Couples
Let’s face it: relationships are hard. Ask any couple who has been together for any length of time and they will confirm what we know to be true—relationships are challenging and they take the effort to maintain. Yet, healthy relationships are essential to our well-being. We need to be connected with others and we want to be special to someone in our lives. When we become disconnected from our partners, we are understandably distressed, but many couples do not seek help for their distress until very late— on average, 6 1/2 years after they first recognize they are struggling.
The good news for couples seeking help is that therapy is helpful in reducing distress in most cases. Many of our clinicians have advanced training in the area of couple’s therapy. Couples who have experienced an affair, job loss, chronic illness, drug or alcohol problems, chronic arguments or have become detached often find great hope and relief in coming to terms with these issues rather than avoiding them.
Services offered:
- Marriage Counseling
- Couples Counseling
- Premarital Assessment and Counseling
- Relationship Enrichment Workshops
- Daylong Couples Retreats
- Divorce Counseling
Our Marriage and Relationship Counseling Services are led by Dr. Jeff George, who is certified by the Gottman Institute and the Imago Relationship Institute. Through collaboration with other professionals and training institutions in our area, we are embarking on an effort to create a Center of Excellence in Couples Therapy to serve the Tampa Bay Community.
Resources:
The Five Love Languages. Gary Chapman, 2009
Not Just Friends. Shirley Glass, 2004.
Why Marriages Succeed or Fail. John Gottman, 1995
Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. John Gottman, 2000
Mars and Venus in the Bedroom. John Gray, 2005.
Getting the Love You Want (20th Anniversary Ed). Harville Hendrix, 2007.
After the Affair. Janis Abrahms Spring, 2012