Services
I provide therapy for individuals (adults only) and couples / relationships.
I also provide consultation for licensed clinicians.
Some issues I frequently work on with clients include:
- Relationships
- Effective Communication
- Alcohol / Substance Abuse and Recovery
- Depression and Anxiety
- Personal Growth and Development
- Life Transitions
- Family of Origin
- Premarital
I have trained and worked as a therapist since 2001. Originally I studied Family Systems and Object Relations (Psychodynamic) theories, as well as addiction/recovery and the intersection with spirituality. Like many couples therapists, I trained and worked for many years in the Gottman Method Couples Therapy and Sue Johnson’s Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT). I first encountered Terry Real’s Relational Life Therapy (RLT) more than decade ago and began to incorporate his approach in my couples/relationships repertoire.
It did not take me long to discover the revolutionary nature of RLT and how it literally transforms people’s relationships with each other, themselves, and the world. I was hooked. I read all of Terry Real’s books, watched him do intensive work with couples, and took some of his online courses. I made the commitment to intensive study and training in RLT and became a Certified RLT Therapist–one of the credentials I am most proud to have. Now Relational Life Therapy is the foundation of all my work.
Relational Life Therapy is different from other couples/relationship therapies. That’s a good thing. Many people come to an RLT therapist after unsuccessful attempts with other couples therapists, and in RLT they find the help they need because we are different.
How is Relational Life Therapy different?
An RLT therapist uses a much more direct and directive approach, and unlike the way most people think about relationship therapy, an RLT therapist does take sides. Our client is the relationship, and we are “on the side” of change. We are “on the side” of helping people stop using relationship-defeating strategies and instead building mutually-cherishing relationships. Although it can be a bitter pill to swallow, the route there isn’t always 50-50. We know that, and we can help you.
An RLT therapist takes a firm stand against relationally harmful behaviors while still holding the individuals in warm regard. One of Terry Real’s many sayings is: “The answer to ‘Who’s right and who’s wrong?’ is ‘Who cares!'” It’s the wrong question. Instead the question ought to be, How can we understand each other’s subjective reality, hear each other’s pain, and work toward a solution? In RLT you will learn that it is to your advantage to help your partner get what they want and help them give you what you want. In RLT you will learn that partners are neither “one-up” nor “one-down,” but “same as.” You will learn some of the neurobiology behind your button-pushed reactions and how to act differently and more skillfully. (Another of Terry’s many sayings is: “Other therapies teach you skills. We deal with the part of you that doesn’t want to use them.”) You may do some inner child/trauma work in front of your partner(s). You will learn to take responsibility for your needs and communicate effectively. You will learn how to be in better relationship with your partner(s), yourself, and the people around you. You deserve it. Your partner(s) deserve it. If you have children, they deserve it.
There is an article entitled “How I Learned That the Problem in My Marriage Was Me,” published in the New York Times in February 4, 2025 by Daniel Oppenheimer, the husband of a couple with whom Terry Real worked for a series of sessions. In it Oppenheimer describes his experience of the RLT process, the insights he gleaned, and how it helped his marriage.
Premarital Counseling
I am trained and certified in PREPARE/ENRICH, an assessment and counseling tool for couples preparing for marriage, and offer premarital counseling. Many counties in Georgia offer a discount on the marriage license for couples who have received premarital counseling/education. They generally require at least six counseling sessions for couples preparing for marriage. Check with your county about specific requirements.
Consultation/Supervision
I offer consultation/supervision to licensed clinicians. Please contact me for more information.
Psychology/counseling students please note:
There are no internship or administrative opportunities available in my practice.