Couples Therapy
Do You And Your Partner Struggle To Resolve Persistent Issues?
Have patterns of conflict and disconnection interfered with the quality of your relationship?
Are you and your partner frequently engaging in arguments or struggling to communicate without escalating into tension or withdrawal?
Have you been dealing with emotional distance, a lack of intimacy, or feeling unsupported by your partner?
Maybe you have gone through a significant hardship in your relationship—such as an affair—and your trust has been compromised. Or maybe you experience day-to-day dissatisfaction without a specific triggering event, and now wonder whether the relationship is the cause of your unhappiness or stagnation. If any of this is the case, you are probably curious if couples therapy could help you and your partner find common ground to discuss your differences and heal.
Do You And Your Partner Struggle To Communicate Effectively?
You and your partner may share a household and responsibilities, yet struggle to maintain connection, mutual respect, or shared goals. If you have children, you may feel concerned about how your relationship dynamic affects them, particularly if conflict is visible or unresolved.
You likely experience common stressors, including differing expectations around time, parenting, finances, or extended family dynamics. Over time, unresolved issues may contribute to chronic stress, self-doubt, or symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbances, or physical tension. These patterns can also affect your broader well-being and sense of emotional safety within the relationship.
You may also be unsure whether to continue in the relationship and seek clarity about what direction to take moving forward. With the right support, it is possible to make informed decisions about the future of your relationship.
Couples therapy provides a structured, supportive environment to address underlying issues like those with intimacy, improving communication, and rebuilding trust.
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Relationship Stress Is More Common Than You Think
Modern couples face a wide range of pressures—from financial obligations and parenting demands to cultural expectations around what defines a "successful" relationship. These stressors can lead to emotional disconnection or dissatisfaction over time.
Even when two partners care deeply for each other, they may feel they’ve grown apart rather than grown together. What’s often missing is intentional space to reflect, communicate, and reconnect. Marriage counseling or couples therapy can provide that space—one where the relationship itself becomes the client and mutual understanding is prioritized. Seeking support is not a sign of failure but a proactive step toward long-term relational health.
Many Couples Struggle Without The Right Tools
It's common for partners to enter long-term relationships without a shared understanding of values, goals, or emotional needs. Topics like parenting, money, and intimacy are often not fully explored until conflict brings them to the surface. Unspoken expectations and misaligned assumptions can create tension, especially when influenced by unrealistic portrayals of relationships in media or online.
Same-sex or LGBTQ+ couples face unique challenges in relationships, such as societal pressures, family dynamics, and issues related to identity, which can significantly impact their relationship's health. Same-sex and/or LGBTQ+ marriage counseling or couples therapy can help address these challenges and build stronger relationships by fostering communication, conflict resolution, and a supportive environment.
Without effective communication strategies, conflict may escalate—or worse, remain unresolved. A couples counselor can offer a structured approach to building emotional safety, respectful communication, and deeper connection. Partners can learn how to listen with empathy, repair conflict effectively, and foster a stronger sense of shared purpose. With support, it is entirely possible to build a relationship that is both resilient and emotionally fulfilling.
Couples Counseling Offers A Structured Path To Understanding And Repair
Engaging in couples therapy or marriage counseling can help partners gain clarity, reduce distress, and begin making thoughtful changes—regardless of the relationship’s long-term outcome. During the early stages of therapy, it’s not uncommon for partners to express frustrations or conflict openly.
While this can be uncomfortable, it offers valuable insight into your relational dynamics. By observing how arguments unfold for you as a couple in real-time, as your therapist, I can model and teach communication skills that foster more respectful and productive dialogue.
As therapy progresses, couples often begin to feel a shift—from misunderstanding to empathy and from emotional distance to renewed connection. The aim is not just to reduce conflict, but to build a relationship dynamic rooted in mutual respect, emotional safety, and shared purpose.
Using Evidence-Based Modalities To Address Core Issues
As a couples therapist, I draw from a range of evidence-based interventions to address the emotional, behavioral, and relational challenges couples face.
Depending on your specific needs, I may incorporate approaches in therapy such as the Gottman Method, which helps couples build trust, manage conflict constructively, and increase emotional closeness. One of the major principles of the Gottman Method in marriage counseling is that couples require more positive interactions than negative ones, as negative ones like defensiveness or contempt end up hurting the relationship more than the positive ones can heal them.
Relational Life Therapy (RLT) is often used to help couples strengthen their emotional connection and reestablish their partnership not only as romantic companions but as allies in navigating life’s demands. In cases where early life experiences impact how partners relate to one another, Internal Family Systems (IFS) may be used in therapy to help each partner identify and heal protective patterns rooted in past trauma.
For couples healing from infidelity or trauma, more specialized interventions like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy may be used to support emotional processing and foster healing.
Additional interventions—such as mindfulness practices and cognitive behavioral therapy—may also be integrated to help clients manage anxiety, shift rigid thought patterns, and stay present during difficult conversations. Therapy becomes a collaborative space to identify long-standing emotional wounds, build practical skills, and move toward relational maturity.
Rebuilding Trust, Reconnecting Emotionally, And Moving Forward
Whether you’re facing a betrayal, recurring conflict, or a lack of emotional intimacy, a couples counselor can provide the structure and guidance needed to move forward. For some, the core issue isn’t the surface-level disagreement, but what it symbolizes—freedom, safety, or autonomy. Therapy can help uncover these deeper themes and address them directly.
Regardless of your challenges, I can help you reassess your needs, rebuild trust, and create a safe, fulfilling, and emotionally attuned relationship. With commitment and support, it is possible to repair your relationship and experience a stronger bond than you thought possible.
You Might Still Have Questions Or Concerns About Couples Therapy…
I am worried that my spouse won’t agree to come to therapy.
If your spouse/partner is unsure about couples counseling at this time, let's schedule a 15-minute call for the three of us to get to know each other, learn about the counseling process, and see if we are a good fit. It is common for one of the people in the relationship to be more interested in pursuing therapy and for the other to be more fearful, distrusting, or resistant. They may simply need more time to open up.
Together, we can discuss why there is hesitation to seek counseling and address those issues as they arise. You and your partner might be surprised how fulfilling couples therapy can be, providing relief and hope for your future.
We have full schedules and don’t think we’ll have enough time to consistently attend sessions.
Seeing a marriage counselor is an investment in your future happiness. Couples often come weekly for several months, then reduce to every other week, and then only check in when needed.
It typically takes 6 - 9 months of regular therapy to see lasting changes in the relationship. Learning how to prioritize your own health and that of your partner is something you learn by regularly setting aside time to speak to a couples therapist. Additionally, accommodations can be made in the schedule for events, illness, and vacations as needed.
I am worried about the cost of therapy.
Couples therapy is often not covered by insurance and is an out-of-pocket cost for the family. However, investing in your relationship now could save you so much frustration, pain, and suffering in your future. Not the mention the significant financial toll that separating or divorce incurs. Make the choice now to invest in your family, and your partner, and enjoy the life and love you always wanted.
Let’s Begin Restoring Your Relationship In Couples Therapy
Seeking couples counseling is a great first step, and over time your marriage can find stable ground to move forward with renewed purpose. Reach out to me by calling (925) 268-7917 or through my Contact page to sign up for a free, 20-minute consultation to learn more about my couples therapy practice.
Get started with Janelle Webster Therapy today.
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