What Can Couples Therapy Do for You?
Couples Therapy can help you and your partner sort out issues and discover what may be negotiable or not. This has the ability to build an even stronger relationship. Whether you are in the middle of a crisis, going through a difficult transition, or simply want to build a better, more intimate relationship, couples’ therapy can be a great source of support and growth. When there is a neutral highly trained, objective third party he/she will coach you to learn how to be more respectful and compassionate as you approach the uncomfortable feelings involved with anger, resentment, hurt, disappointment and unkept promises. Seeing couples emerge from a difficult situation feeling more connected, intimate and committed than they ever thought possible is very gratifying and gives all the feeling of hope.
Philosophy of Couples and Family Therapy
​ Dr. Cooper-Byram says, “When the therapist creates a peaceful and safe environment for all members of the family clarity and understanding of the core issues have a better chance of developing. As a rule, I am pro marriage and believe most couples can survive if they are willing to work hard enough. In my 30+ years of doing therapy I have never advised clients to get a divorce, or stay together, that decision is always up to them. (Domestic Violence is an exception to this rule).
Sometimes couples choose to come to therapy because they have already decided they want a separation and divorce for themselves and their children. I support the decisions of the adults and I always will advocate for as healthy decisions as possible for the children. This does sometimes require separate sessions for each to figure out what treatment plan will work best for all and it will always be framed around safety and as much stability and consistency as possible. In addition, if there are extreme anger issues for any member of the family, I will bring in an expert in anger management to assist in getting more emotional regulation to assist in having a healthier outcome.
Due to Dr. Cooper-Byram’s teaching and additional training, she is thoroughly familiar with several models for working with couples and families. Her therapeutic model most closely resembles that of Sue Johnson and Emotion Focused Therapy and Bader and Pearson on the developmental stages in couple relationships. Her couples work matches the developmental needs of the relationship. She integrates the techniques from the research of John Gottman and Howard Markman as well. She also had advanced training at the sex therapy.
