Couples Therapy in Prosper & Throughout Texas
A Psychodynamic Approach to Relationship Healing
Life is hard. Research is clear about one thing: healthy relationships make it easier. Studies show that people in satisfying marriages live longer, experience less depression, have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, and report greater life satisfaction than their unmarried or unhappily married counterparts. But here's the part that matters most: healthy relationships don't happen by accident. They're a commitment to doing the work.
And yes, the work can be messy. It can trigger old shame, bring up past wounds, and force you to confront parts of yourself you'd rather ignore. But here's what I know about humans: no one is the "bad one." There is just deeper understanding. When we truly know someone, we develop love for them. Not the kind of love that means we condone bad behavior or stay in relationships that harm us. The kind that allows us to see each other clearly, set the boundaries we need, and either build something stronger together or part ways with respect and dignity.
That's the work I do.
Who This Is For
I work with couples who want to know and grow together. My ideal clients include:
Couples who've done their own therapy but still struggle to connect. You've both worked on yourselves individually, but when you try to communicate with each other, something gets lost. You know your patterns, but you can't seem to break them together.
Partners who look perfect on paper but feel empty inside. From the outside, you have it all. Good jobs, nice house, shared goals. But something fundamental is missing. You can't figure out why you're not satisfied, and neither can they.
Engaged couples who want to start right. You're not waiting for problems to show up. You're smart enough to build a strong foundation now, before life throws its inevitable curveballs your way.
New parents navigating a new normal. The baby changed everything. You love your child, but you're struggling to find each other in the chaos. You need help making sense of this transition and building a partnership that works for this new chapter.
Couples considering divorce. You're not sure if you should stay or go. Sometimes the most important work we do is helping you get clear on that answer, whatever it turns out to be.
My Approach: Psychodynamically Informed, Behaviorally Grounded
I remain Psychodynamically informed in my work with couples, drawing on what Dr. Jonathan Shedler describes as the core features of psychodynamic psychotherapy: exploring emotional experience, identifying recurring patterns, examining how the past shapes the present, and understanding relational dynamics both within the partnership and in the therapy room itself.
At the same time, I'm behaviorally informed. Outcomes are based on relationship behaviors, which emerge from often-overlooked antecedents. We look at what triggers your fights, what keeps you stuck, and what small shifts might create big changes.
Just as in individual therapy, it's not my goal to provide the relationship with answers. My job is to help the relationship find better questions, so that together, you can find better meaning. That said, couples work is generally pragmatic and solutions-focused. We're here to make things better, not just to understand why they're hard.
The Secret About Humans
Here's what I know that changes everything: hard work isn't scary. It's beautiful.
We are all perfectly imperfect and inherently worthy. We are allowed to be spontaneous, to make mistakes, to carry shame and still be loved. The problem isn't that we have baggage. The problem is when that baggage stays hidden, like wet, moldy laundry stuffed in a pile. If it stays there, it's going to stink everything up.
In our work together, we get that laundry out. We air it. We look at it together. Sometimes I'll meet with one of you individually to help identify shame and find a way to communicate it to the relationship as a whole. Because when shame is spoken, when it's understood, when your partner can hear it without fear, something extraordinary happens: all parts of you have a home.
That's when real intimacy becomes possible.
What Makes This Different
I don't work with couples experiencing active addiction or domestic violence. I do work with couples considering divorce. Sometimes the most loving thing we can do is help you see clearly whether this relationship serves you both, and if it doesn't, how to separate in a way that honors what you built together.
Once we truly know someone, we develop love for them. That doesn't mean we stay. It means we develop respect. We align our boundaries with the lives we need to live. Sometimes this clears up the shame blockages that were preventing a couple from committing to the work. Sometimes it liberates a couple with irreconcilable differences, allowing them to develop a new, healthier relationship, which benefits them, each other, their children, their families, everyone.
Prepare-Enrich: A Data-Driven Tool for Every Stage
I'm a certified Prepare-Enrich facilitator. This isn't just for premarital counseling (though it's excellent for that). It's a research-backed assessment designed to help couples at any stage:
Engaged Couples: Build a solid foundation before the big day
Long-term Partners (5+ years): Reignite connection and dig deeper
New Parents: Navigate the transition to parenthood together
Blended Families: Manage the unique dynamics of combining households
Faith-Based Couples: We can incorporate a spiritual framework if that matters to you
The goal isn't to find "problems." It's to identify your unique strengths and growth areas in communication, conflict resolution, and personality compatibility. We use the data to start conversations you might not have had otherwise.
Serving Prosper, Frisco, Dallas & All of Texas
I'm located in Prosper, Texas, just north of Frisco and the greater Dallas area. I offer couples therapy both in-person and virtually throughout Texas. Whether you're down the street or across the state, we can work together.
Ready to Do the Work?
If you're tired of feeling misunderstood, if you're ready to stop repeating the same fights, if you want a relationship where all parts of you can have a home, let's talk.
This work is hard. It's also beautiful. And you don't have to do it alone.