Intimacy and Connection
Many couples don’t experience a clear rupture in intimacy. Instead, connection fades gradually. Stress, parenting, unresolved conflict, or long-standing patterns can slowly take priority, and partners find themselves feeling less close, less known, or less emotionally engaged with one another.
Emotional intimacy is about feeling safe, understood, and responsive with your partner. When that connection weakens, relationships often begin to feel strained or distant, even when there is still care and commitment.
How This Shows Up for Couples
Couples often describe feeling disconnected or out of sync. Conversations stay surface-level or turn tense when emotions come up. One partner may reach for more closeness while the other pulls back, unsure how to engage without things escalating.
Physical intimacy is often affected, but not always in the same way for both partners. For some, emotional distance leads to changes in physical closeness. For others, shifts in physical intimacy deepen emotional disconnection. These dynamics tend to reinforce each other over time.
How I Work with Couples on Intimacy & Connection
Therapy centers on rebuilding emotional connection first. We intentionally slow interactional patterns, strengthen emotional safety, and support more open, responsive communication. These changes create a foundation where intimacy can begin to shift without pressure.
When physical intimacy is part of the concern, we work within that emotional framework. Instead of treating sex as a separate issue to fix, we explore how closeness, trust, stress, and communication shape physical connection. The pace is collaborative and guided by what feels manageable and acceptable for both partners.
Next Steps
If intimacy or connection has changed or feels harder to access, a brief consultation can help you talk through what support might be helpful and whether this work feels like a good fit.