Couples therapy in Eugene, OR and online throughout Oregon and Washington
Relationships are at the core of our lives, offering companionship, support, and love. But no relationship is without challenges. When communication breaks down, trust is shaken, or unresolved trauma affects the dynamic, even the strongest of relationships can feel strained. Couples therapy provides a safe space for partners to address these issues, repair the emotional bonds, and foster deeper intimacy. If you’re struggling to find that connection with your partner or feel stuck in unhelpful patterns, couples therapy could be the key to rebuilding your relationship.
In this post, we’ll explore what couples therapy is, what you can expect from it, and why it’s an essential tool for relationship healing—especially for couples coping with trauma or emotional wounds. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of how therapy can support you and your partner on your journey to a healthier, more fulfilling relationship.
What is Couples Therapy?
Couples therapy is a specialized form of psychotherapy that focuses on helping partners navigate their relationship challenges. This type of therapy aims to improve communication, resolve conflict, and rebuild emotional intimacy. One particularly effective method I use in my practice is Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). EFT is grounded in attachment theory and works by helping partners identify and understand their emotional needs and how those needs shape their interactions.
The goal of EFT is to create stronger emotional bonds by fostering empathy and connection between partners. By addressing underlying emotions, rather than just surface-level disagreements, couples can begin to heal old wounds, build trust, and feel more secure in their relationship.
What You Can Expect From Couples Therapy
Couples therapy is a collaborative process where both partners are encouraged to share their thoughts, feelings, and concerns in a supportive and nonjudgmental environment. Therapy sessions are typically structured to help partners identify the negative patterns in their relationship and explore the deeper emotional triggers that may be contributing to those patterns.
In Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, for example, we will work together to:
Identify Attachment Patterns: Understand how each partner’s attachment style impacts the relationship. Whether someone leans more anxious or avoidant in relationships, EFT helps bring those dynamics to light.
Improve Emotional Understanding: Learn how to recognize and express your emotions in a way that promotes connection, rather than conflict.
Develop New Interaction Patterns: Through the process of therapy, partners begin to engage in more positive and supportive interactions, replacing the old patterns that fueled disconnection.
What you can expect from couples therapy will largely depend on your unique needs as a couple. Some sessions may focus on conflict resolution skills, while others may be centered around building intimacy or processing trauma. My role is to help guide you through this process at a pace that feels manageable for both partners.
I also offer EFT couples therapy intensives, which are designed for faster, deeper healing. These intensives are typically multi-day sessions that allow couples to immerse themselves in the therapy process. By dedicating concentrated time to working on the relationship, couples can often make significant progress more quickly than in traditional weekly therapy.
Who is Couples Therapy Helpful For?
Couples therapy is beneficial for a wide range of relationship challenges, from everyday communication issues to deeper, more complex emotional wounds. Here are a few examples of who might benefit most from this type of therapy:
Couples Dealing with Trauma
If one or both partners have experienced trauma, it can significantly impact the dynamics of the relationship. Trauma often creates emotional barriers, making it difficult to trust, communicate, or feel safe with a partner. Whether it’s childhood trauma, a history of abuse, or trauma from past relationships, couples therapy can help both partners understand how trauma affects their relationship and how to create a more secure emotional connection moving forward.
Couples Struggling with Communication
One of the most common reasons couples seek therapy is because they have trouble communicating effectively. You may feel like your partner doesn’t understand you or that your conversations always end in arguments. Couples therapy provides tools and strategies for improving communication, helping you and your partner to feel heard and understood.
Couples Experiencing Emotional Distance
Over time, some couples find themselves feeling emotionally distant from each other. This distance can stem from busy lives, unresolved conflict, or simply growing apart. In therapy, we’ll work to uncover the reasons for this distance and help you reconnect emotionally, fostering intimacy and closeness.
Couples in High-Conflict Relationships
If your relationship is characterized by frequent arguments or intense conflict, couples therapy can help you learn how to navigate these disagreements in a healthier, more constructive way. Conflict is a natural part of any relationship, but when it becomes destructive, it’s important to find new ways of relating to each other.
Why is Couples Therapy More Helpful Than Previous Methods?
You may have tried self-help books, workshops, or even previous therapy sessions to improve your relationship, but couples therapy, especially Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, takes a different approach that often leads to more sustainable results. Here’s why:
Focus on Emotions and Attachment: Unlike some traditional therapy methods that primarily focus on communication techniques or conflict resolution strategies, EFT goes deeper by addressing the emotional underpinnings of relationship issues. This allows for more profound healing and lasting change.
Tailored to Your Unique Relationship: Every couple is different, and couples therapy is not a one-size-fits-all approach. The therapy process is tailored to your specific relationship dynamics, ensuring that you’re working on the issues that matter most to you and your partner.
Addresses Root Causes, Not Just Symptoms: While techniques like communication skills training are useful, couples therapy helps you get to the root of why those communication issues exist in the first place. By healing emotional wounds and understanding attachment patterns, couples are better equipped to create lasting change.
Finding a Therapist Specializing in Couples Therapy
Finding the right therapist can make all the difference in the success of couples therapy. When searching for a couples therapist, consider looking for someone who specializes in Emotionally Focused Therapy or other relationship-focused modalities. It’s also helpful to find a therapist who has experience working with couples navigating trauma, as this adds another layer of expertise in addressing deeper emotional wounds.
If you’re interested in pursuing couples therapy, I offer both traditional couples therapy and couples therapy intensives, designed to help you and your partner heal more quickly and deeply. Through methods like Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Brainspotting, and EMDR, I’ve seen immense success in helping couples rebuild trust, intimacy, and emotional connection.
Takeaways
Couples therapy is an invaluable tool for any couple looking to strengthen their relationship, improve communication, and address emotional challenges. Whether you’re dealing with trauma, emotional distance, or constant conflict, therapy can help you and your partner break free from old patterns and create a more connected, fulfilling relationship.
If you’re ready to begin your journey towards healing and intimacy, I invite you to schedule a consultation today. Together, we can explore how couples therapy—and specifically, couples therapy intensives and/or EFT—can help you and your partner build a stronger, more resilient connection.
For more information on how therapy can benefit your relationship, click here or reach out to schedule a free consultation. Let’s take the first step toward healing together.
Looking to connect with a therapist who specializes in working with couples and uses relationship-based modalities for deeper healing?
Take your first step towards rebuilding connection and intimacy with your partner.
(Oregon & Washington residents only)
About the author
Amanda Buduris is a licensed psychologist providing virtual Brainspotting sessions in Oregon and Washington. In-person services are available for therapy intensives only. She is trained in multiple modalities of trauma-focused healing to best support clients who are looking to feel better faster.
