Initial Assessment: 
Exploration & Feedback 

Your journey starts with a comprehensive intake process, which includes an initial conjoint meeting with your therapist, individual partner interviews, and the completion of the Gottman Relationship Checkup. You will then meet with your therapist for a feedback session to discuss the results of your checkup, explore areas of strength and challenges in your partnership, and create an individualized plan to cultivate connection, healing and growth. 

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Stage One:
Deepening Understanding

In this phase, couples work to deepen understanding, de-escalate conflict, and tune into the underlying needs and desires that fuel discontent. Couples upend destructive relational patterns and become allies in conquering life stressors. Partners reflect on patterns and begin to approach complex issues with clarity, unity, and compassion. Through this process, partners will better understand themselves and each other, and gain valuable insight into what they need to do next for the relationship to grow.

Stage Two:
Enhancing Skills

Stage two focuses on integrating critical relationship skills that will foster lasting and meaningful change. Couples practice listening and reflecting, effectively navigating conflict, sharing feelings authentically, and initiating successful repair after regrettable interactions. Couples will develop new relationship patterns that foster lasting friendship, understanding, and connection. Couples move into stage three with a deep understanding of what makes relationships work and the skills to achieve and sustain the intimacy they desire. 

Stage Three:
Embracing a New Dance

And finally, as partners form a new relational dance, they work to reinforce healthy patterns and embrace new ways of being and relating. Couples will discuss ongoing challenges, create rituals for connection, and identify ways to maintain intimacy and affection through the shifting seasons of life. Therapy begins to reach a natural conclusion during this stage, as couples feel empowered to manage relationship stressors and turn toward each other during difficult times. 

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