Couples Therapy | Unload It Therapy | Houston, Texas
Work through relationship challenges, communication differences, and life issues together to create the relationship you want. Our trained couples therapists in Houston are here to support you.
Is Your Relationship The Complete Opposite Of What It Once Was?
Are you and your partner experiencing difficulty working through feelings of mistrust, infidelity, or challenges living together or sharing children? Does it feel as if responsibilities, such as work, cause an added strain to the relationship—making it difficult to find time for each other and sometimes causing misunderstandings? Is it hard to talk openly and really communicate with each other, especially about uncomfortable topics?
Perhaps you’re worried about how committed your partner is to the relationship because the physical intimacy and emotional connection are nowhere close to what they once were. Or maybe you’re wondering where your relationship is heading because you both can’t seem to see eye to eye on anything.
Despite the negatives, you know your relationship is worth repairing.
Deep down, you want a future together but are unsure how to get there.
The Spark Of A New Relationship Eventually Fades
Whether you’ve been together for months or years, almost every couple at some stage in the relationship will experience difficulties.
You might be experiencing breakdowns in communication, a lack of connection, persistent arguments, or infidelity and impatience. The dynamics of your interactions with your partner may be characterized by increased confrontations, leading to both of you withdrawing, tuning out, and responding with anger.
Interactions may involve harsh language and escalation of intense emotions, making it difficult for you both to regulate your emotional responses. Physically, you may feel overworked, tense, or even chest tightness.
Fortunately, at Unload It Therapy, we can give couples the tools and skills needed to help strengthen the relationship and rebuild a deeper, more meaningful connection.
Couples Experience Challenges From Time To Time
Experiencing challenges in a relationship is something many couples go through. It’s a normal part of being human. This doesn’t mean the relationship is unhealthy. However, if you’re dealing with ongoing, complicated issues, getting therapy together can help.
According to relationship and marriage expert Dr. John Gottman, couples wait an average of six years of being unhappy before seeking counseling. (1) However, waiting until the last minute to get help isn’t beneficial. Acting sooner rather than later is advisable to prevent issues from reaching a point that may be harder to bounce back from.
Healthy Relationships Are At The Mercy Of Toxic Societal Norms
There are so many issues in today’s society that can negatively affect relationships. Social media, while connecting people, creates a cycle of comparisons and unrealistic expectations that can lead to dissatisfaction and strain in your relationship.
Financial stressors or societal expectations surrounding gender roles and financial success can greatly influence relationship dynamics. The importance of respect can be undermined by differing beliefs about what is expected in a relationship, power dynamics, or even cultural backgrounds. This may lead to a lack of mutual respect, hindering your growth as a couple.
Cultural teachings that encourage people to bottle up emotions can be detrimental. Healthy communication is crucial for relationships, and when people are taught to suppress their feelings, it can lead to misunderstandings, resentment, and a lack of emotional intimacy.
With our gentle guidance, you will have the opportunity to strengthen your loving bond and learn how to work through your difficulties as a unit.
Couples Therapy Can Help You Rediscover A Loving Committed Partnership
Our couples therapists provide a safe, judgment-free space to help you and your partner work through your concerns and obstacles. We provide a supportive and validating environment where you can feel free to unload your burdens and experience relief and sound guidance.
In couples counseling, we will show you how to build healthy communication skills, establish healthy relationship habits, work through past hurts, strengthen your connection as a couple, and observe thoughts regarding your partnership and its future.
What To Expect During Couples Therapy
Couples therapy is tailored toward your relationship’s unique needs. During sessions, our trained BIPOC couples therapists are here to work collaboratively with you and your partner. Our compassionate therapists can help you work through relationship problems, whether you’re married, unmarried, or engaged, or deciding whether you should stay together or divorce.
Together, we help you:
Identify your relationship goals
Gain insight into yourself and your relationship, including how past habits and hurts may be impacting you and your partnership
Identify and work through old patterns and communication styles
Learn new habits, skills, and communication styles to achieve your relationship goals
Couples Therapy – A Collaborative Approach Toward A Healthy Relationship
Our comprehensive four-part couples assessment begins with an 80-minute joint session, followed by individual 50-minute sessions for each partner. Subsequently, the couple reconvenes for another 80-minute joint session.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is the main modality used during sessions.
Using this approach, we intentionally slow down the sessions to allow for a more focused and deliberate exploration of each partner’s emotions and needs. During the joint sessions, one person speaks while the other actively listens, creating an environment where new perspectives can emerge. This structured dialogue facilitates self-regulation and provides space for the listener to process the shared emotions.
By encouraging partners to access vulnerable emotions, we aim to validate and create an opportunity for them to share core issues that may be causing distress. The process involves asking the partner how it felt to hear such revelations and prompting a thoughtful response.
This structured yet flexible approach proves productive, allowing deep emotional exploration while maintaining a supportive and validating environment. Throughout the therapy, we champion and affirm each person, expressing gratitude for their trust in the therapeutic process. This approach is designed to encourage openness and growth, ensuring that the support provided to one partner does not detract from the other, fostering a collaborative and constructive journey toward a stronger, healthier relationship.
The Gottman Method is another modality we use in couples therapy to foster friendship in relationships and promote turning toward each other instead of away. Our approach involves co-creating a meaningful life and relationship that satisfies the needs of both partners.
This method guides us in collecting a comprehensive relationship history during couples assessments, delving into current pain points, discussing goals, exploring the sexual aspect of the relationship, and addressing cultural elements that hold significance for both individuals, both in couples and individual sessions.
Our approach also includes de-escalation techniques, ensuring that partners can express themselves without conflicts intensifying. We validate each partner’s needs and hold space for both persons during interviews. By incorporating attachment theory, we illustrate why people may act in certain ways, aiding them in articulating their needs and expressing these to their partners.
Through couples therapy, as you work together, you and your partner will begin to heal from your current and past hurts, understand each other better, and have more meaningful moments. With our support, you can repair your bond and experience the love and passion you desire.
Perhaps You Are Considering Couples Therapy But Still Have Some Questions…
What is the difference between couples therapy and marriage counseling?
Couples therapy is typically for unmarried couples, no matter if they’ve been together a few months to years. Unmarried couples may have different focuses, goals, and challenges than married couples. However, whether you’re married or not, our trained therapists at Unload It Therapy can help you work through and strengthen your relationship.
What is the difference between couples therapy and premarital counseling?
Premarital counseling focuses on helping engaged couples develop healthy communication skills and relationship habits, so they can begin their marriage with a strong foundation.
Couples therapy focuses more on what issues, questions, concerns, or obstacles the couple is facing. Sessions help couples work through current or past issues to reconnect and foster growth within the relationship. Sessions are tailored toward their specific situation and needs and may include learning new communication skills and developing healthy relationship habits.
Is couples therapy helpful if one or both of us is considering separating?
Therapy can help you work through concerns or questions about the future of your relationship, even if one or both people are thinking of separating. Our discernment therapy is specifically designed to help couples decide whether to stay together or separate — even when both people are not on the same page.
Couples Therapy Can Bring You Closer Together
If you’re longing to figure out the direction of your relationship or rekindle the love and commitment that once defined your bond. Unload It Therapy can help. Our BIPOC couples therapy offers the support and resources necessary to help heal and nourish your partnership. Contact us or call us at (713)-396-0526 to explore the possibilities of in-person therapy in Houston or virtual therapy accessible across Texas.