Couples Counseling

The same argument on repeat. Feeling more like roommates than partners. The love is there, but somehow you can't reach each other anymore.

In my work with couples, I draw from my trainings in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), an evidenced based treatment model developed by Sue Johnson. EFT posits that individuals need secure, meaningful, and reliable connections to others, and the loss of this connection leads to distress. Formerly loving relationships come to be defined by anger, criticism, and isolation. By working together to understand the negative cycle that has created disconnection, couples are able to create space for greater understanding and compassion for one another.

I have successfully helped couples work through a host of challenges, including infidelity, parenting stress, intimacy struggles, and daily miscommunication. The work we do together is challenging but meaningful.

What is EFT?

Emotionally Focused Therapy starts from a simple idea: beneath every fight about dishes, money, or schedules is a deeper question — are you there for me? When the answer feels like "no," couples fall into a negative cycle of pursue-and-withdraw that takes on a life of its own. In EFT, we make that cycle the shared enemy — not each other — and rebuild the secure emotional bond underneath. Rather than just teaching communication skills, EFT changes the bond itself.


Does it work?

70–75% of couples move from distress to recovery with EFT, and about 90% show significant improvement. (ICEEFT research)

What to expect

Weekly 50- or 75-minute sessions at my Campbell office (telehealth available anywhere in California). Many couples notice meaningful change within a few months.

Frequently asked questions

  • No. Emotionally Focused Therapy is a structured couples treatment developed by Dr. Sue Johnson. Tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques) is unrelated.

  • Many couples feel real shifts within a few months of weekly sessions; deeper work takes longer. We'll talk honestly about timeline at the start.

  • Yes. Betrayal is one of the most common reasons couples seek EFT, and rebuilding trust is core to the work.

  • No. It's normal for one partner to arrive more hopeful than the other. Willingness to show up is enough to start.

  • If there is ongoing intimidation or physical violence, couples therapy isn't the right starting point. We'll talk together about what kind of help is safest. (National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233)