As we continue letting you into the personal lives of our couples therapists, we are gracefully learning about and truly appreciating the vulnerability and kindness each therapist exempts during this interview process. This month, I am excited to interview Evelyn Natalya, LMFT. Evelyn has been with The Couples Center [...]
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Bill Ward a few weeks ago and learn more about the personal experiences that lead him to be a Bay Area couples therapist. Bill is warm, engaging, and has a charm that can only originate from the deep South. He is [...]
Why does it seem easier to take care of everything else and everyone else of yourself? We often don’t think twice about taking on that meeting, signing the kids up for another thing, or ditching the gym for a conference call. The excuses, justification, and reasons become second nature, [...]
Nicolette Sweeney, a Brooklyn native, is as passionate as she is creative. Though she is now a successful and sought-after couples therapist, the once-upon-a-time hip-hop dance teacher got her start in the South Bronx as a student mentor. Her purpose? [She] “wanted to give kids a reason to show [...]
As we approach the peak of the holiday season, we can take a moment to be thankful for another year and time well spent with our loved ones. The holidays come with wonderful opportunities to slow down and enjoy moments with your family, but they often can come at [...]
Whether you are mid scoff wondering "who this wacky therapist is claiming negative impacts of cuddling," or the other type, scanning your week to pinpoint all the potentially “too-much” cuddling you may have done, let's pause. Allow me to pull the release valve: cuddles are allowed, abound, and wonderful. [...]
I often wonder what ideas and thoughts come to mind when someone hears the words “open relationship.” I’ve asked around, casually, and I have heard a spectrum of replies. There have been judgmental statements, such as: “clearly they aren’t happy,” and “why would anyone do that, it’s disgusting and that’s [...]
We know how good it feels to be in love. Remember the first months with your partner where you couldn’t get enough of them? You likely spent many hours of the day remembering moments with them or wondering about them. Most of us have experienced or heard that the ‘in love’ [...]
Has your partner recently suffered a traumatic event? Are you trying to help them cope while learning to cope with the pain yourself? Learning how to support a partner can be the most empathetic gift you can offer them. When we are in a relationship, and a traumatic or [...]
"Where should we begin?” That is a question I often hear when I meet with a new couple. It is indeed a good question. Should they begin telling me about the “good ol’ days” when they were in love and absolutely sure that nothing would ever set them apart? [...]
If you discover that your partner is having an affair, does it mean that the relationship is over? For many couples, the belief is that discovering an affair means the relationship is over. However, it depends on the reasons for the affair, and the current communication style within the [...]
Monogamy and Polyamory: Reflections of a Couples TherapistBy: Raia KoganEvery week, I sit with a dozen diverse couples, each in a unique expression of intimate partnership. Every couple chooses a slightly different container, a different set of boundaries, expectations, and commitments. Every individual enters romantic relationships with a unique set [...]