Relationship Issues

I address a range of relationship issues, including persistent conflict, communication challenges, emotional distance, financial stress/disputes, infidelity, parental stressors, boundaries, etc.

With Couples

In couples therapy, my approach is grounded in Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT). EFT is rooted in attachment theory, and addresses relationship distress by focusing on emotional bonds and recurring patterns of interaction that shape partners’ sense of safety and connection. Many issues brought to therapy reflect unmet attachment needs—such as the need to feel seen, valued, and emotionally secure—and the protective strategies partners adopt when these needs feel threatened. EFT’s focus on emotions stands in contrast to other common couples therapy modalities (Gottman in particular) that focus on communication strategies and behavior patterns. These more practical aspects of coupledom are also important, but I believe most useful to consider in the context of the fundamental emotional reality of the relationship.

A common issue is the “pursue–withdraw” cycle, where one partner seeks closeness through criticism, protest, or heightened emotion, while the other withdraws or becomes defensive to manage overwhelm or avoid conflict. EFT reframes this pattern as a shared cycle driven by attachment fears rather than individual flaws. Therapy helps partners slow these interactions, access underlying emotions, and respond to each other in more supportive ways.

Trust injuries are another frequent focus, including infidelity, emotional neglect, or moments of abandonment during times of need. EFT works to process the emotional impact of these injuries and create corrective emotional experiences that support repair, accountability, and renewed trust. Emotional disconnection and intimacy difficulties are also central concerns, as partners may feel lonely, misunderstood, or unable to express needs without escalation. EFT helps individuals identify and share primary emotions—such as fear, sadness, or longing—that often sit beneath anger or withdrawal.

With Individuals

I also help many individuals with relationship issues. Sometimes this helping clients reframe current conflicts or develop healthy communications strategies. Relationship struggles can also often be addressed through Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR focuses on unresolved traumatic or attachment-related experiences that continue to influence current relational behaviors. I help clients stop past experiences of rejection, abandonment, abuse, etc. from seeping into their current relationships that they have chosen based on love, trust, and respect. EMDR often helps individuals reduce emotional reactivity, shift negative self-beliefs, communicate more clearly and confidently, and find greater capacity for secure attachment within relationships.

Together, EFT, attachment theory, and EMDR offer complementary pathways for healing relational distress by addressing both present-day interactional patterns and the unresolved emotional experiences that underlie them.