Great Couples Counseling in St. Louis Park, MN. Therapy to heal relationships.

Conflict in relationships happens for nearly everyone. Communication skills are vital to successful relationships. Our clinicians are excellent at teaching you how to master communication techniques that will not only benefit your relationship but will help you in all areas of your personal and professional life. Make an appointment today to get in and start improving your relationships.

Relationships are our specialty. Couples counseling offers a dedicated space with an outside perspective to talk through the challenges your relationship is facing in a safe environment. A therapist can offer a fresh take on your issues, as well as tools and experiential learning to help create new ways of relating with one another. We know how challenging relationships can be. We want to help you find a more meaningful connection with your partner -- one that will last.

I help individuals in relationships identify and understand the negative interaction patterns that they have developed over time. I see these patterns as naturally occurring forms of self-protection when needs are not being met, and when difficult emotions don't feel safe to express. I help individuals create change not through blaming each other but through understanding that these patterns are the problem and that change is always possible. I have completed level two (core skills training) in the practice of Emotion-Focused Therapy and seek consultation, training and supervision with experts in the field on a regular basis.

Long-term relationships naturally go through and ebb-and-flow process as they develop and grow-- and this is not without its bumps and hiccups! Sometimes things feel stagnant or stale, but it doesn't have to remain this way! In therapy I strive to help my client's relationships with rebuilding communication, intimacy (sexual & non-sexual), and connection with a casual therapy style and compassion.

At Center for Mental Health and Wellness, we work with couples who are struggling to feel connect in their relationship. Do you find yourself fighting with your partner regularly? Or do you feel completely alone in your relationship? Overtime, sometimes couples choose their sense of connectivity and togetherness. We can help you build the skills necessary to feel that spark in your relationship again.

I have had training in several models for couple's work. I mainly use RLT because it moves people fast and the model has a lot of overlap with other models that look at attachment and developmental trauma. Doing trauma work in the presence of your partner help build compassion and empathy, reducing the triggering that typically occurs in relationships. I can help improve communication, co-parenting and infidelity repair.

Working with couples is not only my specialty, it is my passion! I love helping romantic partners understand and resolve conflict, rekindle emotional and physical closeness, rebuild trust, heal hurt feelings, and rediscover their deep affection for one another. I practice the Gottman method of couples therapy, which is a scientifically-based approach incorporating nearly 40 years of research. I will help you learn what happy, successful couples do in their relationships and how you can implement those same strategies right now. I believe that love is what creates a relationship, so I welcome you regardless of the type or make-up of your specific relationship.

I especially enjoy working with couples. If you are part of a couple, you know how challenging it can be to stay connected and in love. Maybe you're not even sure if it's a good idea to stay together. I'll work with you individually and together to sort out what needs to change in order for you to decide about your commitment to your relationship. You'll learn communication skills and conflict resolution tools to help you have a better relationship.

It is very challenging and rewarding working with couples. Issues in our primary relationship can impact all aspects of our life. It can be single issue based or very pervasive. A strong component of all approaches to couples' issues is learning the ability to communicate. This skill has often retreated through years of hurt feelings, defensiveness, shame. We strive to repair any damage that has been done and develop a balanced, caring relationship where both peoples’ needs are being met.

Couples therapy is my favorite work to do! Using Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT), we will identify how you get stuck in the same arguments over and over, what underlying emotions and needs are unmet, and how to communicate on a deeper emotional level to feel more connected and understood. EFT works beautifully and leads to long lasting change! I can help you with conflict resolution, communication skills, sex and passion, infidelity and/or past hurts, creating meaning in your relationship, concerns related to extended family, parenting, or other issues. In our work together, you will be able to have the fulfilling, loving, and meaningful relationship you are hoping for.

Couple counseling is helping a couple to develop a number of key skills. These include communicating clearly, listening, emotional expression, negotiating, being respectful, managing conflict, problem solving and finding ways to negotiate how they connect and also how they create separation in healthy ways. Couples can get suck when these skills are not well developed. My approach to couple work is to assess the relationship strengths and build on these while teaching key skills and resolving the challenges the couple faces. While looking at old issues is useful at times, I generally focus on how to build a clear & hopeful future. My clinical approach is direct, supportive and active.

Want to bring back the joy and excitement you used to feel together? I help couples understand and negotiate differences in needs and feelings about a variety of issues, including communication, sex, family, shared time and future plans. You may be unsure whether you can work past the ways you've been hurt and trust each other again. Learning to stay present and listen to each other as you talk about your hopes and desires will bring you closer to the kind of relationship you really want. When you've gotten into the habit of feeling misunderstood and blamed, having a third party present to interrupt negative patterns and coach you to more effective conversations is key to creating change.

We work with couples of all types. Whether you are married, in a committed relationship, or dating, the skills necessary for a satisfying relationship are often the same. The ability to communicate, the ability to connect, the skill of asking for what you want are common areas that can use some strengthening. We help couples work through any issues, misunderstandings, or betrayals. In some cases the issue is deciding to stay together or part ways. We facilitate thoughtful, mature discussions around this important decision. We offer online counseling, delivered to you wherever you are. You can self-register and self-schedule at mnonlinecounseling.com

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.

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!

You are so sad, angry, and feeling lost. You think thoughts that scare you. You are terrified that this is your new normal. You don’t want this. You never did. You are devastated and unsure of how to even begin move forward. You are worried your friends and family are getting tired of listening to your pain. You do not feel like you have the energy for this. You might even have thoughts of just not wanting to be here anymore. It is just too much. You are so sad, alone, and feel stuck. You do not know what to think or feel. I help people move through divorce and uncoupling and divorce. It is time to start feeling better. I can help.

Couples counseling is a specialized area of practice that focuses on past patterns, behavioral dynamics, emotional connection and intimacy/sex within the couple relationship. I have the experience and training in two emperically proven types of treatment designed for couples therapy. I also have training in sex therapy and am working toward my certification as a sex therapist. I also offer discernment therapy for those couples who are unsure of their long term commitment, and contemplating divorce or separation. If you are struggling with communication, intimacy, infidelity or trust, blended family/parenting issues, conflict, lack of connection- don't wait. We can help!

Having been trained in a systems approach to couples therapy, my focus will be on the negative pattern of interaction (the two way street) that causes your disconnect. As result, neither partner will feel blamed, but both partners will learn ways to show up as their best self. In session I will actively engage you so that you are learning by doing. With such experiences in session, it is easier to repeat positive behaviors for repair and connection at home. You will learn to advocate for yourself so that you are heard and seen even in the tough times. When crisis or affairs have afflicted a couple, we will be sure to do the work of healing so that you can move forward when ready.

CenterLife Counseling offers several therapists with years of experience in helping couples strengthen their relationship. With the busyness of our lives, we use up all of our time and energy just to keep moving forward. Unfortunately our relationships can be neglected. We have experience working with couples that have issues of parenting, infidelity, addiction, and significant illness. We respect the right of each partner in a relationship to decide what is best for them. Counseling can help you sort this out. Visit our website at http://www.centerlifecounseling.com for more information or to contact us for scheduling.

When it comes to helping couples deepen their relationships through effective communication I wrote the book; Date Night Conversations and you can find it on Amazon. Your relationship can be your greatest source of joy or pain and every couple gets stuck at times. I love helping couples get unstuck and on the path to creating more intimate, healthy, and fulfilling relationships through insight, personal growth, and practical tools. Please call today.

I know that when I work with couples I have to quickly give them some hope that they can actually work out their differences. I find that it is imperative from the beginning to give both people in the relationship an individual and adequate opportunity to be heard about the pain that they are experiencing. In my role as a therapist I teach people about the art and science of communication and give them specific handouts on how they can successfully be able to understand both the thoughts and the pain of one another successfully. I am extremely practical and do a lot of in session work with role plays and modeling. I spend time on conflict resolution, problem solving and forgiveness.

In my work with couples and relationships, I understand that every individual and relationship is different, so I will work with you to find the best way to reach the relationship goals you have. Supporting couples as they grow to create a mutually satisfying relationship is what I enjoy about my job. Therapy is a great place to learn new communication skills, increase trust, and develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for one another. I will work hard to create a supportive, nonjudgmental space for each of you to grow as individuals and as a couple.