Couples Therapy
At Sweet Orange, Megan works with couples navigating a range of seasons, particularly specializing in pre-conception, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum and parenting stages of the relationship. The goal is to move to a place of deep connection, vulnerability, mutual compassion, understanding, and grounding amidst the intensity these stages bring.
Common Couples Therapy Topics
Mental Load Distribution, Domestic Labor / Responsibility Sharing
Family Planning, Fertility, Pregnancy, Postpartum
Sex and Intimacy
Communication
Individual Identity Rebuilding and Discovery
Parenting Approaches and Engagement
Values, Politics, and Religion
Money, Work and Financial Stress
Emotional regulation and dysregulation
Addictions (Drugs, Gambling, Sex, etc.)
Infidelity and Relationship Violations
Grief, Loss and Coping Differently
Polyamorous, non-monogamous and non-traditional relationships and dynamics
Is Couples Therapy for Us?
Do you and your partner find yourselves having cyclical arguments? Have you started feeling more like rivals instead of teammates, more like roommates rather than partners? Are you having feelings of anger, rage, disgust, frustration, resentment or disappointment toward your partner? Has there been a violation in the relationship? Is mistrust, hurt, or lack of accountability making it impossible to rebuild?
If this sounds familiar couples therapy could support you in shifting cyclical dynamics, building a more secure relationship attachment and help you approach one another with trust, assumption of positive intent, compassion and understanding so that you may find more enjoyment and fulfillment in this life together.
Couples Therapy Process
Set up a free virtual 30 minute consultation ideally with both partners but fine to do with one partner as long as both partners are willing to engage. I provide virtual-only couples therapy M-F between 9am-3pm.
The first Intake Session will include both partners. We will discuss the Couples Therapy Process, Ground Rules, and glean history of the dynamics and goals from each partner.
Both partners will have one separate individual session with me to gather individual history.
All following sessions will include both partners and we will work through identifying the negative relationship cycles, healing harms, building new communication patterns, developing more secure attachment behaviors.
Couples Work Therapeutic Foundations
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)
Attachment Based Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Communication Strategies that help partners hear one another rather than perpetuating the argument cycle. We move beyond “I statement” based strategies and toward communication that holds each other with compassion and understanding and helps couples remember why they are in this together in the first place.
contraindications for Couples work
Couples therapy is not appropriate for all couples. As the therapist, I may decline to accept or end therapy prematurely for any couples at any time. Physical, emotional and psychological safety for all parties involved is paramount. I am unable to work in therapy with couples with a history of physical violence, psychological or emotional abuse or significant power and control dynamics. For these situations I can consider working with one party in individual relationship work but could not work with parties together.
**My role as a therapist is to support both individuals in navigating their relationship and move toward a more healthy relationship space together. However, I cannot guarantee all relationships will continue even with therapy. I am able to support uncoupling partnerships in their navigation of family composition changes, boundaries, coparenting and communication. However, I do not testify or engage in divorce, custody or other court proceedings. If you need a professional to support any legal proceedings related to your relationship or otherwise please seek out a therapist who advertises this type of support, a Child Family Investigator, and/or other appropriate legal counsel. As a therapist I cannot provide any legal counsel and am not liable for decisions made by clients related to their relationship.
