Most couples don’t come to therapy because everything is fine. By the time they walk into our office, there’s usually been months or years of the same arguments, the same patterns, and the same stuck feeling (even if it only comes in waves). One person feels like they don't matter to the other, and the other feels like they're not good enough for the other. One person feels unheard. The other feels criticized. Both feel alone.
If that resonates, we want you to know two things: you’re not unusual, and this is very treatable.
What Brings Couples to Therapy
The specifics vary, but the themes are often similar: communication has broken down and conversations keep turning into fights, trust has been damaged by betrayal or dishonesty, emotional or sexual intimacy has faded, you’re navigating a major life transition (new baby, career change, empty nest) and can’t seem to get on the same page, or you love each other but feel more like roommates than partners.
Many couples have one partner who feels like they're carrying the weight of the marriage, and another partner who feels like they can't do anything right (according to their spouse, anyway).
Sometimes one person is ready for counseling and the other is skeptical. That’s normal, and it’s something we can work with.
Our Approach
Our couples therapists are trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and the Gottman Method: two of the most well-researched approaches to couples work. EFT focuses on deescalating the emotional and relational patterns that drive conflict and helping you create a more secure bond. The Gottman Method provides practical tools for communication, conflict management, and building friendship and fondness.
We’re not here to pick sides or tell you who’s right - that's not helpful. We’re here to help you understand what’s happening between you, give you the tools to break negative relational cycles, and build a better relationship. That will mean learning to fight differently. And it will mean learning to be vulnerable with each other again.
If you're a Christian and wonder how faith may be part of marriage counseling, your counselor can give you a detailed answer. For now, just know that 1. we don't need to shy away from it, and 2. the Bible won't be wielded against either partner. In our opinion, that's not what the Scriptures are for. Learn more about our approach to faith and counseling here.
What to Expect in Couples Therapy
In the first session or two, your therapist will meet with you to understand each person’s perspective and the history of the relationship. They may want to meet with each partner individually after that to hear your perspective on the relationship. From there, you’ll work together in joint sessions, typically meeting weekly or every other week.
Couples therapy is hard work, and it’s not always comfortable. But most couples who commit to the process find that the relationship they build through therapy is stronger than what they had before. When two partners want the marriage to get better and are willing to take responsibility for themselves, marriage counseling nearly always helps.
We’re located in Watkinsville and serve couples throughout Athens, Oconee County, and the surrounding areas.
Taylor, Alison, and Thorn see couples here at Stonegate.
Reach out when you’re ready, even if your partner isn’t quite there yet. We can talk about how to get started.
If that resonates, we want you to know two things: you’re not unusual, and this is very treatable.
What Brings Couples to Therapy
The specifics vary, but the themes are often similar: communication has broken down and conversations keep turning into fights, trust has been damaged by betrayal or dishonesty, emotional or sexual intimacy has faded, you’re navigating a major life transition (new baby, career change, empty nest) and can’t seem to get on the same page, or you love each other but feel more like roommates than partners.
Many couples have one partner who feels like they're carrying the weight of the marriage, and another partner who feels like they can't do anything right (according to their spouse, anyway).
Sometimes one person is ready for counseling and the other is skeptical. That’s normal, and it’s something we can work with.
Our Approach
Our couples therapists are trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and the Gottman Method: two of the most well-researched approaches to couples work. EFT focuses on deescalating the emotional and relational patterns that drive conflict and helping you create a more secure bond. The Gottman Method provides practical tools for communication, conflict management, and building friendship and fondness.
We’re not here to pick sides or tell you who’s right - that's not helpful. We’re here to help you understand what’s happening between you, give you the tools to break negative relational cycles, and build a better relationship. That will mean learning to fight differently. And it will mean learning to be vulnerable with each other again.
If you're a Christian and wonder how faith may be part of marriage counseling, your counselor can give you a detailed answer. For now, just know that 1. we don't need to shy away from it, and 2. the Bible won't be wielded against either partner. In our opinion, that's not what the Scriptures are for. Learn more about our approach to faith and counseling here.
What to Expect in Couples Therapy
In the first session or two, your therapist will meet with you to understand each person’s perspective and the history of the relationship. They may want to meet with each partner individually after that to hear your perspective on the relationship. From there, you’ll work together in joint sessions, typically meeting weekly or every other week.
Couples therapy is hard work, and it’s not always comfortable. But most couples who commit to the process find that the relationship they build through therapy is stronger than what they had before. When two partners want the marriage to get better and are willing to take responsibility for themselves, marriage counseling nearly always helps.
We’re located in Watkinsville and serve couples throughout Athens, Oconee County, and the surrounding areas.
Taylor, Alison, and Thorn see couples here at Stonegate.
Reach out when you’re ready, even if your partner isn’t quite there yet. We can talk about how to get started.