Couples
"It is the notion and ideal of love, the impulse to love, that brings us together. But it is our failures and inabilities in living up to those ideals that holds us together; through which we can learn how to love and for which we can learn how to forgive each other." Rob Lehman
My work with couples builds on my belief system in mindfulness, but is based heavily on Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, an approach that examines and works with the emotional system of the couple to support the partners in expanding and reworking their emotional responses to one another. I work with each partner to create a shift in the ways each interact with one another toward developing new, more effective and supportive means of interaction. The ultimate goal is toward the creation of a secure bond between the partners, which may have been weakened over time or as a result of events within or outside of the relationship. This therapy is present oriented, short term and goal focused, based on strong research. As with my other work, I weave in my style, which is direct, empathic and playful.
In addition to my work supporting couples at all phases of their relationships, I have extensive experience working with gay and lesbian couples, couples with high needs children, couples facing serious illness and couples who have experienced trauma.