Couples Counseling
Specializing in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Couples Counseling in Georgia, New York & Maine
Couples Counseling
How did we get here?
When did it become so hard to talk to each other? You love your partner but something is wrong. You might argue about sex, money or children. Or you might even feel too distant to argue. You feel like you can’t get through to your partner. Sometimes you have insight into what is going on but bad patterns keep repeating themselves. It’s confusing. It hurts. You are tired of it. You want to experience joy and intimacy as a couple. You need change. But how on earth do people change?
You can improve your relationship
Relationships have a profound impact on everyone’s health and happiness. Yet we are rarely taught—or even witness to—effective ways of relating to others or even ourselves. No wonder so many couples find themselves sitting right next to each other feeling alone and misunderstood. The good news is, we are wired for connection. Humans are born with an innate capacity to bond and love…and we don’t lose that capacity. Sure, the drama of life makes things complicated but the main issue for most couples is that they have never developed a way of relating to each other, despite our innate ability to bond. Unhelpful relational patterns are passed on from families of origin, trauma, or wounds and betrayals from past relationships. But those unhelpful patterns can be changed and effective couples counseling can be key to that change. Partners can like, love, and trust each other again.
Kim Austin Associates, LLC Can Help Couples
Kim Austin, LCSW offers in-person therapy in Decatur, GA and online to clients throughout Georgia, New York, and Maine. Learn more about Kim Austin here. Kim can be reached directly at (207) 295-7427 or kima@kimaustin.com
Jesse Schweppe, MACMHC specializes in couples counseling and also works with individuals affected by severe blood disorders. Jesse works with clients online in Georgia. Learn more about Jesse Schweppe here. Jesse can be reached directly at Phone: (212) 271-9452 or jesse@kimaustin.com.
You can also contact us by completing the Contact Us form.
What Works?
Yes, couples counseling can work with the right method. Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is an effective change process that allows couples to improve the quality of their relationship. This revolutionary approach, created by Susan M. Johnson, is the gold standard in couples therapy for one reason: the work done in sessions alters the brain, body, and future interactions in positive ways. Results include a more satisfying and authentic relationship, a deeper understanding of what matters most to both partners, and overall expanded emotional repertoires. By unearthing and clarifying our deepest emotional realities—and sharing that reality with our partner—EFT creates transformative moments of bonding. The process produces couples that are happier, closer and more adaptable.
EFT understands two key ironies. First, we may know the details of our disagreements or disconnection, but we tend to know little about the deeper emotions that drive disagreements and disconnection until those deeper emotions are explicitly explored. Not knowing our emotions leads to highly restricted patterns of thought, feeling and behavior. Second, these restricted patterns reduce our ability to love and be loved. They keep us alienated from our partners and ourselves. Lasting positive change can happen within a relationship once each partner can clarify fears and desires and effectively share them with their partner.
Our therapists at Kim Austin Associates love using EFT because it is a natural and potent process. Ninety percent of couples who complete the EFT process report significant improvements in their relationship. Seventy percent report that their presenting problems have been cured. And the positive effects of EFT are lasting for the majority of couples. By helping couples discover the inner workings of their feelings and develop a deeper understanding of each other, EFT changes the reality of their relationship. Nearly all couples will benefit from this couples counseling modality.
What Doesn’t Work
The history of couples counseling is largely a record of what doesn’t work. The most respected relational skills—assertiveness, intentional listening, acceptance, mindfulness, empathy—are powerless to change a marriage if each spouse’s fundamental emotions remain hidden. No amount of negotiation or bargaining will improve the bad dynamics of a relationship when each partner’s important feelings remain undisclosed or undiscovered. And merely locating our feelings is not enough. For positive change to begin, each persons emotional reality must be effectively shared and understood by both couple members.
Contact us for a free consultation
We know it can feel like a big step to call a counselor but we make it easy. We’ll spend 15-minutes on the phone and let you know how or if we can help. If we are not the right fit, we’ll do our best to get you to the right person. Contact Kim at (207) 295-7427 or Jesse at (212) 271-9452 or click here for your free 15-minute phone consultation. Our specialties include:
