Relationships can be the source of our greatest joys and deepest turmoil. In few other areas are the stakes so high...and the rewards so compelling. 

The sooner relationship issues are addressed, the easier they are to work out. Sometimes couples therapy is all that is needed, providing space to think through and explore the situation. Relationship counseling can offer the opportunity to understand the deeper, more unconscious blockages and patterns in a relationship. This frequently links to our earliest and most powerful emotional experiences. Through mutual understanding, a couple often finds new strategies for enjoying their relationship.

Seeking professional help is a big step toward dealing with these issues, and it is one that I emphasize takes courage. Difficulties between couples are very rarely due to just one person. We are complex individuals with all sorts of fears, hopes, fantasies, and needs. In my work with couples and families, my immediate goal is to provide a place where these kinds of issues can be explored and expressed without the world coming to an end.

Relationship difficulties often cluster around major events; for instance, trading the single life for coupledom, having a baby, financial difficulties, sexual differences, career changes, lifestyle changes, or retirement. I understand the diverse feelings that exist in these situations, and help couples to make sense of these experiences. In my couples work, I facilitate a process in which each member can become clear about what is happening between them and within themselves. This allows each individual to make decisions with greater clarity and understanding, and helps couples to more truthfully know themselves and each other.

Relationship counseling is not an easy process at times. There is much on the line for couples, families, and individuals who are facing such difficulties. The journey may be hard, but the rewards are great. For most of us, relationships are at the very heart of what makes life rich, meaningful, and fulfilling.