Couples Counseling

Couples Counseling

Humans are shaped to need connection, and some of the most impactful bonds in our lives are our intimate relationships. Whether you’re working through a key phase of your relationship or need help getting the spark back, couples therapy in McLean, VA can help.

All relationships, including healthy ones, experience some degree of conflict. The key is addressing those conflicts head-on in a loving, constructive way. Couples counseling can help you and your partner address issues and find solutions to problems before they get out of hand.

Many couples begin therapy under the assumption that they need to eliminate all conflict from their relationship. Other couples may tell their therapist, “We never fight, so I don’t understand what the problem is.” Conflict, or the absence of conflict, isn’t an indicator of relationship health on its own; it’s the type of conflict and how it’s handled that makes or breaks a relationship.

How Couples Counseling Works

During your first couples session, your therapist will assess your relationship and what issues need to be addressed. Then, your therapist will work with you to establish meaningful goals and create a treatment plan to help cultivate a more loving, healthy relationship.

Couples therapy ideally requires participation from you and your partner. However, if your partner is not open to it, you can also opt to do therapy alone, to better understand your relationship and how you can improve it. If you and your partner undertake it together, you may find that one or both of you also need separate therapy sessions to help deal with the issues brought up in couples therapy.

Couples therapy can help increase understanding, respect, affection, and intimacy between you and your partner, which can help you be happier together.

Susan Nelson, L.C.S.W.

Education & Background
After completing my Master of Social Work, I completed a post-master’s program at Smith College. I’ve been in private practice for the past 45 years.

My Client Approach
Therapy should be collaborative, empathic, practical, and interpersonal. Armed with several decades of experience, I have the valuable opportunity to help clients effectively tackle a variety of unique, complex life issues. I often work with clients facing grief and loss, including pet loss, and take a long-term interest in the unique issues women face as society changes over time.

I use an eclectic approach to develop treatment plans and facilitate personal growth in my clients’ lives. I use a developmental perspective to explore family of origin issues as they relate to client concerns. I also often incorporate attachment theory, emotional boundary- development, and gratitude work when seeing individuals and couples. I’ve also found Emotionally Focus Therapy (EFT) particularly helpful when working with couples. Brené Brown’s research on shame and vulnerability also provides useful language to confront self-doubt, anxiety, and depression.