Great Couples Counseling in Kennett Square, PA. Therapy to heal relationships.

We are meant to form connections that are safe and close and loving, but most couples at some time or another find themselves stuck in a repetitive pattern of interacting which leaves each person feeling hurt and alone. Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples, the most well-researched approach to couple therapy, is a powerful tool that will help get to the heart of the problem and to find your way back to that experience of loving connection. Interrupting that downward spiral feels like hard work for most couples, but beginning to move to a new, warm, close place, is immensely rewarding, even for those who have previously been distressed or shut down. I have great hope for couples!

Most if not every couple can find themselves in a place where they feel stuck and not sure how to move forward. Couples counseling can be a great option if you find yourself in this place. My approach involves understanding each individual's dilemma of the couple, identifying the areas that are making the couple feeling stuck, and helping them find a way forward.

I always prefer to see couples BEFORE they get married, because so many problems can be avoided by getting started out on the right foot. By learning good communication and problem solving skills before marriage, you can move on to that next step with confidence and skill. I also work with couples for whom marriage is not the goal, who are gay or lesbian, or couples who simply have reached an impasse on an issue and are looking for an objective third party.

I believe it is important for all couples to do marital check-ins with a therapist. If you are doing check-ins with your partner, you can gain insight into what they may be feeling internally. If you are struggling with trust and communication in your relationship, then therapy may help you with your struggle. It is important to seek a therapist that will help you as "one union" so you are not feeling like you are in the struggle alone. As a therapist working with couples it is important to acknowledge the myriad of emotions one may feel when they are not seeing eye to eye. Support is vital and a trusted therapist can help you navigate through these emotions.

Couples therapy can be like inviting someone into your “home,” the special relational zone that you share with your significant other. Teletherapy can offer further enrichment to the therapeutic process, in addition to convenience factors. I strive to maintain a neutral and gentle perspective, helping you each observe and better manage your relational patterns of communion or disconnect. I can adapt my style to help you learn and practice new ways to empathize with your partner’s perspective, communicate effectively, resolve conflict and enjoy healthy connected-ness. I use tools such as the Myers-Briggs temperament styles, IMAGO techniques, and the Prepare-Enrich assessment survey.

As a couples counselor I am on the side of the relationship. While I may spend some time focusing on one partner or the other in order to understand relational dynamics, my primary goal is to help the relationship. Each relationship is unique. Some issues that affect couples include trust building, healthy boundaries, open communication, individual and relational growth, transitional life stages, financial issues, decision making. We will identify the strengths and weakness of your specific relationship, explore what makes a successful relationship and suggest ways to improve your relationship.

The most important thing in couples therapy is helping both people learn what they can do differently to transform negative patterns into a mutually respectful, loving relationship. When people learn to really listen to each other, communication improves. Understanding and compassion take the place of anger and resentment, transforming power struggles into mutual support. What a relief! I specialize in helping couples move beyond the crisis of infidelity to create a relationship that's better and stronger than ever. When this happens, trust is rebuilt and both partners gain confidence that they will never again suffer the pain of an affair

What are the most common couples' issues? If you are thinking "communication, conflict, sex, money, child rearing" you are correct. However, most therapists will go after the symptom on each side of the couple fence thinking that the way to effective change is by getting each party to "work" on their respective "issue". Many times the parties don’t agree but comply. Imagine if you could align the unconscious brains of a couple and stop the "working on your issues" part that has become so popular in therapy settings? Contact kevin@kevinflemingphd.com to learn how! Or call 877-606-6161. DR. FLEMING'S NEW RELATIONSHIP/COUPLES INTENSIVES. www.kevinflemingphd.com/marriage-couples-retreats.php

Not feeling as close to your partner? Feeling that you have grown apart over time? Communication issues? Conflict? Stress in your relationship? Over time most couples experience some stress in their relationship and do not feel that they are the couple they wanted to be. Let us help you rediscover each other and what your relationship can be. We emphasize communication, connection and restoration in a safe environment and help you and your partner reconnect.