Great Couples Counseling in Barrington, IL. Therapy to heal relationships.

Couples counseling can be scary, not knowing what to expect. I take the time to make sure that each person feels understood. Often this is what people want the most in order to feel resolve issues and feel closer. Secondly, people want to stay calm but do not always know how. Thirdly, most prefer creative proposals to solve problems versus debates. Having a communication coach, and an understanding of how your past affects the present can make the difference. We also provide premarital assessments and counseling.

Our primary focus on couple counseling is addressing conflict resolution strategies and understanding the root of the conflict to get the best approach to resolve the conflict. Our strategy is improving communication skills and deepening the relationship and interactions between partners by exploring each other’s perspectives, needs and emotions. We provide tools for enhancing interaction and managing conflicts effectively.

I utilize and implement aspects of the Gottman approach to helping couples heal. I assist each person in the couple in helping them recognize how they communicate with and impact the other, and how some communication patterns are ineffective. I assist couples in finding effective communication strategies, healthy interaction and intimacy patterns, while building trust and respect for one another.

Is your relationship ready for a tune up? Being married and raising 4 children, I know it's hard to find time for "us" during the parent rearing years, let alone if the relationship is struggling. Change can happen even if it's just by one person! I promise! Give me a jingle to see if couples counseling is right for you. Sometimes the things we can easily see are not the root cause of relationship stress. I can help you identify where the stress is coming from, and live a more fulfilling life!

In the stress of daily life and struggles, couples often forget why they love each other. They lose perspective and only feel anger and hopelessness. This is not what God wants for your relationship. Couples therapy involves looking at the communication patterns and baggage that keeps you stuck but will also help you remember and regain the love and understanding for the one you love.

Being in a couple is a dream-come-true for most individuals. Yet, when the romance, over time (generally 6 months to 2 years), melds into the routine, lovers feel lost, lonely, and long for the past. What does this pattern mean on the developmental, life-long path of a couple? Feeling attracted is Step 1. Making a commitment to each other is Step 2. Disillusionment is Step 3 before you (Step 4) shake up your beliefs about a "happy marriage." How could you and your partner rejuvenate and inspire your commitment? I can help you understand the Steps with powerful ideas for you to start applying today. If you spouse isn't ready, you can lead the way!

Suspecting an affair? Have you just learned that your spouse wants a divorce? These are the types of crises situations that Kari Hunter specializes in. A relationship counselor for 25 years, she has worked with all types of couples to help them navigate the many difficulties that go along with love and partnership. Whether your relationship can benefit from conflict-resolution skills, communication coaching, or intimacy enrichment, don't wait until small problems become a crisis. But if you have gotten to the point of contemplating a break-up, there is a new service for that too, it is called Discernment counseling and it helps couples come to a mutual confident decision about the future.

The greatest issue with couples therapy is that most couples wait too long to seek it out. So instead of reconnecting a cart and horse that were in the same location, time now has them in different counties - sometimes different states! The challenge with couples right out of the gate is identifying the depth of the disconnect. Next is boundary setting as I'm a firm believer, no couple can gain a thing from fighting with each other in my office! My job is not to referee. My job is to help them identify what's broken in their relationship and then teach them how to fix it. Quite simply, this journey is about trust, communication and the willingness to make compromise. I'm the tour guide.