Here’s the hard truth: not all therapists are good at couples counseling.
It makes sense, right? Within any industry, some individuals are more successful than others, and some even choose to specialize and fine-tune their skill in one specific area.
In order to qualify to be a couple’s counselor, you need a license and credentials. Those who pursue this degree learn a ton about all of the mental health maladies, treatment protocols – what’s normal, abnormal… you get the idea. All of this can make it somewhat challenging to approach the specifics of different situations with the appropriate nuance.
Take couples counseling. Someone who has not done the extra work to become well versed in the particulars, the different dynamics and behaviors and patterns that occur within a relationship, may not be able to guide the sessions appropriately, if at all.
So, if you’re looking for a couples counselor, it’s key that you find someone who specializes in that area, and has the appropriate framework and understanding in which to effectively hold space and guide the sessions.
Gottman Method of Relationship Therapy
Of all the couples counseling techniques, the Gottman Method is the one most frequently used. Its popularity is due to its effectiveness: It is evidence based, and backed by over 40 years of research.
It works to reconnect partners, helping them reestablish their bond through communication, rituals, love maps, and quality time together.
It helps those who feel like their relationship is stagnant; removing the barriers that led them to that dead end. Breathing life back into a bond that’s become so routine, both feel as though they’re just going through the motions.
It also helps those who have resorted to communicating in dysfunctional ways, where feelings get hurt and nothing gets resolved.
The need for relationship counseling comes up at different junctures. If you think of all the phases or “seasons” of life, most come with big life-altering changes. It can be a challenge to walk through these together, being present for each other through the transitions, and not slowly head in opposite directions.
What to Expect
A Gottman trained therapist will first ask you about your relationship. They will want to know the issue that made you decide to seek counseling, and get a little insight into your history.
The information you and your partner provide helps inform the course of your sessions. The therapist will have a better idea of your strengths and weaknesses as a couple, and will work with the two of you to help you get back on track.
The primary focus of your time together is to restore and strengthen three key areas: friendship, conflict management, and creation of shared meaning. This is the lens through which your therapist will address areas that have flatlined and are in need of revival.
You’ll learn ways of coping in difficult times that bring the two of you closer.
You’ll learn new healthy ways to communicate in the everyday, and work together to strategize on how to maneuver any relapse, or tendency to default into old patterns.
Our therapists at the Relationship Therapy center are Gottman trained and mentored by a Certified Gottman Method Therapist. They have helped countless couples reclaim what brought them together in the first place, arming them with the appropriate tools, so they could keep building from that foundation.
If your relationship is suffering, take action. We offer free 15-minute consultations, and would love to hear about your situation and let you know how we can help.
Begin Couples Counseling in the Sacramento Area:
If you are ready to learn how to deal with the problems in your relationship, the therapists at The Relationship Therapy Center in Fair Oaks, CA and Roseville, CA can help! Our therapists are ready to support you and your partner in your journey towards creating a healthy and happy relationship. To begin counseling in Roseville, CA area, or counseling in Fair Oaks, please follow these three simple steps:
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Contact our counseling office to get more information about couples counseling and to schedule a free consultation,
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Make an appointment with one of our Gottman Method trained therapists,
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Find support and healing in your relationship!
Other Services offered at The Relationship Therapy Center in California:
In addition to couples counseling, Our Sacramento area counseling clinics located in Roseville and Fair Oaks, CA are pleased to offer a variety of mental health services. Our couples services include: Couples Counseling, Counseling after infidelity, sex therapy, co-parent counseling, family therapy, divorce counseling, intensive couples retreats, and premarital counseling. Our individual therapy services include anxiety treatment, therapy for children, teen therapy, depression treatment, codependency counseling and individual relationship counseling. Our therapists offer online counseling in California to treat a variety of mental health concerns. Please reach out to our Sacramento area therapy office to learn more about the many ways we can help you or your loved ones.