Discernment Counseling
Couples Counseling Offerings
Couples are unique and therefore it makes sense that not one type of couples therapy fits all. What you and your partner struggle with will determine which type of couples therapy fits your specific issues. Check out the list below to see which would be the best approach for your relationship.
Traditional Couples Counseling:
Traditional couples counseling is for you if you and your partner are both committed to improving the relationship. You and your partner have tried to discuss and resolve the ongoing relationship issues- but you keep getting stuck in the same pattern. Getting stuck looks like the conversation just goes round and round, discussions always ends with someone storming out, or the conversation just stops without any resolution.
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Common reasons people seek out couples counseling are:
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Communication problems.
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Infidelity
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Money issues
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Parenting
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Feeling disconnected
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Intimacy problems
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Trust
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Feeling unsatisfied in relationship
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Typically, couples therapy will start with me meeting with each of you individually. This helps me learn a bit more about each of you and your background- which has everything to do with your relationship issues. This also helps me learn your perspective about the relationship and what you are looking to gain from couples therapy. Then, we all meet together and begin your work of creating a more satisfying connection.
Discernment Counseling:
If you or your partner wonder if you should commit to therapy or break up, then discernment counseling is for you. Discernment counseling is a type of short-term therapy that aims to help partners decide if it's time to call it quits or time to buckle down for making changes.
You can be unsure about your relationship for lots of different reasons. Common reasons I see are people wondering if their specific issues can be worked through or if the other person can change. Other times it's because one person isn't sure if they can forgive and move forward. No matter where you and your partner fall on this continuum, discernment counseling is appropriate when the goal of improving the relationship is not shared by both with 100% certainty.
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Discernment counseling typically lasts 1- 5 sessions and is based on helping both you and your partner independently decide if you want to commit to working on the relationship or if you want to separate. These sessions are 75 minutes and I will meet with each of you individually for 30 minutes and then we will meet all together for 15 minutes to summarize what was discussed and if any conclusions were met. This is continued until a decision is met by both of you.
Solo Discernment Counseling:
If you are unsure about your relationship and your partner does not want to try couples therapy, that can make it difficult for you to decide what to do. You also might find yourself in the position where you doubt your relationship, but for various reasons, do not want to have this conversation with your partner until you've discussed it with an unbiased third party. If this sounds like you, then Solo Discernment Counseling might be right for you. This would give you the space to talk about your relationship doubts in a confidential setting with a person that is objective.