Dr. Laura D. Wiedeman

Do you feel misunderstood or lonely within your relationship? Are you having the same fight over and over, without any resolution? Do you feel distance growing between you and your partner, despite your efforts to try and get closer? Are you struggling with broken trust after a betrayal?

Relationships are hard! Even the healthiest relationships require work. Couples therapy can help you learn effective communication strategies, make conflict constructive rather than destructive, rebuild a sense of trust and intimacy after betrayal, and reconnect to the reasons you fell in love with one other in the first place. Improving the quality of your relationship may also help you feel more supported, respected, and appreciated in your everyday life.

My approach to couples therapy is based on the Gottman Method and is influenced by my doctoral research in Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT). Couples therapy begins with an intensive assessment phase, focused on identifying relationship patterns that may be contributing to ongoing problems, gaining a better understanding of each partner's concerns, and determining areas of strength within the relationship. We then create a personalized therapeutic plan for your relationship, tailored to your unique concerns and goals.

The benefits of couples therapy can include:

• Learning to approach challenges as a "team" instead of being on opposite sides


• Rebuilding trust and commitment, especially after a betrayal


• Practical skills for managing and resolving conflict


• More effective communication strategies


• Feeling more understood, respected, and appreciating one another's perspectives


• Developing a shared sense of goals and vision for the future


• Knowing when and how to compromise without sacrificing what is important to you


• Recognizing unhealthy patterns that erode your relationship


• Learning to interact in a way that brings you together instead of pulls you apart


• Greater affection and sexual intimacy


• Clearer expectations around roles and responsibilities

If you are considering whether it might be time to begin couples therapy, I encourage you take the next step and invest in the health of your relationship. Don't wait until things get worse. Please contact me to schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation so we can discuss your concerns.

If you are experiencing physical or sexual violence within your relationship and need assistance, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or look up local resources through the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence.