Couples Therapy

Relationships can be amazing—but they can also be complicated. At Oak Hills Counseling Center, we help couples improve communication, navigate challenges, and reconnect. Whether you’re dealing with conflict, life transitions, or just want to strengthen your bond, therapy provides a safe space to work together toward a healthier, happier relationship.

How to Know if Couples Counseling is Right for You

You don’t have to wait for a big crisis to try couples counseling. Therapy can help any relationship that wants to grow stronger, feel closer, or handle challenges more smoothly.

You might consider couples therapy if you:

  • Find yourselves arguing over the same things again and again

  • Feel misunderstood or disconnected from each other

  • Are going through big life changes like a move, career shift, or parenting challenges

  • Want to rebuild trust after a difficult situation

  • Just want to feel closer, communicate better, and enjoy your relationship more

Even if things aren’t “bad,” counseling can give you tools to connect more deeply, handle conflicts more effectively, and strengthen your partnership. Think of it as a way to invest in your relationship and make it the best it can be.

How We Work with Couples

We believe strongly that couples who think of the relationship as a whole and separate entity from each partner as individuals, become more bonded and resilient.

Think “us against the problem”, not “us against each other.” Every relationship is unique, so we tailor therapy to fit your needs. We help couples:

  • Communicate more effectively and really listen to each other

  • Resolve conflicts in healthy ways - conflict isn’t the problem, how you engage in it may be

  • Identify patterns that get in the way of connection

  • Build trust, intimacy, and emotional closeness

  • Navigate big life changes or stressful situations that are creating extra pressure on the relationship

We use evidence-based approaches like Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), The Gottman Method, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and solution-focused strategies. These tools help you work through challenges while strengthening the emotional connection at the heart of your relationship.

How Couples Counseling Can Help If You’re Considering a Separation

Couples counseling isn’t only for saving a relationship—it can also provide guidance and support if you and your partner are considering a separation. Ending a relationship can be painful and complicated, and therapy offers a safe space to navigate this process respectfully and thoughtfully.

In counseling, couples can:

  • Communicate clearly and calmly about needs, expectations, and decisions

  • Work through logistical challenges, like co-parenting, finances, or living arrangements

  • Process emotions such as grief, guilt, or anger in a safe environment

  • Reduce conflict and create boundaries that protect both partners

  • Leave the relationship with more understanding, closure, and respect for one another

The goal isn’t to force a particular outcome—it’s to help you make decisions consciously, with emotional support, and in a way that minimizes harm for both partners (and children, if applicable).

We want to help couples feel closer, understood, and more connected. By combining proven strategies with compassion and insight, we aim to help you navigate challenges, rebuild trust, and create a relationship that’s not just functional—but fulfilling.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

  • Couples often wonder if improving their relationship will benefit their children. The simple answer is yes. A healthier, more stable partnership provides a positive model for children and creates a more supportive home environment. Children in these households are often better able to regulate their own emotions and feel more secure.

  • Many parents wonder how to talk to their kids about therapy. Your therapist will help you figure out what to share and how to say it, based on your child’s age and maturity, so your child feels informed, safe, and supported.

  • Sometimes couples feel like the domestic or emotional work at home isn’t shared equally. Often, underneath these frustrations are feelings of being unsupported, neglected, or unappreciated.

    A therapist can help you get to the heart of these emotions, address the imbalance, and help restructure each other’s contributions in a way that feels fair, supportive, and validating.

  • Couples therapy isn’t always easy, but it’s a safe space for working through challenges together. Your therapist will help you face difficult topics with understanding and respect, guiding you both toward meaningful, positive change.

    Although things may feel harder at first, this is a common part of the growth process. Examining wounds in order to heal them is not always comfortable, but your therapist is there to navigate it with you and support you through it.

  • There’s no set timeline for couples counseling—every relationship is unique. How long therapy lasts depends on the challenges you’re facing, the chosen approach, and how actively you and your partner engage in the process.

    For some couples, a few months of sessions may bring meaningful progress, while others may benefit from ongoing work over a year or more. The important thing is that therapy moves at a pace that fits your relationship and supports real, lasting growth.

  • Most couples therapy sessions last 90 minutes, giving you and your partner plenty of time to explore challenges, practice new communication skills, and work toward your goals. We also understand that schedules can be busy, so 60-minute sessions are available and can still provide meaningful support and progress for your relationship.

    Some sessions may be slightly shorter or longer depending on what’s happening in the moment or the specific needs of your relationship. Think of each session as a dedicated space to focus on your connection—enough time to dive into meaningful conversations while still keeping it manageable and productive.