Couples therapy is a wonderful service for couples who find themselves feeling more disconnected from each other, and unable to feel heard and understood by each other. It is also extremely helpful for couples who are about to go through a major life transition together such as moving in together, getting married, having a baby, adopting a child, retiring, etc as these are times when couples are at risk for communication problems, and couples therapy can teach valuable skills for maintaining your connection.
I practice Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) which is an evidenced based model for improving safe, emotional connections between partners and is based on over 30 years of research on adult attachment. (see this link for more info on the model: http://www.iceeft.com/index.php/about-us/what-is-eft) I videotape all of my couples sessions for a few reasons: it assists me to review my techniques and continually improve as a therapist, and as I pursue certification in EFT, my tapes are reviewed for quality assurance by my EFT consultant to make sure I am delivering the therapy effectively.
Before we begin our work, I will ask you to review and sign a consent to be videotaped. I continually find that my couples benefit from the extra time and consideration they receive with this process of quality assurance!
QUESTIONS?
Please see the FAQ section for more information.
READY TO TALK?
Contact me at nlively@family-institute.org if you have any questions, or would like to schedule an appointment.
HOW IT WORKS
Couples therapy begins with the three of us meeting for an assessment and evaluation session for approximately 60 minutes. If you are using your insurance, this first meeting will be billed as an “evaluation”. All meetings after that will be billed as “family psychotherapy” and will last approximately 60 minutes. Even though I am only billing for one evaluation session, in practice the first 4 – 5 times we meet will be for the purposes of assessment and treatment planning.
First Meeting
In the first meeting, we will spend time discussing the reasons for seeking treatment, and I will also be asking about your relationship history. Couples usually need a second meeting to completely tell me the story of their relationship history.
Individual Meetings
After our initial meetings all together, I will schedule a meeting with each of you individually that will last for approximately 60 minutes. In the individual meetings, I will be asking each of you questions about your own personal family histories.
The Work Begins
I will then compile information gathered at our initial meetings, and we will meet all together again to discuss areas of strength and vulnerability in your relationship, and begin to set treatment goals. We will then work collaboratively to address the areas of your relationship that need strengthening, and will check-in regularly about your progress.
QUESTIONS?
Please see the FAQ section for more information.
READY TO TALK?
Contact me at nlively@family-institute.org if you have any questions, or would like to schedule an appointment.