Couples Counseling And Marriage Therapy For Relationship Conflict
Being part of a couple takes work, whether you’re married, engaged, or in a committed relationship. You may be able to get through a lot of life’s stressors and issues as a team, but others can cause strain and damage to your relationship. When that happens, couples counseling is a way to help you successfully work through any issues and rebuild your connection.
Through in person couples sessions at my office in Westlake Village or online virtual sessions, I can help you and your partner work through issues of intimacy, financial infidelity, communication, affairs, and many other problems you may be experiencing. I provide a compassionate and caring approach that helps you achieve greater emotional intimacy and happiness in your relationship.
My goal is to earn your trust and to help you feel freer, more spontaneous, and better able to love and be loved by those you care about.
What Does Couples Counseling Treat?
Often, the problems in your relationship stem from past issues that have nothing to do with the issue you come to therapy for. That’s why it’s so important to get to the root of early life traumas that may be impeding your ability to have a successful intimate relationship.
Through couples counseling, I can help you explore these traumas along with any other inhibitions and anxieties you have about your relationship. We work together to openly discuss what’s coming between you and your partner and help you both learn to better communicate your needs so you can have a more successful partnership.
When there’s a breach of trust, like an affair or financial infidelity, we can work on repairing your relationship and rebuilding trust. It may seem impossible to come back from infidelity, but many couples do and come out stronger.
Couples counseling can also help with issues related to:
With ongoing couples counseling, you can move past your relationship issues to a healthier partnership.
What Treatments Are Used In Couples Counseling?
Effective treatment of marital and relationship problems requires a high level of trust between you and your partner. Because conflict often has multiple causes, treatments can’t be universally applied — what works for one couple may not work for another.
An effective treatment plan will address and manage the cause of your conflict and then build and strengthen communication between you and your partner. Treatment may include communication counseling and therapy with a goal of building your emotional well-being.
I primarily use two approaches in our couples counseling sessions: Emotionally Focused Therapy and the Gottman Method Couples Therapy. I am extensively trained in both therapies, which are proven to help couples turn toward each other rather than away.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
EFT was originally developed to help couples form a secure bond, or attachment. Using EFT, I can help you foster this secure bond through better recognition of emotional responses and behavioral patterns that interfere with your relationship. We work to create positive shifts in behaviors and improved communication to strengthen your relationship.
EFT earned the American Psychological Association (APA) gold standard as the most effective evidence-based couples therapy approach. Research studies find that 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery and approximately 90% show significant improvements. Studies consistently show excellent follow-up results and some studies show that significant progress continues after therapy.
The Gottman Method
The Gottman Method Couples Therapy is based on 40 years of research with thousands of couples. The goals of the Gottman Method are to disarm negative verbal communication, increase physical and emotional intimacy, remove barriers that create a feeling of gridlock, and create a higher sense of empathy and understanding within the couple. To read more about the effectiveness of the Gottman Method, click here.
Understand the science behind marking marriage work according to Dr. John Gottman.
In addition to EFT and the Gottman Method, I have training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as well as mediation, which helps me foster better conversation and conflict resolution between you and your partner.
Everyone loves a top 10 list…here is mine
Top 10 Acts of Service for Your Mate
Top 10 Most Appreciated Spousal Affirmations
Top 10 Appreciated Expressions of Love through Touch
Top 10 Appreciated Gifts from a Spouse
Top 10 Ways to Spend Quality Time
Top 10 Pieces of Advice for a Long and Healthy Marriage
Top 10 Reasons Marriages End in Divorce
Take the First Step Towards Change
Contact Marina Edelman, LMFT, today for a confidential consultation.
Learn More About Marina Edelman’s Services
You can also find more information on her Psychology Today profile: Marina Edelman – Psychology Today. Or explore resources on the AEDP Institute website: Marina Edelman – AEDP Institute
Serving Westlake Village, Malibu, Calabasas, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Newbury Park, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Oak Park, and surrounding areas in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, and beyond in the state of California via telehealth.