Couples Therapy in California
Online Couples Therapy and In-Person Couples Therapy in Menlo Park, CA
Couples Therapy
Couples therapy for diverse sexual orientations
Are you tired of having the same fight over and over again? Are you having a hard time trusting your partner after a betrayal? When was the last time you connected with your partner without talking about your children? Or have you grown apart from each other and lost the passion that brought you together in the first place?
Relationships and marriages bring out the best and the worst in all of us. We are most vulnerable with our partners, and this trust and connection deserve love, thoughtfulness, and attention. However, because of many differences from our upbringings, family backgrounds, countries of origin, relationships with our parents, peer influences any many many more past experience, some of these love and thoughtfulness get lost in translation. At the same time, most couples never learned the right tools and skills needed to foster and maintain a healthy relationship. What used to be sweet and fun turned into dull and plain. What used to be easily compromised turned into a tug of war that no one wins. We then feel like we fell out of love in our relationships.
Being in an interracial marriage myself, I understand how hard it can be to navigate differences in a relationship. I'm here to support you to better understand yourself and your needs in relationships, improve your communication skills, and develop a deeper and meaningful connection with yourself and your loved ones. I have extensive experience supporting couples with diverse sexual orientations and sexual practices. I strive to provide a safe space for diverse relationships.
I support couples at different stages of relationship:
Dating
Engaged
Newlywed
Different Stages of Marriage
Considering breakup or divorce
Divorced and Coparenting
How Couple Therapy Works
During couples therapy sessions, we as therapists would facilitates constructive conversations between partners. We as therapists would guide the process, ensures both partners have an opportunity to express their feelings and perspectives, and helps them develop effective problem-solving and conflict resolution skills. The therapy may involve the following:
Assessment: The therapist gathers information about the couple's history, current concerns, and relationship patterns. This assessment helps in identifying the underlying dynamics and areas that need attention.
Communication Skills: Couples learn and practice effective communication techniques to express their needs, listen actively, and validate each other's experiences. This promotes a more constructive and empathetic dialogue.
Conflict Resolution: The therapist helps the couple identify unhealthy patterns of conflict and provides tools and strategies to manage and resolve conflicts in a respectful manner. This may involve teaching negotiation skills, teaching compromise, and exploring win-win solutions.
Relationship Building: Couples therapy focuses on strengthening the emotional connection and intimacy between partners. This may involve fostering emotional responsiveness, rebuilding trust, enhancing affection and appreciation, and nurturing shared values and goals.
Psychoeducation: Couples receive information about relationship dynamics, attachment styles, and common relationship challenges. This knowledge helps them understand their own and their partner's behaviors, leading to increased empathy and insight.
Homework and Practice: Couples are often given exercises or assignments to practice outside of therapy sessions. These activities may include communication exercises, active listening exercises, or engaging in activities that promote closeness and connection.
Couples therapy can be short-term or long-term, depending on the specific needs of the couple and the complexity of their issues. The therapist's role is to create a non-judgmental and supportive space where partners can openly express themselves, explore their concerns, and work collaboratively towards positive change.
It's worth noting that couples therapy is not a guarantee to save every relationship, and sometimes couples may decide to separate or divorce even after therapy. However, it can provide valuable insights and tools for personal growth and improve future relationships, regardless of the outcome.
Support for Diverse Relationships
If you're looking for support to explore and foster diverse relationships, I'm here to support you and your love ones. These diverse relationships include but not limited to open relationships, casual dating, affairs, polyamorous relationships.
Qualifications
11 years of clinical experience working with couples and sex concerns
Gottman Method Couples Therapy - Level 1 and Level 2
Emotional Focused Therapy (EFT) Externship