Great Couples Counseling in Sleepy Hollow, IL. Therapy to heal relationships.

What are the barriers to your individual and shared experience of life? What are the factors that can best aid you in achieving your desire for a harmonious union in your relationship. Frequently communication is a starting point that reflects individual challenges in effectively addressing emotional needs, forms of co-dependency, and long-standing ineffective habits. Working from treatment methods informed by the treatment theories of John Gottman, I seek to help clients learn to speak and interact in ways that reflect their vision for the relationship and not the unexamined habits of the past.

I use a systems approach to couples and family therapy and often explore the communication patterns, roles, and rules of the couple or family. I help couples examine the interactions and/or dynamics of the relationship that are working and the patterns and/or interactions that are not. As opposed to continuing to blame his/her partner, I ask individuals to assess his/her part of the difficulties in the relationship and help them identify areas that he/she can work on to improve their relationship. Ultimately, the only thing one has control over is his/her own behavior or his/her part of the problem in the relationship.

Being in a couple is a dream-come-true for most individuals. Yet, when the romance, over time (generally 6 months to 2 years), melds into the routine, lovers feel lost, lonely, and long for the past. What does this pattern mean on the developmental, life-long path of a couple? Feeling attracted is Step 1. Making a commitment to each other is Step 2. Disillusionment is Step 3 before you (Step 4) shake up your beliefs about a "happy marriage." How could you and your partner rejuvenate and inspire your commitment? I can help you understand the Steps with powerful ideas for you to start applying today. If you spouse isn't ready, you can lead the way!

Communication barriers and conflict are present in all relationships and it is most important to work through these issues together and in a way that supports growth and fosters love in relationships. In therapy I can provide techniques and a space for you to practice utilizing more effective ways to communicate that allows both people to feel heard and understood. I am available to help you work through conflicts and relationships goals in a safe space together.

Marriage counseling can be scary, not knowing what to expect. I take the time to make sure that each person feels understood. Often this is what people want the most in order to feel resolve issues and feel closer. Secondly, people want to stay calm but do not always know how. Thirdly, most prefer creative proposals to solve problems versus debates. Having a communication coach, and an understanding of how your past affects the present can make the difference. We also provide premarital assessments and counseling.

Many issues bring a couple to seek counseling such as communication issues, cheating/trust issues, constantly fighting, wanting to improve whats already good, and many more. My approach includes working with both of you to help you learn new ideas and skills to improve your relationship. My goal is not to take sides but instead to help each of you understand your partners perspective even if you don't agree with it.

I recognize that each couple is unique, in their approach to life and to each other. I would focus on their strengths, especially as work on their problematic areas began. I encourage open communication but discourage name calling; I also encourage the use of "I feel" statements. I would be interested in their individual life histories in that the baggage we bring to relationships cannot be removed, but responses to behavior can be altered. And sometimes awareness of why an individual acts and/or feels a certain way can be quite helpful.

Learn positive way to communicate and solve conflict . Heal past unintentional hurts that made thier way into your relationship. Rebuild, Develop and Create the best relationship imaginable. YOU CAN!!!!! even better then before. Identify what is going on in the relationship, change the dyfunction and extricate yourself from the power struggles . Real love is born in the relationship. Learn about each other in ways you have not before. Create true intimacy and wonderful life experiences. Your relationship is worth saving.

Accepting and celebrating the differences that make up a couple can bring joy to any relationship. Validating emotions and not having to understand them reduces the amount of fighting that will take place. Watching for areas of stonewalling, contempt, defensiveness and criticism will allow communication to continue and not shut someone down or up. Learning how to repair a relationship on a daily bases will keep it on the road for many years.

Communication, trust, and vulnerability are essential parts of a relationship. However, sometimes priorities and values get misaligned and couples find themselves growing apart instead of together. Our approach is realigning the relationship dynamics and restoring healthy and effective communication patterns to support vulnerable spaces and trust. In doing so, you may step into a healthy space with your partner. However, this change can only occur with vulnerability, respect, trust, and willingness to change.

Is your relationship not where you thought it would be? Are you having problems with communication and misunderstandings? Has life gotten in the way of your relationship? Relationships take work and with careers, children and life in general, it is not uncommon for relationships to get off track. Collaboratively, we can work to improve communication and find that spark that initially attracted the two of you in the first place. We can discover ways to reawaken and relight the hopes and dreams you had for your relationship. For more information, please contact me or visit my website.

In helping your coupleship become more satisfying, I first want to hear your story--how you met, your journey to date, both the highs and the lows. Then together we will identify your strengths, issues that have become problematic, what skills you have already, those to add or enhance for the future, and strategies to work through any special difficulties or remaining woundedness. Collaboratively, we will develop a plan to encourage and give you hope that you can still make your relationship all that it can be!

In the stress of daily life and struggles, couples often forget why they love each other. They lose perspective and only feel anger and hopelessness. This is not what God wants for your relationship. Couples therapy involves looking at the communication patterns and baggage that keeps you stuck but will also help you remember and regain the love and understanding for the one you love.