About my Couples, Family, and Parent Therapies...
Couples Therapy
The basis of our therapy with couples is to create a "safe" space where thoughts, feelings, and concerns can be expressed openly, honestly, and without judgment. Our team believes that we are all doing the best we can with what we have; therefore, our couples work focuses on self-responsibility and accountability rather than on pointing fingers. Whether working with unmarried couples, married couples, or separated couples, the focus is on enhancing communication. In a society that supports a 50% divorce rate, investing in couples therapy can be one of the most loving gifts you can give to your partner or spouse.
Some of the areas we focus on when working with couples are teaching the principles of Nonviolent Communication, Gottman's Theory & Techniques, Sex Therapy, and Healthy Conflict Resolution. Couples, like individuals, also possess unique needs and respond to different techniques. Thus, collaboration with the couple and individual tailoring of the sessions prove to be of great importance.
Some of the areas we focus on when working with couples are teaching the principles of Nonviolent Communication, Gottman's Theory & Techniques, Sex Therapy, and Healthy Conflict Resolution. Couples, like individuals, also possess unique needs and respond to different techniques. Thus, collaboration with the couple and individual tailoring of the sessions prove to be of great importance.
Family Therapy
Families often come to therapy because certain ways in which they have been functioning are now becoming problematic. This may be due to recent changes, increased stress in one or more family member, illness, or alterations in the family structure. We collaboratively consider current family dynamics and examine dysfunctional patterns of which your family may or may not be aware. As your family therapist, our team takes an active approach in teaching healthy boundaries, indentifying triangles, coalitions, and subsystems, and modeling healthy communication.
Family therapy can be a scary endeavor. Therefore, we begin by building a firm foundation of trust with each family member and work with you to establish helpful guidelines for the session. We have found that once "defenses" are lowered, true openness, vulnerability, healing, and ultimately change, can and does occur.
Parenting & Cooperative Parenting Therapy
Parents come in many forms: single parents, unmarried couples, married couples, separated couples, divorced parents, and remarried couples. Each pair requires individualized tools, techniques, and guidelines. However, in our experience, parents are doing the best they can given their situation and ultimately love their child/children tremendously. Rather than taking a punitive standpoint, we focus on what parents are doing well, build upon such areas, and then point out areas in which they can enhance their skills in order to become more supportive and effective parents.
Human beings are imperfect, and children don't come with an instruction guide. Therefore, we simply cannot expect ourselves to be perfect parents. When we fall into this trap, our self-judgment takes over, and we are no longer open to the needs of our children. When parents can stop blaming themselves, they can begin to focus on their children.
Sometimes divorced parents come to me to obtain help and guidance after their children have begun showing symptoms of distress. Oftentimes, such distress is a combined result of the tension between the parents and the drastic changes in the childrens' lives. Therefore, we take a systems approach by working with the children, if necessary, while simultaneously working with parents. We also prefer to incorporate some family sessions.
A tool we have found to be helpful is for the parents to agree to a "Cooperative Parenting Contract." We use the term cooperative instead of co-parenting because there is a great difference between simply co-existing and actively working together for the betterment of your children. In a safe and non-judgmental environment, we've found that even the most conflict-ridden divorced parents can come together through this contract once they realize they both ultimately want their children to be healthy, happy, and well-adjusted. This is the most loving gift you can give your children!
Family therapy can be a scary endeavor. Therefore, we begin by building a firm foundation of trust with each family member and work with you to establish helpful guidelines for the session. We have found that once "defenses" are lowered, true openness, vulnerability, healing, and ultimately change, can and does occur.
Parenting & Cooperative Parenting Therapy
Parents come in many forms: single parents, unmarried couples, married couples, separated couples, divorced parents, and remarried couples. Each pair requires individualized tools, techniques, and guidelines. However, in our experience, parents are doing the best they can given their situation and ultimately love their child/children tremendously. Rather than taking a punitive standpoint, we focus on what parents are doing well, build upon such areas, and then point out areas in which they can enhance their skills in order to become more supportive and effective parents.
Human beings are imperfect, and children don't come with an instruction guide. Therefore, we simply cannot expect ourselves to be perfect parents. When we fall into this trap, our self-judgment takes over, and we are no longer open to the needs of our children. When parents can stop blaming themselves, they can begin to focus on their children.
Sometimes divorced parents come to me to obtain help and guidance after their children have begun showing symptoms of distress. Oftentimes, such distress is a combined result of the tension between the parents and the drastic changes in the childrens' lives. Therefore, we take a systems approach by working with the children, if necessary, while simultaneously working with parents. We also prefer to incorporate some family sessions.
A tool we have found to be helpful is for the parents to agree to a "Cooperative Parenting Contract." We use the term cooperative instead of co-parenting because there is a great difference between simply co-existing and actively working together for the betterment of your children. In a safe and non-judgmental environment, we've found that even the most conflict-ridden divorced parents can come together through this contract once they realize they both ultimately want their children to be healthy, happy, and well-adjusted. This is the most loving gift you can give your children!