Couples Therapy
The Same Fight. Distance. Trust. Communication. Big Decisions.
Most couples wait about six years longer than they should to call. Whenever you’re arriving, the work is the same: get out of the loop you’re both stuck in and back onto the same team.
Our couples therapists work with EFT and the Gottman Method, two of the best-researched approaches there are, and match the approach to the two of you. In Long Beach or online across California.
Who it’s for
Couples in gridlock, couples gone quiet, couples rebuilding after a breach of trust, and couples who are basically fine and want to stay that way through a wedding, a baby, or a big move. Every kind of partnership is welcome here: every configuration, orientation, and stage.
How it works
Depending on fit, we work with EFT (the feelings and attachment needs underneath the recurring fight), the Gottman Method (research-based skills for conflict, friendship, and trust), or a blend. Either way the target is the pattern between you, never a verdict on who’s right.
Common questions
What's the difference between EFT and the Gottman Method?
EFT works underneath the fight, on the softer feelings and needs that keep it recurring. Gottman works on the fight itself, with concrete, research-derived skills for conflict and connection. Many couples benefit from both, and choosing is our job, not yours.
My partner thinks we don't need therapy. Now what?
Common, and workable. Some partners will agree to one session as an experiment, which is all we ask. If they won’t, start on your own. One person changing their steps changes the dance, and reluctant partners often join once therapy stops being hypothetical.
Is it too late for us?
Arriving in gridlock is the normal starting point, not a disqualifier. What matters more than how bad the fights are is whether you’re both willing to look at the pattern. Some couples also use therapy to part well. That’s legitimate work too, and we say so.
How long until we notice a change?
Most couples feel the fights start losing heat within the first several sessions, once the pattern has a name. The deeper rebuilding of trust, friendship, and ease takes longer, and we pace it with you rather than to a formula.