Beneath the smooth exterior, there might be loneliness, resentment, or distance that rarely gets spoken out loud.
Sometimes the struggle is quiet - conversations that stay polite but don’t go deep. Other times it’s more obvious - arguments that escalate quickly or moments of withdrawal where one of you checks out completely. Underneath these patterns, it’s often the same familiar dynamics: a drive to perform and keep up appearances or the pressure to hold everything together or echoes of emotionally immature parenting that left each of you unsure how to show up fully in a relationship.
Therapy offers something different: a place where you don’t have to hold it all together or perform the version of your relationship that looks good from the outside. Instead, it becomes a space to slow down, speak honestly and discover what’s really happening beneath the surface.
In our work together, we won’t just focus on stopping arguments or managing distance, but we’ll go deeper. We’ll uncover the old patterns that quietly run your relationship, explore the unspoken longings you’ve both been carrying, and create new ways of connecting that feel genuine, secure, and alive.
This is about more than problem-solving. It’s about creating a relationship where you both feel chosen, safe, and fully seen , and not just partners who keep things running, but two people who get to experience intimacy, playfulness, and a sense of belonging with each other again.
Building relationship that lasts
After spending years in mediation with couples at the end of their relationships, I decided to head down a more positive path becoming a therapist who specializes in work with couples. The goal in therapy is for clients to gain clarity and direction in their relationships, and to learn tools for happier and healthier bonds with their partners.
My main theoretical approach to couples therapy is Imago Relationship Therapy that believes that our childhood experiences and attachment wound create expectations and defenses that cause problems in our relationship. The goal of therapy is to help couples heal old childhood wounds by recognizing and interrupting old patterns and developing healthier ones.
While I take most from Imago, I consider myself an integrative therapists by borrowing from different modalities I am trained in.
Who I am.
· Imago Couples Therapy with Harville Hendrix, certificate
· The Relational Life Therapy Approach to Couples Therapy with Terry Real, master class
· Encounter-Centered Couples Therapy: “Teaching Couples the Art of Connection” training
· The Gottman Method to Treating Affairs and Trauma: An Advanced Training Course
· Healing from Affairs Training with Tammy Nelson: Moving Past the Trauma of Betrayal and Infidelity
· Integrative Sex and Couples Certification Training: Certified Sex Therapy Informed Professional (CSTIP) Course
· Integrative relationship therapy certification with Tammy Nelson
· Transformative approach to couples therapy with Esther Perel, master class
Couples Therapy in Manhattan Beach and online in California
We might be a good fit If...
You fight about the same things over and over: money, parenting, in-laws, division of labor, but the argument never touches what’s underneath. It’s not just about the dishes or the budget, it’s about feeling dismissed, misunderstood or alone in the relationship.
We might be a good fit If...
The relationship looks different on the outside than it feels on the inside.
We might be a good fit If...
Maybe there was a betrayal: an affair, a broken promise or just years of not feeling chosen. Or maybe it’s a quiet buildup of small hurts where one of you slowly stopped reaching out and the other stopped reaching back.
We might be a good fit If...
You avoid conflict to keep the peace, but resentment slowly builds under the surface.
We might be a good fit If...
Stress from careers or parenting or different pressures has crowded out space for your relationship.
We might be a good fit If...
You want to get better at repairing after conflict so disagreements don’t have to spiral into days of distance or resentment.
We might be a good fit If...
Intimacy feels less alive than it used to whether emotionally, physically or both.
We might be a good fit If...
You are looking to improve communication and listening skills so you can actually hear and understand each other.
We might be a good fit If...
You want your relationship to feel as strong on the inside as it looks on the outside, and you are ready to figure out what that looks like and put in the work.
We’ll notice the subtle habits, assumptions, and roles in your relationship that quietly shape how you connect. Together, we’ll explore new ways of interacting that feel more honest and responsive, so you can move beyond repeating the same patterns. Over time, this helps create more genuine connection and understanding between you and your partner.
We’ll practice sharing your needs and feelings in a way that feels real, without fear, overthinking, attacking or blaming. At the same time, you’ll learn to listen in a way that actually helps you understand your partner, not just react. Little by little, this makes it easier to feel close and connected, even during tough conversations.
Whether it’s from betrayal, repeated hurt or growing apart, we’ll look at the patterns that have eroded safety in your relationship. You’ll have space to explore what each of you needs and experiment with ways to show up differently. We'll practice concrete ways to repair connection, set clear boundaries, and show up in ways that help both of you feel seen and secure.
Together, we’ll create space for both emotional and physical closeness that feels nourishing and alive. We’ll explore ways to connect more openly, notice what brings you joy and comfort, and practice showing up for each other in ways that feel genuine. Over time, these moments help your relationship feel richer, more present, and more connected.
We’ll look at the histories, attachment styles, and expectations each of you brings to the relationship. Together, we’ll practice ways to navigate those differences so you can be heard and understood without drifting apart. Over time, this helps you handle conflict with more connection, curiosity, and care.
We’ll focus on what actually matters in your day-to-day life together, not just what looks good on the outside. You’ll practice showing up in ways that feel honest, connected, and true to who you both are. The aim is a relationship that feels real, alive, sustainable, and something you can count on and enjoy.
