Relationships and Couple’s Counseling
- Have you had the same problem in all of your past relationships?
- Has the problem ever been settled?
- Do you find yourself talking but not being heard?
When people are struggling in a relationship they often feel frustrated and sometimes defeated. There is help available and you’ve already taken the first step by asking yourself these questions. In couples’ counseling we will work through the communication barriers and evaluate your needs as a couple so that we can immediately work on making your relationship better and stronger.
Couples’ therapy usually consists of both partners understanding that therapy is a safe place to communicate their needs and be heard and learning to communicate and get their needs met. We often begin by discussing the present issues or problems and setting therapeutic goals as a guideline.
Pre-marital Counseling
Pre-marital counseling is generally more structured than general couples therapy. Pre-marital counseling is designed to help couples avoid potential problems that might have occurred later on down the “marriage road.” Topics often addressed in pre-marital counseling include improving communication and active listening, boundary setting with extended family members, enhanced understanding, and how to disagree in a healthy way. Learning these skills can be very beneficial when it comes to couples building stronger relationships with one another and with others in their lives.
Family Therapy and Parent and Teen Communication
- Do you find yourself not being able to communicate with your teenage child and feel like you often are talking to a wall?
- Do you feel like the young child who used to adore you now wants you to leave them alone unless he or she needs a ride or money?
- Do you say to yourself “I just need some help figuring out how to get through to my kid without having to post her a message on Facebook?”
Parent and teenage communication is very important when it comes to a family that is unified and strong. It is normal for teens to begin to pull away from their parents in an effort to separate. No matter how good your relationship is with your child, it is bound to change when your child hits adolescence. A parent can experience a great deal of stress during this trying time when their teenager undergoes normal changes. Teenagers can be moody, critical, combative, and absent-minded, but they are also creative, energetic, and passionate about the world and where they fit in it. But when a child starts becoming a teenager many parents feel stuck and helpless and don’t know what to do. If you are feeling this way then therapy can help you break through that barrier and rebuild your relationship with your child.
Through my work with families, with parents, and with adolescents I have had the pleasure of being able to help open the door of communication, facilitate change in familial relationships and assist in strengthening the family. Each family member may have his or her own needs but ultimately not only do they do want a relationship with one another they want a better one.
Often my work with parents involves helping to improve parenting skills if needed, validate their needs, education regarding adolescence, and assisting in setting boundaries. Every family has their own individual needs, which I respect and adhere to as we develop the best course of treatment for your family. My role as a therapist is to treat your family with respect and unconditional positive regard as we work together to create a better family relationship.
My individual work with adolescents often involves familial issues, resolving interpersonal conflicts, and coping with peer pressure. The trust and rapport that I have with my adolescent clients is crucial in therapy and their need for respect and understanding is paramount. My role as a therapist to your adolescent child is often one in which I am helping him or her deal with the challenges that they face, develop the skills necessary to have a good life and give them a sense of control that many adolescents feel they don’t have. I love the work I do with adolescents and the reward of being able help him or her strengthen their self-esteem and recognize all of the wonderful attributes they have as individuals.
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