MARRIAGE COUNSELING & COUPLES COUNSELING

As a marriage counselor, I work with couples, partnerships, and intimate relationships at any stage of their relationship. Couples often seek out counseling to learn how to express their needs and desires better, how to communicate more effectively with one another, how to confront fears or resolve conflict, or simply how to organize their lives differently. With compassion and support, I can help couples achieve their goals using a variety of approaches.

PREMARITAL COUNSELING

For couples considering long-term commitment or marriage, premarital counseling can be helpful to examine and understand one's core beliefs and values as well as expectations about the relationship and the future.

COMMUNICATION & CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Other couples may wish to talk through big decisions, like jobs, moves, or whether and how to have children, to deal with infidelity, or to discuss things that they would like to change or improve about their relationship.

INTIMACY & CONNECTION

Some couples want to increase their connection. They worry that they have grown apart, that they are not feeling loved, that they no longer feel in love with their partner, or that they do not feel important to the other partner. I can help you create more intimacy and connection -- recover that sense of "us-ness" -- and thereby a more fulfilling relationship and meaningful life together.

INFIDELITY & AFFAIRS

Some couples need help to constructively deal with infidelity, whether emotional or physical affairs. Therapy can help couples discern if ending the relationship or working on the relationship is the best course. As devastating as infidelity is, for many couples, therapy can help them build a stronger, more resilient, and more intimate relationship than before.

TRANSITIONS

Couples face a number of important transitions over the course of their relationship, including adjusting to the first years of moving in together, adapting to parenthood, navigating an empty nest after the kids leave the house, juggling the care of aging parents while supporting your own children, struggling with fertility and pregnancy, and navigating health crisis. Therapy can helpful couples successfully navigate transitions and getting support during challenging times.

SEPARATION & DIVORCE

For couples who have decided to separate or divorce, couples therapy can be helpful for managing difficult feelings and making good decisions about how to handle the transition.

"My husband and I came to Carolyn for couple's counseling. She helped us through a time of crisis in our marriage, and helped us regain solid footing through insights that we'll use for a lifetime. Carolyn has a great sense of humor, so our sessions were filled with laughter, not just tears! We found her to be gentle, caring, down-to-earth, and quick witted. She was great at making connections, remembering details from previous sessions, and coming up with solutions and ideas that fit our individual personalities. My husband and I still ask, "what would Carolyn say?" during trying moments. I use the techniques she taught me throughout everyday life, not just when things feel hard. I can't recommend her enough."

- former client

"Working with Carolyn has been wonderful for us. Her gentle, thoughtful approach has made us both comfortable as we've dealt with grief over the loss of a child and issues in our relationship. She's able to take time in a couples setting to care for our needs individually and as a couple. Our sessions always feel productive, sometimes in surprising ways. We regularly learn something new, gain a new insight, or just find an unexpected moment of joy and humor. We're very happy with what we've accomplished with Carolyn and very thankful for her help. We would recommend her highly."

- former client

"As a recently married couple expecting our first child, my husband and I were facing serious challenges as our life together became as "real" as it had ever been. Specifically, we struggled with successfully managing conflict resolution in the midst of our newfound roles as parents in addition to life partners, who may not have acknowledged or been fully conscious of some of our challenges in the past. Carolyn has challenged us to be better partners to each other and, importantly, to seek to better understand ourselves in the overall context of our relationship... Read more"

- former client

(See other testimonials)