Couples Therapy
Secure relationships take practice!
“A secure-functioning relationship is an interpersonal system based on principles of true mutuality, collaboration, justice, fairness, and sensitivity.” – Stan Tatkin, Ph.D., Co-founder of PACT Therapy
You feel more like roommates.
Every conversation seems to turn into an argument. Instead of listening and trying to understand your side, you know your partner is concocting a counter-argument.
You are tired of the silent treatment and issues left unresolved.
Things keep getting swept under the rug, and neither of you likes confrontation, so you just let it fester, leading to resentment.
The romance and dates you used to go on are a distant memory. Lately, you barely remember what it was that attracted you to your partner. All you can focus on is the reasons frustrating you.
Sweeping things under the rug isn’t working.
When issues aren’t resolved and repaired, resentment grows, trust decays, and an expanse grows between you and your partner.
The silent treatment and avoiding conflict are tantamount to throwing in the towel on your relationship. Don’t “quite quit” the most important relationship in your life.
Don’t wait until you have contempt, defensiveness, stonewalling, and criticism in your relationship. According to Dr. John Gottman, these are the four predictors of divorce if you do nothing to fix them.
Couples therapy is the antidote.
You’ve operated one way your entire relationship. It takes practice and experience to change your brain and communication patterns. Therapy can help you achieve a deeper connection and intimacy while improving communication patterns.
Learn to become experts on each other and operate with a shared purpose, vision, and agreements that support your desired relationship.
Get ready to rewire how you communicate with one another so that you feel heard, understood, and cared for. Let us help you reconnect and rebuild your relationship with a stronger foundation and mutual respect and admiration.
Westlake Psychotherapy of Austin is an LGBTQ+-affirming practice that welcomes all relationships, gender identities, and sexual orientations.