Couples Therapy
In my couples work, I draw from the Gottman Method Couples Thearapy , a research-based approach grounded in over 40 years of studying what makes relationships succeed or fail. I have completed Level 1 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy , and I incorporate these research-based tools into my work with couples.
At the heart of this method is the Sound Relationship House , which helps partners strengthen their friendship, manage conflict more constructively, and create deeper shared meaning in their lives.
Through this process, couples learn to:
Replace patterns of criticism, defensiveness, and withdrawal with healthier communication strategies.
Understand and honor one another’s underlying needs and dreams, even in areas of recurring conflict.
Build rituals of connection and foster trust, intimacy, and commitment.
What to Expect in Sessions
Couples sessions are 75–90 minutes long, giving us time to slow down conversations and practice new tools together.
While the number of meetings depends on your unique goals, many couples begin with a series of 6–10 sessions , with the option to continue for deeper, ongoing work.
Beyond skills and strategies, I also bring a relational psychoanalytic lens to this work. That means we don’t just focus on communication in the present, but also on the deeper patterns shaped by each partner’s history and how these play out in the relationship.
Couples therapy is not a sign of failure, it’s an acknowledgment that all relationships face challenges, and that reaching out for help is a profoundly human step. Together, we create space for connection, growth, and healing.
Couples therapy sessions are fully booked at the moment
EMDR
If you’ve heard of EMDR, you may know that it involves eye movements, trauma, and helping the brain process difficult memories. But what actually happens in an EMDR session?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured form of psychotherapy originally developed to treat trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Rather than focusing only on talking through an experience, EMDR works with the memories, emotions, beliefs, and physical sensations that can remain connected to distressing experiences.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR is based on the idea that some distressing experiences may not be fully processed or integrated. Something happening in the present can then activate emotions, sensations, or beliefs connected to an earlier experience.
During EMDR, we bring aspects of a memory into awareness while using bilateral stimulation , which alternates stimulation between the left and right sides of the body. This might involve guided eye movements, tapping, or other forms of stimulation.
You remain awake, aware, and in control throughout. EMDR is not hypnosis, and the goal isn’t to erase a memory. Instead, we work toward making the memory less emotionally charged and changing how it affects you in the present.
Researchers continue to study exactly why EMDR works, with theories involving working memory, attention, memory reconsolidation, and the brain’s information-processing systems. EMDR has been extensively researched for PTSD and trauma-related symptoms.
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What Actually Happens in EMDR?
One misconception about EMDR is that you arrive, immediately start following someone’s fingers with your eyes, and begin processing your most difficult memory.
There is actually quite a bit that happens before we get there.
EMDR follows eight phases , and we move through them at a pace that makes sense for you.
1. History Taking & Treatment Planning
We start by getting to know you, what brings you to therapy, your history, current challenges, and what you would like to change. Together, we identify experiences and patterns that may be useful to work on.
2. Preparation
Before processing, we make sure you understand what to expect and develop strategies to help you manage distress and stay grounded.
There is no prize for getting to the eye movements quickly.
3. Assessment
We identify the different pieces connected to the experience, including the memory, emotions, beliefs, level of distress, and what you notice in your body.
4. Desensitization
This is the part most people associate with EMDR. You’ll briefly bring the memory to mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation. Between sets, I’ll ask what you’re noticing.
There isn’t a “correct” place for your mind to go. Thoughts, emotions, memories, images, and physical sensations may emerge. My role is to help guide the process without deciding where your brain should go.
5. Installation
As distress decreases, we work to strengthen a more adaptive belief. For example, I’m powerless might begin to shift toward I have choices now.
6. Body Scan
We check in with your body to notice whether any tension, discomfort, or activation remains when you think about the experience.
7. Closure
Processing doesn’t always wrap itself up neatly because the clock says our session is over. We make sure you feel grounded before leaving and discuss what you might notice between sessions.
8. Reevaluation
At a future session, we’ll return to what we worked on and see what has changed. This helps us determine where we go next.
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Why Are EMDR Sessions 90 Minutes?
My EMDR appointments are 90 minutes , rather than my standard 50-minute psychotherapy sessions.
The additional time gives us space to check in, prepare, engage in meaningful processing, and, importantly, leave enough time to close the session thoughtfully and make sure you feel grounded before you leave.
This doesn’t mean you’ll spend 90 minutes continuously processing difficult memories. What we do in each session will depend on where you are in the EMDR process and what you need that day.
What Does the Research Say?
EMDR has been studied for decades, particularly in relation to PTSD. The World Health Organization includes EMDR among the psychological interventions recommended for consideration in adults with PTSD, and systematic reviews have found EMDR can significantly reduce PTSD symptoms.
Research is also exploring EMDR for anxiety, phobias, depression, pain, and other concerns, although the evidence for these applications is less established.
Interestingly, researchers are still studying exactly why EMDR works. There are several theories about its cognitive and neurological mechanisms, and our understanding continues to develop.
Is EMDR Right for Me?
EMDR isn’t automatically the right approach for every person or every difficult experience.
That’s why I offer a complimentary 15-minute consultation before your first EMDR appointment.
It’s an opportunity to tell me a little about what you’re hoping to work on, ask questions about EMDR, and see whether it might be an appropriate fit for you. It’s also a chance to get a sense of me and my approach before committing to a full session.
If we decide to work together, we won’t rush directly into processing. We’ll start by understanding your history, developing a treatment plan, and making sure you feel prepared for the work.
Good trauma therapy isn’t about getting to the difficult memory as quickly as possible. It’s about creating the conditions to approach it safely, curiously, and at a pace that works for you.
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