Cedar Counseling & Wellness

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Relationships

Couples and Family Therapy in Annapolis, MD

 

Relationships can bring our greatest joys in life. They can also be a source of significant pain. Many people struggle at one point or another with family or partner conflict.

 

Fortunately, you can heal these issues while learning skills to make your relationships more satisfying going forward. Through overcoming phases of conflict, you can learn to enjoy each other again.

 

At Cedar Counseling & Wellness, we provide couples and marriage counseling, as well as family therapy, for those in the Annapolis area.

What causes relationship conflict?

 
Often fighting has to do with underlying fears. You might be scared that your partner will leave you, or that you’ll grow apart. As a parent, you might be afraid of how your child will turn out as an adult, or that you’re failing in attempts to support them.
 

No partner, and no parent, is perfect! We all make mistakes, including big ones. That doesn’t mean that you can’t have a happy life together. It starts with a better understanding of what’s happening.

 

Perhaps you yell because you feel you’re not being heard, or because a childhood trauma is getting triggered. You might shut down or threaten to leave because you feel overwhelmed, or at a loss as to what to do next.

 

It can sometimes take a neutral, experienced person to help you create a safe place to work through these issues. As you talk through these topics in therapy, it will get easier to connect with each other outside of sessions. You’ll find the road towards peace and happiness again.

 

If you’d like to meet with our Annapolis relationship therapist, contact us below to schedule your intake session.

 

 

How does therapy help?

 

Many couples and families come to us struggling with issues such as:

 

  • Fighting about the same things over and over

  • Feeling “frozen,” or unable to explain what they’re feeling

  • Fearing they’ll be abandoned in their relationship

  • Dealing with trust issues due to past affairs or other betrayals

  • Managing conflict relating to children, parenting teens, or blended families

  • Uncertainty about how to protect children and teens in crisis

 

These and many other difficulties are a part of relationships and family life. However, learning skills like non-judgmental listening and gentle communication can make all the difference. We offer evidence-based therapies shown to help you in this process.

 

If you’re ready to take this next step, set up your intake session by clicking below.

Types of treatment we use

 

Each couple and family has a unique history and situation. Our counselors will customize their treatment approach to you. As we do this, we’ll also operate from a foundation of well-researched therapies. Here’s a look at the types of treatment we offer.

 

 

Emotionally-Focused Therapy

 

Emotionally-focused therapy (EFT) is based on the idea of attachment. Humans are meant to bond with each other, and how we do that depends on our own histories, and the patterns we’ve developed with each other. In EFT, you’ll learn, among other things:

 

  • How attachment plays a role in your relationship

  • How to listen more openly to each other

  • How to express your feelings more clearly

  • How your negative reactions may actually be due to a need for closeness

  • How to focus on connection as you move forward together

 

The Gottman Method

 

The Gottman Method, or Gottman therapy, is one of the most popular treatments for couples. In recent years it has been expanded to help with parenting and family challenges as well.

 

This approach teaches a set of specific skills to help you better understand and communicate with your partner. You’ll also practice activities that will help you be more accepting and empathetic towards each other.

 

Some of the areas you might focus on are based on Gottman’s “Sound Relationship House.” These topics include:

 

  • Learning how to be friends again while having fun with each other

  • Sharing your fondness and appreciation with each other

  • Turning towards your partner rather than emotionally avoiding them

  • Learning how to appreciate your relationship while giving your partner the benefit of the doubt

  • Learning new ways to understand and deal with conflict

  • Building a future together based on your shared dreams and goals

 

 

Will our therapist take sides?

 

Because relationships are so important to us, it can feel scary to take that step towards confronting problems. Many people also fear that a therapist will take sides or judge one or more people in the relationship (or family).

 

A therapist’s job is actually to do the opposite! We’re here to accept you as you are, and help you grow towards each other, not away. We’ll help you understand what’s happening and how to get to the core feelings. From there, you will have an easier time building a shared future.

 

On the brink of divorce? 

 

Couples therapy is appropriate when both individuals are motivated to work on their marriage. If one or both of you is not sure about the marriage and whether couples therapy can help, click here to learn more about a service we offer that may be a better fit for you.

 

 

What to expect 

 

  1. To find the right therapist for you, learn about our clinicians here.

  2. Schedule your intake session. 

  3. Start therapy. The first step is for us to get to know each other. We’ll get a better idea of what’s going on, and help you understand what’s happening below the surface. Once you have more clarity about where you are and where you want to be, you can set goals to work towards the life you want together.