Couples Counseling in Baltimore, MD

Welcome to Our Couples Counseling with the Gottman Method Approach

Are you and your partner seeking to strengthen your relationship, enhance communication, and foster deeper emotional connection?

Our couples counseling practice utilizes the Gottman Method, a research-based approach developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, to help couples like you build healthier, more resilient partnerships.

About the Gottman Method

The Gottman Method is grounded in over four decades of research and clinical experience, providing couples with effective tools and strategies to navigate challenges and cultivate lasting love. At the core of the Gottman Method are assessments, interventions, and frameworks designed to enhance understanding, communication, and intimacy in relationships.

How We Use the Gottman Method

1. Assessment: The therapist begins by conducting a thorough assessment of the couple's relationship. This may involve individual interviews with each partner, as well as the completion of questionnaires and assessments to identify the strengths and challenges in the relationship.

2. Feedback session: After the assessment, the therapist provides feedback to the couple about their relationship dynamics, communication patterns, areas of strength, and areas needing improvement. This feedback session helps the couple gain insights into their relationship and sets the stage for the therapy work ahead.

3. Treatment plan: Based on the assessment and feedback, the therapist collaborates with the couple to develop a treatment plan tailored to their specific needs and goals. The treatment plan may include interventions and exercises aimed at improving communication, resolving conflicts, and building intimacy.

4. Building friendship and intimacy: The Gottman Method emphasizes the importance of building friendship and emotional connection in a relationship. Therapists help couples strengthen their friendship by fostering positive interactions, building rituals of connection, and enhancing intimacy.

5. Enhancing communication: Effective communication is a cornerstone of the Gottman Method. Therapists teach couples specific communication skills, such as active listening, expressing needs and feelings, and avoiding destructive communication patterns like criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling.

6. Managing conflict: The method provides tools and techniques for managing conflict constructively. Couples learn how to navigate disagreements, resolve conflicts, and reach compromises that honor both partners' needs and feelings.

7. Strengthening commitment: Through the therapy process, couples work on deepening their commitment to each other and the relationship. They explore shared values, goals, and dreams, and learn to prioritize their partnership amidst life's challenges.

8. Homework assignments: Couples are often given homework assignments to practice the skills and strategies learned in therapy between sessions. These assignments help reinforce positive behaviors and promote ongoing growth and improvement in the relationship.

Benefits of Couples Counseling for couples working as a team

Couples who engage in counseling together rather than participating in individual therapy often experience a range of benefits, including:

  • Enhanced emotional connection and intimacy.

  • Improved communication and conflict-resolution skills.

  • Strengthened friendship and mutual understanding.

  • Increased trust, respect, and commitment.

  • A deeper sense of shared meaning and purpose in the relationship.

Take the First Step Towards a Stronger Relationship

Ready to invest in the health and happiness of your relationship? Schedule a couples counseling session with us to begin your journey towards a more loving, harmonious partnership. Our compassionate therapists are here to support you every step of the way.

Contact Us

To learn more about our couples counseling services with the Gottman Method approach or to schedule an appointment, please contact us! Let us help you and your partner build a stronger, more connected relationship today.

FAQs

  • First session/ 90 Minutes: $220

    Regular sessions: $200

  • At this time, I would like to inform you that I am unable to accept insurance for couples therapy sessions. There are several reasons for this decision that I would like to explain:

    1. **Diagnosis Requirement**: Insurance companies typically require a mental health diagnosis to cover therapy services. In the case of couples therapy, the focus is on the relationship dynamics rather than diagnosing an individual, which may not meet the specific criteria for insurance coverage.

    2. **Assessment Tools**: Couples therapy often involves using assessments and tools that are not covered by insurance. These assessments are essential for understanding the dynamics of the relationship and providing effective treatment, but they can be time-consuming and require specialized training.

    3. **Extended Session Time**: Couples therapy sessions often require more time than individual therapy sessions due to the complexity of the issues being addressed. The additional time spent in sessions may not be fully covered by insurance, leading to out-of-pocket expenses for the clients.

  • Couples counseling is a therapeutic process designed to help partners in a relationship address and resolve conflicts, improve communication, and strengthen their bond.

    The initial phase often involves assessments to understand the dynamics of the relationship and the individual needs of each partner. This may include oral history interviews to explore their backgrounds, values, and relationship history.

    Based on this information, a treatment plan is developed to address specific issues and goals. Therapists employ teaching interventions such as conflict resolution techniques, active listening skills, and empathy-building exercises to help couples navigate challenges effectively. Building friendships and fostering emotional connection are also key components, as they promote mutual understanding and trust.

    Communication skills are a major focus of couples counseling, with therapists guiding partners in expressing their feelings, needs, and concerns in a constructive and respectful manner.

    Overall, couples counseling aims to provide a safe and supportive space for partners to explore their relationship dynamics, learn new ways of relating to each other, and work towards a healthier and more fulfilling partnership.

  • The duration of couples counseling can vary significantly depending on the nature of the issues being addressed, the frequency of sessions, the level of commitment from both partners and the complexity of their relationship dynamics. Some couples may see improvements in a relatively short period, such as a few months, especially if they are dealing with relatively straightforward communication challenges or specific conflicts.

    For more deep-seated issues like trust issues, infidelity, or long-standing patterns of dysfunction, therapy may need to continue for a year or more to achieve lasting changes. The frequency of sessions, whether weekly or bi-weekly, can also impact the duration of counseling.

    Additionally, the commitment of both partners to the process, their willingness to engage in therapy homework, and their openness to personal growth and change play crucial roles in determining the length of time needed for couples counseling to be effective.

    Ultimately, the duration of couples counseling is unique to each couple and is influenced by a combination of factors related to their problems, commitment, and the therapeutic process itself.

Schedule a Free 15-minute consultation call

Contact us.

Reach out to us with your specific questions for couples counseling or to schedule your consultation call! We are happy to help!