Couples Therapy
A more connected love relationship starts here.
Many couples reach a point where the relationship no longer feels the way it once did. Communication feels harder, arguments repeat themselves without resolution, and emotional closeness and sexual intimacy may have faded. Some couples are navigating something specific, like infidelity, parenting stress, or mental health concerns. Others know that something is off, they feel disconnected, and want to renew their love.
If you are here, this means you care about your relationship or marriage. You may be tired from “working on it” without results, feel unsure about what to do next, or worried about the future of your marriage. At the same time, you are hoping for clarity and a way forward together.
At Integrative Couples Therapy, we help couples slow things down and work through what is getting in the way of good communication, love, and intimacy. We create a supportive space where you and your partner can work as a team to understand your patterns, shift the way you interact, and strengthen connection. Couples therapy is thoughtful, collaborative, and grounded in helping your relationship become more loving, steady, and secure.
Our Approach
We are a team of relationship specialists with advanced training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. Our focus is on strengthening the relationship itself and how the two of you move through moments of tension, stress and conflict. We pay attention to the patterns that show up between you, and help you change them.
In therapy, you and your partner will work together to uncover what keeps pulling you into disconnection and create new ways of responding to each other. We attend to both the emotional and practical parts of your relationship, so the changes you make are meaningful and sustainable in daily life.
We work with couples across a wide range of concerns, including communication challenges, conflict, emotional and sexual intimacy, parenting and family dynamics, mental health concerns, substance use, trauma, and healing after infidelity or betrayal. Whether you are hoping to reconnect, repair, or thoughtfully redefine your relationship, we tailor the process to support your goals.
What to Expect from Couples Therapy
Couples therapy works best when it feels emotionally safe, focused, and collaborative. Your therapist will not judge you or your partner or tell you what to do. Instead, they will help you understand yourselves, each other, and your relationship more clearly so that you can move forward with intention.
In therapy, you will have space to slow down conversations and look at what is happening underneath the surface. Together, we will focus on helping you feel more understood and aligned as partners.
You will have space to:
Understand the patterns that keep you stuck
Express what you need and want in ways that are easier for your partner to hear
Move out of cycles of conflict, withdrawal, or shutdown
Repair trust and heal past relationship hurts and wounds
Strengthen emotional, physical and sexual connection
Learn how to respond with more empathy and compassion
We tailor the therapy process to meet your relationship’s unique needs. Whether you are married, in a long term partnership, blending families, recovering from betrayal, or navigating significant challenges, we will meet you where you are.
Sessions are typically fifty minutes and are available in person at our Encinitas office or virtually throughout California. Most couples begin with weekly or every other week sessions. We will work together to find a rhythm that supports your relationship and your goals.
Who We Work With
Couples therapy may be a good fit if you are experiencing any of the following:
You want to strengthen your foundation and feel closer as a couple
Communication is difficult or unproductive
You keep having the same fight over and over again
You feels lonely, misunderstood, or disconnected
Trust has been broken and you want to work toward repair
Parenting, mental health, life transitions, or other stressors are impacting your relationship
Emotional or sexual intimacy has faded and you want to reconnect
You are considering separation or divorce and want to save your marriage
We welcome all types of couples and partnerships. Our therapists are LGBTQ plus affirming and experienced in working with clients from a wide range of cultural, relational, and family backgrounds.
Our Team
Integrative Couples Therapy is a group practice devoted exclusively to helping relationships thrive. All of our therapists are Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists with advanced training in couples therapy. We are deeply committed to this work and continually invest in learning and growth so that we can support all couples with care and skill.
You can expect warmth, presence, and responsiveness from our team. We will help you understand yourselves and each other more deeply so that you can move forward together with greater clarity and connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my partner is hesitant to come to therapy?
It is common for one partner to feel unsure at first. Many couples find that once therapy begins, they feel more comfortable and engaged. If your partner is not ready to attend, you are welcome to start on your own. We can work with you individually or support you in inviting your partner into therapy in a way that feels thoughtful and respectful.
How long will we need couples therapy?
We recommend that you begin with weekly or every other week sessions so that early progress is made. Some couples come to therapy short term to work through a specific issue. Others choose to stay longer to deepen their bond. Many couples find that attending therapy consistently becomes an important part of maintaining a happy marriage and family life. Your therapist will check in regularly to ensure the work is aligned with your goals.
Will you tell us who is right or wrong?
No. Your relationship is our client. We help you and your partner understand your experience, take responsibility where needed, and build new ways of relating that work for both of you.
Will you advise us on whether we should get stay together or break up?
No. We do not tell couples what decision to make about their relationship. Our role is to help you explore your interactions, experiences, and values and work together toward your goals. We support you in gaining clarity and confidence so you can make your own informed choices about your future. Ethically, marriage and family therapists respect client autonomy, and do not advise on decisions about the status of a relationship, but instead help couples understand what matters most to them and what steps align with their goals.
Next Steps
Whether your relationship feels strained or you simply want it to feel more connected, couples therapy can help you find your way forward together. When you are ready to take the next step, we are here to support you. Contact us to get started, and we will help match you with the therapist who is the best fit for your relationship.