People who seek me out for couples therapy are people who love their partners deeply and want to stay in a committed relationship with one another. They tell me their partner is a good person and is there for them in all the big ways. As they talk about their relationship, they often tell me their arguments and grievances seem to be over silly and petty issues. And yet, over time something has hardened and they are unwilling to give their partner an inch. They feel stuck, alone, or resentful. If this sounds like you, you are in the right place. I can help you.
Something is holding you back from loving your partner with your whole heart. You are here because you sense you need to dig deeper to create authentic change in your relationship. You are here because you recognize working with a trained and licensed therapist is an investment in your relationship. |
Therapy is an investment in your relationship
Making the decision to get help from a couples therapist may not come easily. The way I see it is this:your relationship/partnership is at the center of everything you are and everything you do. When you feel connected you feel safe, secure, happy, and able to tackle life's challenges. Relationship is a living thing that needs nurturing and tending to sustain it. Don't let another day go by minimizing arguments and hurt, allowing fear to prevent you from getting help, or just "getting through". Say yes to a relationship that it joyful, vital and thriving. Say yes to therapy and invest in your relationship.
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'Love doesn't just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made,
like bread, remade all the time, made new.'
~ Ursula K. Le Guin
Does this sound like you?
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If this resonates with you, I can help you.
No matter how you define your relationship — dating, living together, engaged, married, life partners; straight, queer, traditional, unconventional; as well as, siblings and parent-child — our need for love and connection is the same. So too, are the issues that challenge the relationship bond. I work with opposite-sex, queer, and interracial/multiheritage couples. I have extensive experience helping couples from the Indian/South Asian Community.
The Cycle
It feels like déjà vu.
1. Your partner does the thing. 2. Then, you react and say the thing. 3. Before you know it, the two of you are having a fight. You are repeating that painful argument that leaves you both feeling disconnected, frustrated, and alone. One of you tries to communicate your feelings and wants more than anything for your partner to understand you. To finally get you. To see what you crave, more than anything, is connection and comfort. You are hurt and angry when your partner reacts like you are “too much”.
One of you doesn’t know what to say. It’s like your brain goes blank. You feel misunderstood and sad when your partner thinks you’re shut down or you don’t care. Actually, you care so much, and that’s why you freeze up. You are worried about getting it wrong and being "not enough”. Let's Stop the Cycle |
I help you identify and understand how each person's core vulnerabilities interact to thwart empathy, stoke destructive communication and conflict, and foment distrust, alienation, anger, shame, and a loss of intimacy.
I help you recognize unhealthy patterns that may be getting repeated in the relationship. Together we identify the optimal level of togetherness and separateness and how to set boundaries. You learn how to communicate needs and feelings and listen with curiosity and empathy, so both of you can engage safely and feel heard. With curiosity and empathy, you are able to turn towards one another to foster intimacy, connection, and resilience. So your relationship can bloom. |
Special Expertise: Therapy for Indian and South Asian CouplesWhile each person has unique experiences and each couple has a unique relationship, my clients appreciate my knowledge, experience, and insights of South Asian customs, beliefs, and attitudes. I have experience working with people whose families arranged their marriages, as well as, people who dated and made their own decision to marry. My cultural awareness is an integral aspect of our work allowing us to focus on your relationship without you having to educate me about your culture.
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Common relationship topics couples discuss with me
Anger and Resentment
Building Healthy Interdependence Caring for Elderly Parents Communication and Assertiveness Creating Work-Life Balance Cultivating Empathy Discussing Past Hurts and Finding a Path Forward Fostering Intimacy Gender Norms and Dynamics |
Grief and Loss
Honoring Partner's Cultural and Racial Identities Life Transitions (e.g. becoming parents, empty nest) Navigating Family Relationships and Expectations Parenting Stress Premarital Counseling Repairing and Rebuilding Trust Setting Boundaries Shame |