Committed relationships are complex and challenging. If you’d like to repair or rekindle your intimate bond, couples therapy may be the solution. Couples therapy can help you and your partner reignite, or perhaps discover for the first time, a sense of:
Dr. Agree takes a comprehensive approach to couples therapy. Drawing on her proficiency in several disciplines, she will help you and your partner learn to:
Dr. Agree approaches your relationship from multiple perspectives, including Gottman Method Couples Therapy and a Mentalization-Based approach to couples and families.
The Gottman Method is based on over 40 years of research with couples. The Gottmans have discovered what leads relationships to fail and characteristics that help relationships succeed. Using this method, Dr. Agree will guide you through exercises that teach you to communicate with your partner in ways he or she is more likely to hear and understand.
The Mentalization-Based approach focuses on expanding your capacity for empathy towards yourself and your partner. It also helps you identify and begin to question assumptions that cause you to interpret your partner’s behavior in ways that make you feel inadequate or upset, so that you can see your relationship in a more favorable light. For more information on MBT, click here.
Dr. Agree is pleased to work with couples of all genders, sexual identities and preferences, to help them improve their communication skills and overall relationship satisfaction.
Consultation Dr. Agree structures the consultation and assessment sessions in three 90-minute blocks. The consultation is 90-minutes, and the assessment is broken down into two 90-minute sessions. This intense process allows her to gather an exponential amount of information and provide you the comprehensive feedback you desire about the strengths and weaknesses of your relationship.
During the consultation, Dr. Agree will spend a good deal of time listening to the story of what brings you in, doing her best to understand the situation from each of your unique perspectives. She will also begin to assess your relationship through questions and conversation. Near the end of the session she will explain what you can expect from the couples therapy process with her, and discuss any questions or concerns you may have.
ASSESSMENT During the second 90-minute session Dr. Agree conducts a thorough assessment to determine your individual and relationship strengths and challenges, areas for immediate attention, and interventions that are most likely to improve your relationship.
During your third 90-minute meeting, Dr. Agree will provide you with the results of her assessment. She will show you how to view your relationship in a more holistic sense, and provide you with her suggestions for treatment. Equipped with this information, you can then make an informed decision about whether you wish to continue to the therapy stage.
Progression Therapy sessions are 60 to 90 minutes each, according to your preference. The format is based on the issues you are struggling with and wish to discuss. You will learn to approach difficult situations with concrete skills to communicate and manage these conflicts more productively.
Dr. Agree will also help you foster the positive aspects of your relationship, such as intimacy and friendship, as it is these strengths that ultimately hold you together.
| Feature | Other Therapies | Dr. Agree’s Approach |
|---|---|---|
 Assessment |
None or simplistic | Multi-faceted to address reflective functioning, attachment patterns, historical influences, trust, friendship and relationship culture |
 Focus |
Primarily addresses complaints | Addresses problematic unconscious dynamics, mentalizing deficits, and destructive verbal and nonverbal communication patterns |
 Techniques |
One-size fits all, Skills-based exercises | Interventions targeting the couple’s unique understanding of self and partner, lapses in empathy and precise communication difficulties. |
| Potential Outcomes |
Improvements based on recall of rules and behavior modifications that tend to fade over time without practice. | Improved emotion regulation, trust, friendship and positive emotionality that relies more on personality change than simple recall. |
 Personal Experience |
Varying, depending on practitioner | Extensive experience with: work-life balance demanding careers, entrepreneurship, marriage, parenthood, divorce, remarriage, blended families, special-needs children |
The duration of couples therapy depends on you and your situation. Dr. Agree’s goal is to impart to you the skills you need, as quickly as possible, so that you can carry on successfully without her. In many circumstances, 6 months to a year is feasible. Research shows that couples benefit most when sessions are more frequent in the beginning (two to three times a week) and taper down as the relationship stabilizes.
Yes, couples therapy can be quite effective, especially when both partners are engaged. It can help you improve communication, rebuild trust, deepen emotional connection, and manage conflict in a healthier way. Even couples on the brink of separation can find new clarity and direction through therapy.
Sometimes one partner is hesitant, and that’s Ok. You can still begin on your own. One person can make a huge difference in a relationship. Working with a therapist individually can help you shift dynamics in the relationship that create lasting improvements. And, your interest in therapy might stimulate your partner’s interest in joining, or beginning his/her own individual therapy.
No. We take neutrality in couples therapy very seriously. No one likes to be ganged-up on, and it’s not helpful in couples therapy. Our goal is not to determine who’s “right” or “wrong,” because that’s not the problem. There is no objective standard in a relationship. Rather, the standard is what each of you is willing to live with. The goal of couples therapy is to help you understand one another better and find ways to be sensitive to each other so you can both get what you need in the relationship.
First, we assess the relationship through various processes so that we get a good understanding of what’s really going on, because the problems that bring you to couples therapy are usually not as obvious as it may appear. As we are building our understanding of you, you are also developing a deeper understanding of yourselves and your relationship. After that, the sessions are structured based on your individual needs. We might discuss a recent interaction that leads to an exploration of certain patterns in your relationship. We’ll identify areas of conflict or disconnection, and provide exercises and tools to help you communicate more effectively.
The length of therapy varies depending on your needs and goals. Many couples begin to see progress within 8–20 sessions. Some issues can be resolved relatively quickly. Others, such as long-standing conflict or rebuilding trust after betrayal, may take longer.
That’s completely OK. Many couples do, and often it’s useful because it allows us to see how your disagreements go awry. This gives us an opportunity to intervene to help you de-escalate and communicate in more effective ways. We’ll also explore what’s going on beneath the surface that leads to arguments so you can avoid them altogether.
It’s never too late to seek therapy for an ailing relationship. Years of negative patterns can lead to a sense of hopelessness, but even couples facing serious challenges—like infidelity, emotional distance, or thoughts of separation—can alter the course of their relationship. If you’re interested in it, then it’s worth trying. Couples therapy can also help you develop more clarity about the relationship and how you feel about it.
When the basis for coming to therapy is a relationship you wish to maintain and improve, couples therapy may be helpful. However, couples therapy is not always the best route. Under some circumstances, individual therapy with one partner is more effective in altering the dynamics of a relationship than couples therapy.
If you are unhappy in a relationship and are naturally frightened about what the future could hold, Dr. Agree invites you to contact her for an individual consultation. Here, in a supportive and compassionate environment, you can gain a better understanding of the issues you face, and make a more informed decision about how to proceed.
Whether you’re seeking therapy for adults, teens, kids, or couples, Dr. Agree and her carefully selected independent therapists are here to help you create meaningful change. Serving clients across Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, and nearby communities.
