2.
Couples Therapy
Couples therapy isn’t always the obvious choice, and it’s not something every couple feels comfortable with at first. But when a relationship starts to feel strained or painful, it can be one of the most transformative tools available.
What makes couples therapy work isn’t just showing up and talking. True therapy happens when both partners—and the therapist—commit to exploring the deeper layers of the relationship. It’s a process that takes openness, curiosity, and often a willingness to be surprised by what unfolds.
Many couples come to therapy with practical goals, like learning to communicate better or resolving conflicts that feel impossible to navigate alone. These goals are important, and they often serve as the starting point. But just beneath the surface, there’s usually a quieter, more personal hope: “Can you help my partner see things my way?” or “Can you get them to change what’s hurting me?”
This kind of hope is natural—when things go wrong in a relationship, it’s human to want the solution to come from the other person. But real progress in couples therapy begins when we look inward, too. It’s about understanding not only what’s happening between you and your partner but also what’s happening within yourself.
Through this process, couples often discover that the challenges in their relationship are deeply connected to their individual stories—how they communicate, what they fear, and the expectations they bring to love. Therapy offers a space to uncover these patterns and begin to change them, not by pointing fingers but by fostering self-awareness and empathy.
The true gift of couples therapy is that it’s not just about resolving conflicts or repairing the relationship—it’s about growth. Growth as a partner, growth as an individual, and growth as two people choosing to understand each other more deeply. It’s about learning how to hold space for each other’s differences, even when they’re difficult, and how to build something stronger from that foundation.
This is why I’m passionate about couples therapy. It’s a journey that starts with pain or frustration but often leads to something unexpected: clarity, connection, and a deeper understanding of yourself and your relationship.
Inspired by Pavel Rataj, INPAT