Couples

Relationships can get off course.  Couples can struggle over money, friends, family members, time spent together, or emotional needs not being met. These struggles can leave a couple feeling frustrated and hopeless, causing the development of negative patterns such as communication breakdowns, unrealistic expectations, power struggles, emotional arguements, and manipulation. Negative patterns can be detrimental to a relationship causing one or both partners to feel angry, depressed, anxious, or emotionally drained.  

Cognitive behavior therapy is based on the concept that thoughts affect our emotions and emotions influence our behaviors.  When we think we are unloved or not respected by our partner it causes a negative emotional reaction.  That negative emotion can lead to negative behaviors such as avoidance, fighting, or betrayal. Cognitive behavior therapy challenges those negative thoughts so that they can be replaced with more beneficial thinking.  This stops the downward spiral of emotions that lead partners astray from the behaviors of love, trust, respect, and stability needed for a relationship to thrive. Partners may then effectively communicate needs, set reasonable expectations, negotiate, and compromise.