The Denver Couples Center
It can feel impossible to find a couples therapist. The mission of Denver Couples Center is to make finding the right therapy fit accessible to both our clients and our therapists. All of our therapists are multi skilled and experienced in both couples and individual therapy. Therapy can take place in person or remotely, and remote therapy is available throughout the state of Colorado.
Who Are We?
Denver Couples Center was founded by two couples therapists who received specific training around Marriage and Family Therapy in the state of California, a state which required therapists to specialize in Family and Couples dynamics to become licensed through a rigorous process of experience and education. As long term Bay Area therapists, we learned to work with conventional and non-conventional relationships, couples in multi racial relationships, couples with binary and non-binary genders, LBGTQi couples, monogamous and non monogamous relationships, polyamorous relationships, sex positive and kink relationships, and many more. We love Colorado and hope to create a safe space for all couples in all phases of relationship. Our mission is to provide excellent couples therapy to our clients and to provide exceptional training to our therapists around couples work. The world needs better Couples Therapy!!!
Common Styles of Couples Therapy
Each of these modalities offers a unique perspective and set of tools to address relationship issues, catering to the diverse needs and dynamics of couples seeking therapy.
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Focus: The Gottman Method emphasizes building a strong foundation of friendship and intimacy. It identifies and addresses negative communication patterns, such as criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling.
Intervention: Therapists use assessment tools to understand the couple's dynamics and provide specific exercises and interventions to improve communication, conflict resolution, and emotional connection.
Outcome: The goal is to help couples strengthen their relationship by fostering positive interactions and managing conflicts more effectively
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Focus: EFT focuses on emotions and attachment needs within the relationship. It aims to create a secure emotional bond between partners by identifying and restructuring negative patterns.
Intervention: Therapists help couples express and understand their emotions, reframe negative cycles, and create new, positive interactions. The process involves deepening emotional connections and enhancing responsiveness to each other's needs.
Outcome: EFT aims to create a more secure and lasting emotional connection between partners, fostering a sense of safety and trust.
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Focus: The focus of the Developmental Model is on understanding the developmental stages that relationships naturally progress through. Bader outlines three main stages.
Intervention: Bader's Developmental Model uses a variety of interventions tailored to each stage of the relationship. These interventions may include: Psychoeducation, Communication Skills Training, Emotionally Focused technique, and role-playing and behavioral experiments, as well as expiration of family of origin.
Outcome: The ultimate goal of the Developmental Model is to help couples achieve a healthy, satisfying, and lasting relationship. The outcomes include: Increased Emotional Intimacy, Enhanced Conflict Resolution, and Enhanced Conflict Resolution.
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Focus: PACT, developed by Dr. Stan Tatkin, focuses on the neurobiology of attachment and emphasizes non-verbal communication and the regulation of the nervous system.
Intervention: Therapists guide couples in understanding their attachment styles and how they impact the relationship. PACT interventions often involve real-time exploration of non-verbal cues and body language to enhance attunement and responsiveness.
Outcome: PACT aims to increase security in the relationship by improving communication and attunement, creating a sense of safety and connection.
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Focus: Rooted in psychodynamic principles, this approach explores unconscious processes, childhood experiences, and their impact on current relationship dynamics.
Intervention: Therapists help couples explore underlying patterns, conflicts, and unresolved issues. The focus is on bringing awareness to unconscious dynamics that may be influencing the relationship.
Outcome: Psychodynamic couples therapy seeks to uncover and understand deeper, often unconscious, aspects of the relationship, promoting insight and facilitating positive change in patterns of interaction.
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Focus: Sex therapy specifically addresses issues related to intimacy, sexual desire, and functioning within a relationship. It acknowledges that sexual health is an integral part of overall relationship well-being.
Intervention: Sex therapists work with couples to explore and address concerns related to sexual satisfaction, communication about sexual needs, and any challenges or dysfunctions. Interventions may involve education, communication exercises, and, in some cases, specific techniques or strategies to enhance sexual intimacy.
Outcome: The goal of sex therapy is to improve sexual satisfaction, communication, and overall sexual health within the relationship. It may also address any psychological or physical factors that may be impacting sexual well-being.