Couples therapy for
parenting and expecting.
Almost nobody warns you what parenting does to a relationship. The strain is well documented and it shows up at every stage — the newborn year, the blended household, the years where everything runs on logistics.
It is rarely a sign that something has gone wrong between you. Two people running something difficult together will hit friction.
Book a Free ConsultationThe transition to parenthood.
The period couples are least prepared for and most affected by. Sleep is gone, the division of labor stops feeling fair, and the two of you become very good at running a household while talking to each other less and less.
One person holding all the mental logistics while the other waits to be asked
Fights that only happen when you are both running on no sleep
Mismatched desire, and sex that has become one more thing to schedule
Grief for the version of your life, or of yourself, that came before this
Two households becoming one.
Stepparenting asks you to build a relationship and a family at the same time, usually with people who did not choose each other. Most of the friction lands between the couple even when it started somewhere else.
Disagreeing about discipline, and who has standing to enforce it
A stepparent who feels like staff, or like an intruder, or both
A co-parent in the picture whose decisions affect your household
Children who are loyal to a parent elsewhere and show it in ways that sting
Money, wills, and whose children get what — conversations most couples put off
The logistics years.
The years when the household runs on schedules and the two of you go last. Nothing is in crisis, which is exactly why it can drift for a long time before anyone says anything.
Conversations that have turned entirely into scheduling and household operations
Different instincts about screens, independence, academics, and discipline
One parent becoming the enforcer while the other becomes the fun one
A child's difficulty — anxiety, school, health — pulling the two of you apart
Feeling more like coworkers running a shift than partners
A few ways to
work together.
Which one makes sense depends on where you are and what you are hoping to change. The consultation is a good place to sort that out.
Couples Therapy
Weekly, evidence-based sessions over several months. This is how most couples here work. Sessions are virtual, so naptime, after bedtime, and school hours are all usable, and nobody has to arrange childcare to get to an office.
Learn more → ExpectingBefore Baby Intensive
Six hours of preparation before the baby arrives, covering division of labor, nights, visitors, and money. Working this out before you are sleep deprived is considerably easier than negotiating it at three in the morning.
Learn more → Brief · PreventionRelationship Checkup
Three hours for an honest read on where things stand. A contained option for parents who suspect they have drifted and would rather find out now than in five years.
Learn more →Questions parents
usually ask.
When do sessions actually happen?
Sessions are virtual with early morning and evening slots, which is usually what makes this possible at all. Most couples land on a standing time that fits around naps, bedtime, school hours, or a partner's work schedule.
Can the baby be in the session?
Yes. A baby in arms or asleep nearby is fine. Once a child is old enough to follow the conversation, it is better to find a window when they are not in the room.
We are expecting. Is it too early to come in?
No, and it is one of the better times. Working out how you want to handle nights, leave, money, and visitors before you are sleep deprived is a lot easier than negotiating it at three in the morning. The Before Baby Intensive is built for this.
Do the children come to sessions?
No. This is couples work, and the sessions are for the two of you. If it becomes clear that a child needs their own support, or that the family would benefit from work involving everyone, that is worth naming and I can help you find the right referral.
Most of our conflict is about my partner's ex. Is that couples work?
Usually yes. You cannot change how a co-parent behaves, but the two of you can change how you handle it together — which is where most of the strain actually sits. That tends to be more workable than it feels from inside it.
Is this normal, or is something actually wrong with us?
Strain during these years is extremely common and is not a sign the relationship is failing. What matters more than whether it happens is what the two of you do with it, and that part is very workable.
What if one of us is struggling with more than the relationship?
Postpartum depression and anxiety are common, affect both birthing and non-birthing partners, and are treatable. If that turns out to be part of the picture, we will name it and make sure the right support is in place alongside the couples work, whether that is individual therapy or a referral to someone who specializes in it.
What are your fees and do you take insurance?
Fee information is on the Investment page. Relationship Health Collective is out of network with insurance. A superbill can be provided upon request for potential out-of-network reimbursement, depending on your plan. Payment is accepted via credit card and HSA/FSA accounts.
Ready to get
started?
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to find out if working together is a good fit.
Book a Free Consultation