*This blog post on discernment counseling was originally written and posted for Bayview Therapy. Read the full article here.

What is discernment counseling?

Discernment counseling takes place over 1-5 sessions for helping couples who have mixed agendas. Typically one partner is leaning out of the relationship and is hesitant to work on it in therapy, while the other partner wants to stay in and repair the relationship. Studies suggest that as many as 30% of couples who go to couples counseling fall into the mixed agenda category. These couples present a significant challenge for therapists because most models of couples therapy assume both parties have a baseline willingness to save the relationship. The goal of discernment counseling is to achieve greater clarity and confidence in the couple’s decision-making about the future of their relationship. Discernment counseling is like going to the emergency room versus traditional couples counseling is like preventative care from a primary physician.

Click here to read more on what discernment counseling is and if it’s right for you.

If you are looking to strengthen and gain better insight into your relationship, contact me for your free consultation. I offer both discernment counseling and couples counseling online across the state of Florida via telehealth and in person in Coral Springs and Fort Lauderdale.

*This blog post on infidelity was originally written and posted for Bayview Therapy. Read the full article here.

Repairing your relationship after an affair can be complicated and difficult, but it can be done and has been done by many couples!

Recovery after cheating involves navigating and expressing hurt feelings, discovering new methods of communicating and managing conflict, establishing new ways of connecting with each other, and taking a very different approach to the relationship from before. If both partners are willing to invest in developing new relationship dynamics and commit to staying together, healing, recovery, and a healthy relationship are attainable.

Click here to read how to get your relationship to a new place of commitment, connection, intimacy, and trust.

If you need help repairing your relationship after infidelity, contact me for your free consultation. I offer couples counseling online across the state of Florida via telehealth and in person in Coral Springs and Fort Lauderdale.

*Originally written and posted for Bayview Therapy. Read the full article here.

Starting couples counseling can feel scary and daunting. Not only are you concerned and scared for your relationship, but now you have to open up and confide in a complete stranger about some of the most intimate areas of their lives. If you and/or your partner are considering couples therapy or marriage counseling, it’s important to know what to expect, find a therapist who will help each person feel safe and comfortable so they can be open and honest. The key ingredient in successful couples counseling is love. With love, accountability, motivation, and a willingness to make positive change, couples therapy can be the most rewarding experience.

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If you are considering couples therapy, contact me for your free consultation. I offer couples counseling online across the state of Florida via telehealth and in person.

*Originally written and posted for Bayview Therapy. Read the full article here.

One of the most important ways a couple interacts is how they vie for one another’s attention… and how each person goes about meeting their partner’s needs. Understanding our partner’s love language(s) can help with increasing intimacy and connection, improving communication, and enhancing appreciation for them. It can also help with preventing problems in the relationship by managing expectations on what it means to love and be loved.

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If you need guidance on connecting with your partner, reigniting intimacy, or understanding your partner’s love language, contact me for your free consultation. I offer couples counseling online across the state of Florida via telehealth and in person.

*Originally written and posted for Bayview Therapy. Read the full article here.

In almost every therapy session I have with couples, conflict is bound to happen. Couples are usually terrified of conflict, and try to avoid it and prevent it at all costs. Unproductive methods of conflict management can lead to terrible outcomes. However, conflict can be viewed as a means of connecting instead of a means of fighting and suffering. Conflict is a natural and potentially healthy part of any relationship, and can actually help you connect with your partner leading to a happier and healthier relationship.

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“An outstanding love doesn’t come from two half-filled people coming together to make one whole, complete life. Outstanding love comes from two whole people coming together to share and enhance their already beautiful lives.” ~ Pia Scade

Why You Have to Love Yourself to Love Your Partner

As a love expert, I deem that loving ourselves is just as important, if not more so, as loving our partner. Only when we love ourselves are we able to be present with our partner and truly accept their love. Loving ourselves in dating means that we feel fulfilled in our lives when single as well as in a relationship. Loving ourselves single means that we are likely to have standards in who we date.

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