Great Couples Counseling in Cologne, MN. Therapy to heal relationships.

After over 30 years of practice as a marriage counselor, I’m shifting my focus away working with from couples whose relationships are already broken. I’m now focusing on helping couples who still love each other, and are wanting to build strong, healthy relationships that will last a lifetime. If you’re looking for a communication coach who can teach you how to talk about difficult topics more easily, and learn what keeps love alive for a lifetime, I can help.

There is nothing as precious as your relaitonhsip. That’s why your relationship deserves Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). This is the treatment that years of research shows to be highly effective in helping couples improve their relationship, resolve conflicts, repair trust, and feel safe, loved and connected. EFT helps couples get to the heart of the matter. It is designed to stop the negative and stuck patterns in relationships, transforming them into the love, connection and understanding you desire.

As marriage therapist I enjoy working with couples. Sometimes couples need help to work through issues such as infidelity, infertility, parenting issues, sexual issues, defensiveness, in-law problems, step-parent or ex-spouse issues just to name a few. I appreciate the effectiveness of emotionally focused couples therapy. This approach promotes compassion and emotional intimacy for couples. I also utilize the Prepare/Enrich Inventory, which helps couples identify their strengths and areas of growth. Then we process though the results of you inventory. Whether you are engaged or are looking to improve your marriage couple counseling can help.

Dr. McCarthy's approach of "Co–Coaching for Dynamic Growth" challenges many currently accepted beliefs about love/romance and what it takes to have a successful relationship: e.g. “you should just accept your partner and not try to change their behavior.” Rather, the relationship is seen as a dynamic growth process for learning how to become more loving partners through mutual coaching. Each partner seeks to clearly identify his or her own core negative relationship pattern and each helps the other change through mutual, respectful coaching. Couples previously unable to break longstanding recurring patterns learn to revitalize a new relationship of deep love and emotional connection!

Couples need help navigating addiction. If you or your loved-one is addicted, get the help you need to grow together rather than letting the addiction tear you apart. We are called to love and support our spouse--not enable or tolerate addiction. Learn more about the neurobiology of addiction, setting boundaries, and how to best way to care for yourself while you love your spouse.

When love is new, we find ourselves thrilled by our partner. However, both science and experience tell us that infatuation has a limited shelf life. Conflict is a normal, predictable part of learning to be together. In fact, it's an opportunity, pointing exactly to the place where we need to grow. My expertise as a couples counselor helps guide you and your partner so that you can reclaim your friendship and handle conflict in gentle, positive ways. Gaining the tools you need to build a strong relationship, I can help you with issues including raising kids, rekindling interest in sex or romance, negotiating housework or finances or overcoming infidelity, infertility and blending families.