Great Couples Counseling in Bowling Green, FL. Therapy to heal relationships.

Happy couples aren't smarter, richer, or more psychologically astute than others. But in their day-to-day lives, they have hit upon a dynamic that keeps their negative thoughts and feelings about each other (which all couples have) from overwhelming their positive ones. They have what I'd call an emotionally intelligent relationship. The more emotionally intelligent a couple, the better able they are to understand, honor, and respect each other & their relationship. As I have recently become a Gottman 7 Principles Program Educator, my skills repertoire has grown exponentially. Contact me about The Seven Principles that guide couples on the path to a harmonious & long-lasting relationship!

Do you have the same argument over and over again? Are you feeling alone, misunderstood, or disrespected in your marriage? I can help you work through these issues through couples counseling, and help you break the unhealthy patterns that aren’t working. Renewing trust, improving communication, and regaining the spark are all possible. Being married myself, I know that marriage is work, and that love is a choice. But even intelligent, loving couples sometimes need support. You deserve better than what’s happening now. If you’re willing to put in the work, I can help. Our mission is to help you escape the cages that hold you back and become the lion you were created to be.

Karen utilizes a strengths based approach when working with couples. She is also a level one trained therapist in the Gottman Method of marriage counseling. Most couples entered a relationship because they appreciated and valued something in their partner. Over time, stresses and difficulties sometimes cloud a couple's vision of what drew them together. Karen's approach is to help couples rekindle their friendship and appreciation for each other, including their differences. She provides couples an opportunity to refine important relationships skills like healthy communication, problem solving, and conflict resolution skills.

Let me guess. One partner feels alone and like they don't matter and the other feels they are always being criticized and can't get anything right. The more one asks for the other to show up, the more the partner disappears physically and emotionally. You both bicker and fight and the idea of sitting and just hanging out seems elusive, if not impossible. Something like this? Often we crave connection but are blocked by the pain and the history that gets in the way. Small fights about little things become battles that highlight our struggle to have our basic relational needs met. I can help you get under the bickering to the parts crying out for connection- to an enriching relationship.

Many couples resist therapy because of embarrassment or a belief that love shouldn’t take work. But, good relationships require both work and commitment. Therapy can be a useful tool in this process because it can help you look at reoccurring issues in an new way so that you and your partner don’t continually have the same argument over and over. The key factor is to seek therapy before it is too late. So, if you find you and your partner are starting to repeat arguments or to harbor resentment towards one another, it’s time to seek help.

Are you feeling lonely in your own marriage? Disrespected? Misunderstood? It doesn’t have to stay this way. Far too often, high-achieving men feel disrespected and lonely within their own marriages. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I help men and their wives to rediscover the incredible value they bring to the marriage, and help them negotiate a hopeful path forward. I will help you identify destructive patterns in your marriage and provide healthier alternatives. I’ll help you improve communication, learn to fight fair, and increase understanding and connection. While it’s not easy work, there is hope. If given the chance, I would be honored to help you fight for your marriage.

In my work with couples, I view the relationship through the lens of attachment theory. The person we chose to be our partner, may become our "secure home base" as your relationship grows to be a healthy partnership to celebrate, depend on and lean on through the ups and downs of life. I view couples counseling as working with three entities: both partners and the relationship. The relationship you both share becomes my focus as we all collaborate together to bring forth the best relationship you can imagine. I look forward to working with you both. I use EMDR, Emotion Focused Therapy and Expressive Arts in my work with Couples.

We are passionate about and skilled with helping couples to repair and strengthen their relationship by utilizing techniques from evidence-based practices such as Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy and the Gottman Method. These techniques help get to the heart of the matter to increase relationship satisfaction and heal emotional injuries that may have occurred throughout the relationship or as a result of previous trauma. Individual therapy for each partner is also recommended as best practice for helping each person to work through their personal traumas.