Couples Counseling

Situations in which couples counseling can help

Communication difficulties

Recurring arguments, misunderstandings, criticism, silences and a feeling of not being listened to or understood.

Emotional distance and intimacy

Reduced closeness, a diminished sense of partnership and less emotional or physical intimacy.

Crises of trust and infidelity

Coping with damage to trust, processing the crisis and considering the possibility of rebuilding the relationship.

Jealousy, dependence and fear of abandonment

Relationship patterns that evoke insecurity, anxiety and conflict.

Power struggles and differences in expectations

Disagreements about responsibility, money, lifestyle, values and decision-making.

Parenting and its impact on the couple’s relationship

Differences in approaches to raising children, division of roles and family strain.

Life crises and changes

Illness, loss, financial difficulties, relocation and significant transitions.

Relationships after a previous partnership

Coping with blended families, children from previous relationships, boundaries and family loyalties.

Uncertainty about continuing the relationship

Exploring the wishes, needs and options available to the partners.

These are examples of some of the situations that can be addressed within the therapeutic process, alongside a wide range of other difficulties and challenges.

Understanding the patterns that develop in the relationship

In couples’ relationships, patterns sometimes develop in which one partner’s response triggers a response in the other, creating a cycle that is difficult to escape. For example, when one partner feels distance and asks for more closeness, the other may experience this as pressure and withdraw further. The withdrawal increases the first partner’s feeling of rejection, and the cycle continues.

In the counseling process, we learn to identify these cycles, understand the needs and emotions behind them and develop new ways of responding.

The aim is not to determine who is right but to understand how each partner influences the shared dynamic and how it can be changed.

Couples counseling in relationships after a previous partnership

A relationship after a previous partnership may offer an opportunity for a meaningful and more mature bond, but also complexities that are not necessarily present in a first relationship.

When partners have children from previous relationships, difficulties may arise around the new partner’s place, the division of parental responsibility, relationships with former partners and the need to balance the children’s needs with those of the couple’s relationship.

Sometimes these are accompanied by concerns arising from previous relationships, sensitivity to being hurt again or difficulty establishing trust.

Counseling helps partners define expectations and boundaries, build a partnership that takes the family structure into account and create a safe space both for the couple’s relationship and for the individual needs of family members.

How does the couples counseling process unfold?

The process begins by getting to know the partners, the history of their relationship and the difficulties that led them to seek counseling.

Shared goals are then defined, and communication patterns, ways of coping with conflict and unmet needs are explored.

The sessions allow a guided conversation in which each partner can express their perspective and experience, while learning and practicing listening, communication and conflict-resolution skills.

In certain situations, individual sessions may also be included, according to therapeutic needs and clear agreements about the working framework and confidentiality.

When one partner is uncertain or does not wish to attend

The two partners are not always at the same point in their willingness to seek counseling.

Sometimes one seeks change while the other fears the process, struggles to believe it can help or does not wish to participate.

In such situations, it is possible to begin with an individual exploration of the relationship difficulty, needs and available options, even without the other partner’s participation.

When violence, threats or coercive control are present, a safety assessment and an appropriately tailored response are required, because joint couples counseling is not suitable for every situation.

My professional approach

In my work, I combine a psychodynamic understanding of attachment patterns and emotional needs, cognitive-behavioral tools for changing communication patterns and a systemic perspective on the couple’s relationship and the family.

I regard each partner as an individual in their own right and, at the same time, the couple’s relationship as a system with patterns and mutual influences.

Counseling is not necessarily directed toward preserving the relationship at any cost. Sometimes the process helps rebuild the bond, and sometimes it allows informed and respectful decisions about its future.

The aim of couples counseling is not to create a relationship without disagreements but to help partners understand one another, address difficulties in a constructive way and choose how they wish to continue their shared path.