Finding freedom together.
Freedom doesn’t always mean separation. We understand that relationships are difficult and our reasons for remaining in them are varied and valid. We can help partners work through difficult issues relating to addiction, codependency, betrayal, and general “dis-ease.”
Our primary goals when working with couples is to:
Provide psychoeducation on addiction, trauma, and other mental health issues
Educate partners and spouses on the difference between enabling and support
Break down and understand codependency and how codependency keeps us in unhealthy relationships
Work through betrayal or other issues associated with substance or process addictions such as sex and love addiction
Initiate the process of healing and rebuilding relationships
How We Work With Couples
Individual Counseling
When engaging in couples therapy we always recommend that each member of the partnership seek individual therapy outside of couples work. Experience and evidence shows that we can’t have healthy relationships if we are not healthy individuals. Many of the couples we see will opt to see Cynthia or Brian on an individual basis and then come together as a team during couples sessions when the timing is appropriate.
Therapeutic Disclosures
When it comes to the treatment of sex and love addiction, disclosures can be valuable and difficult part of the process. Often before coming to therapy, bits and pieces of secrets and deceptions have started to “leak out” on the relationship, but this form of disclosure was unplanned, accidental, and has likely led to feelings of mistrust, grief, anger, confusion, and the list goes on.
A therapeutic disclosure is a planned disclosure in a therapist's office where an addict provides information to his or her partner regarding all of their sexual behaviors from the time he/shes has known their partner until the present time. Extensive preparation goes into the disclosure, support is offered throughout, and the work continues following the disclosure.
When done honestly and comprehensively, therapeutic disclosures only have to happen once and serve as a foundation for deeper therapeutic work to build upon.
Couples Counseling
As clinically appropriate, Cynthia and Brian are able to meet with couples on an ongoing basis as a unit. However, when engaging in couples therapy, we always recommend that each member of the partnership seek individual therapy outside of couples work whether this is within Reimagine Freedom or with an outside provider.
We are happy to coordinate and communicate with outside providers. Experience and evidence shows that we can’t have healthy relationships if we are not healthy individuals. Many of the couples we see opt to see Cynthia or Brian on an individual basis and then come together as a team during couples sessions when the timing is appropriate.