on opposite sides. Over time, it can become difficult to see what is happening beneath the surface or to imagine responding to one another differently.
In our work together, we can slow these interactions down and become curious about what each of you is experiencing in those moments. This can make it easier to understand not only your own reactions, but also your partner’s experience and perspective—even when you don’t necessarily agree.
Rather than seeing one another as the problem, we can begin to look at the pattern itself as something you’re facing together. This shift can create more room for empathy, curiosity, and new ways of responding to one another.
Rebuilding connection
Understanding a pattern is often the beginning of changing it. As you become more aware of what happens between you, there may be more opportunity to respond differently—to communicate more openly, express needs more clearly, and listen to one another with less defensiveness.
Couples therapy can also help make space for the parts of your relationship that may have gotten lost amid conflict, stress, or the demands of everyday life. We can explore what helps each of you feel loved, valued, and connected, while working toward a relationship that feels more supportive and satisfying for both of you.
Neurodiversity in relationships
Differences in how partners communicate, process emotions, or experience the world can sometimes lead to misunderstandings in a relationship. This may be especially true when one or both partners are neurodivergent.
Rather than viewing these differences as deficits, therapy can help us become curious about how each of you experiences the relationship and what you need from one another. Along with developing a better understanding of these differences, we can work together to create practical systems and strategies that take both partners’ needs into account and make everyday life and connection feel more manageable.
I have a particular interest in working with neurodiverse couples and welcome couples who want to better understand how neurodiversity may be shaping their relationship.
Online couples therapy throughout California
I provide online couples therapy to clients across California. Sessions take place by video, allowing you and your partner to meet from the privacy and comfort of your own space.
If you’re considering couples therapy, I welcome you to reach out for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation to talk briefly about what brings you to therapy and whether working together might be a good fit.