Great Couples Counseling in Sleepy Hollow, IL. Therapy to heal relationships.

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.

I recognize that each couple is unique, in their approach to life and to each other. I would focus on their strengths, especially as work on their problematic areas began. I encourage open communication but discourage name calling; I also encourage the use of "I feel" statements. I would be interested in their individual life histories in that the baggage we bring to relationships cannot be removed, but responses to behavior can be altered. And sometimes awareness of why an individual acts and/or feels a certain way can be quite helpful.

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.

We can help you create and sustain a close, honest and mutually satisfying relationship you deserve. Whether you are struggling with profoundly serious relational patterns, sexual challenges, communication problems, or just a few bumps in your road, our method of couples counseling can move you from pain, silence or anger to passion, restoration and love. Use the menu as ideas to discuss with your therapist your specific desires and goals to create the relationship you want. There is no problem too difficult, too deep, or too ingrained that cannot benefit from counseling. No matter what stage in your relationship, from the first spark to healing ongoing wounds we can help. Communication Therapy All couples create negative patterns of communication...(view profile to read more)

I enjoy working with couples whether whether married or not. I enjoy the dynamic of interpersonal relationship and work well with couples in improving communication and conflict resolution. Another value for me when working with couples is to help them enjoy each other and their relationship more including having fun, connectedness, and learning to celebrate the way each is wired differently.

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!

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.