Teresa M Walters, Ed.D., MAMFT, LMFT, LAC

The Natural Relational Health Institute

Dr. Teresa M. Walters

Ed.D. MAMFT, LMFT, LAC

Natural Relational Health Practitioner

Marriage and Family Systems Specialist

Christian Leadership and Spiritual Formation Consultant 

Marriage Counseling and Relational Health

Through the Natural Relational Health Institute, I provide marriage counseling, family counseling, and relational health education designed to help individuals, couples, and families better understand the patterns that shape their relationships. 

Many people seek counseling when they feel stuck in recurring conflict, experience strain in important relationships, or face significant life transitions. Counseling provides an opportunity to step back from daily pressures, reflect more thoughtfully on one’s circumstances, and gain insight that supports healthier and more stable relationships.

Many people seek counseling not because something is “wrong” with them, but because important relationships or life situations have become difficult to navigate without thoughtful guidance. Having a calm, objective place to talk through challenges often brings clarity, perspective, and renewed confidence to move forward.

A Family Systems Perspective

My approach is grounded in a family systems perspective, which recognizes that individuals do not exist in isolation. Our thoughts, emotional responses, and decisions are strongly influenced by the relationships and environments in which we live. By exploring these relational patterns, clients often discover new ways to understand themselves and the people around them.

Counseling becomes not only a place to address immediate concerns but also an opportunity to develop greater awareness and stability in the ways people respond to stress, conflict, and life’s challenges. Understanding relational dynamics helps individuals and couples make more thoughtful decisions and interact with greater clarity and confidence.

Working with Couples

A significant portion of my work focuses on marriage and relationship counseling. Couples frequently seek counseling when communication has broken down, conflict has become repetitive, or trust has been strained. Rather than focusing only on surface disagreements, I help couples examine the deeper relational patterns that often contribute to ongoing tension.

Through thoughtful conversation and guided reflection, couples gain a clearer understanding of one another’s perspectives and develop healthier ways to communicate and resolve conflict. As couples gain insight into these patterns, many find they can rebuild stability and strengthen the connection that originally brought them together.

Counseling for Individuals and Families

In addition to working with couples, I also help individuals and families navigate relational stress, family conflict, and major life transitions. Family relationships influence how people respond emotionally to challenges and how they make decisions during difficult seasons of life.

Counseling provides a supportive environment where clients can explore these dynamics, develop new perspectives, and strengthen their ability to respond thoughtfully rather than reactively. As individuals gain greater clarity about relational influences, they often experience greater stability and confidence in their personal and family relationships.

Christian Counseling

For many individuals and couples, faith plays an important role in shaping values and guiding decisions. Christian counseling provides an opportunity to integrate biblical principles with thoughtful reflection on personal and relational challenges.

For clients who desire it, faith can become a meaningful part of the counseling process, offering guidance for strengthening commitments, navigating conflict, and building relationships that reflect one’s values and beliefs.

Relational Health Education

In addition to counseling sessions, my work emphasizes relational health education. Learning how relationships function is often one of the most powerful tools for creating lasting change. When individuals and couples understand patterns of communication, expectations, and emotional responses, they are better equipped to navigate challenges and build stronger connections with the people who matter most in their lives.

Strengthening and Restoring Relationships

Many couples who come to counseling are looking for a way to strengthen or restore their marriage. While some people assume that divorce is the only option when conflict becomes overwhelming, counseling can provide an opportunity to slow down, gain perspective, and explore new ways of addressing long-standing concerns.

With greater understanding and willingness from both partners, many couples are able to rebuild trust, improve communication, and move toward a more stable and supportive relationship.

Many couples seek counseling when they find themselves having the same disagreements repeatedly or feeling increasingly distant from one another. Counseling can provide a place to slow those patterns down and begin understanding what may be happening beneath the surface.

A Supportive Place to Gain Perspective

People who seek counseling are often looking for clarity, direction, and renewed stability in their lives. My role is not to impose solutions but to provide thoughtful guidance that helps clients better understand their circumstances and move forward with greater confidence.

Individuals and couples who are seeking greater understanding and stability in their relationships are welcome to reach out to learn more about working together.

To Schedule Your New Client Appointment, Visit the Online Scheduler at the  Full Slate Online Scheduling Platform   

Services:

• Individual Therapy 
• Couples and Marital Therapy
• Marriage Restoration
• Family Therapy
• Integrative Psychotherapy
• Marriage and Family Systems 
• Emotional Wellness & Mastery 
• Spiritual Growth and Development
• Christian Leadership & Ministry Support

Education and Credentials

·      Rawlings School of Divinity at Liberty University | Doctor of Education in Christian Education and Leadership | Ed.D | Graduate with High Distinction | 2020

o   Dissertation – Me, We, and Thee: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of the Targeted Parent's Lived Experience

·      Christian Theological Seminary | Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy | MAMFT | summa cum laude | 2014

o Master's Thesis – The Two Shall Become One: Differentiation, Spiritual Maturity, and the Marital Union Through the Theological and Theoretical Lens of a Bowenian Therapist.

·      Indiana Wesleyan University | Bachelor of Science | Addiction Counseling | BS | summa cum laude | 2012

·      Ivy Tech State College | Associate Degree | Office Administration/Legal Specialty | 2004

·      Northwestern University | School of Professional Studies | Domestic Mediation Certification | 2016

·      Cooperative Parenting Institute | Parenting Coordination Certification | 2016

·      Midwest Mediation Center | Domestic Mediation Certification | 2016

·      AACC | Board Certified Professional Christian Mediator | 2015

·      AACC | Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor | 2015

·      The King’s University | Pastoral Ministry Certification | 2020

·      PREPARE/ENRICH Facilitator