Couples Checkups

Is it time for a Check-up?

The best way to prevent the pitfalls that can hit any relationship is to know what you are already doing well (so that you can do more of that) and what to avoid…and don’t worry EVERYONE is doing something well. With a Couples Communication Check-up we’ll use the telling of your relationship story, conversations on video, and the latest in marital research to help us create a blueprint for your relationship.

I’ll help you and your partner see what you have mastered as a couple, because these are the things we’ll want to encourage in your communication. I’ll also work with you to identify the land mines and potholes within your relationship to steer away from in the future.

I am a licensed psychologist with extensive experience in the study of couples’ communication. I have watched hundreds of couples and learned from what Dr. John Gottman calls the “Masters and Disasters” of marriage. This experience provides me with the ability to formulate insights and detect patterns that are proven to promote relationship longevity.

Based on what we learn during your check-up, you’ll come away with a personalized communication profile outlining:

  • Important key topics for your relationship
  • Specific communication techniques to increase
  • Patterns of communication to reduce or avoid

The Check-up: What’s involved

The full check-up is a total of two sessions: the first is two hours long and the second session is one hour. In the first session, you and your partner will complete some brief questionnaires, describe the history of your relationship, and participate in a brief conversation on videotape. In the second session, we will review my feedback based on an analysis of your information from the first session and on findings from research on marital communication. The feedback will help you identify the areas of your communication that will best support continued positive communication in your relationship. We will also discuss any patterns that could potentially be harmful in the long-run.

What kind of couple should get a Check-up?

Committed Couples
Any committed couple could benefit from a Communication Check-up. We will discuss conversational behaviors that have been proven to enhance the long-term happiness of committed couples.
Premarital Couples
Couples Communication Check-ups are also ideal for couples that are planning to get married. These check-ups are a way to help couples lay the groundwork for on-going, healthy communication before unhealthy patterns can take root. They are also a nice complement to any premarital work or counseling that you might already be doing.