Couples Communication Skills
Are you in a relationship where trust has been broken, safety feels compromised, and despite many conversations, neither of you feels truly heard?
Do you both want to repair but don’t know how?
Drawing from their therapeutic training, personal experience, and lived relationship journeys, Dan Barone and Maggie Mae Anderson partner together to support couples who are ready to do the work of repair.
Using non-violent, conscious communication practices along with mindfulness, and relational exercises, we create a supportive space where both partners can feel heard, rebuild safety, and restore trust; both in the relationship and within themselves.
We’ve found that many heterosexual couples benefit from having both a woman and a man present in the therapeutic space, helping to navigate common gender dynamics while ensuring each partner feels understood and supported. That said, we warmly welcome and support all couples, including LGBTQIA+, nontraditional, and polyamorous relationships.
Sessions typically last two hours, allowing enough time to slow down, go deeper, and do meaningful work without feeling rushed. Please see below for more details and contact us with any questions, to learn more, or to set up an initial session.
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Details
A couples session often looks different from an individual 1:1 session with a practitioner. It can be vulnerable and activating to talk about charged topics with the person who may be the focal point of intense feelings. It is our deepest intention that each individual feels supported and safe during the session. Please see below for some information on how sessions are structured:
Sessions are in-person and typically last 2 hours. Due to the longer session time, we incorporate a movement break about halfway through each session to loosen up our bodies and move some energy around, use the bathroom, etc.
We often begin each session with a short meditation and will practice mindfulness and relational exercises at points during the course of the session, especially when exploring intense feelings.
Couples may need to take space from each other during the course of the session. We have separate space and support available for each individual if need arises.
Individuals sometimes experience emotions in the body as a somatic expression. Somatic therapy and support is one of the benefits of doing this work with us; we can give individualized support during a session if needed.
Because of the dynamic of couples work, we ask for a higher contribution than for individual 1:1 sessions. However, no one will be turned away for financial reasons. We will discuss a fair and sustainable contribution amount during our initial session that feels good to all parties.
We’ve found the following questions are the most likely predictor of a path towards resolution. Please reflect on them and answer them honestly. If you’re finding one or more of these questions difficult, that’s a great reason to be curious and ask why.
Does each partner want to receive support?
Is each partner willing to be deeply honest?
Is each partner willing to listen to the other?
Is each partner invested in reaching resolution?
What would resolution look like and/or feel like?
These answers may not come easily, and they may lead to deeper feelings than you expected. That’s why we’re here. We believe that the hardest things to do in life are to communicate well and have healthy relationships. Most of us didn’t have good models or training, yet we’re expected to know how to do this instinctively. It’s hard to seek help and we take this responsibility seriously. If you feel led to work with us, we’d be honored to support you.
Please reach out with any questions, to learn more, or to set up an initial session.