Your relationship may have developed one of the marriage problems that afflict many couples. These marriage problems can gradually destroy your relationship unless you spot them and intervene appropriately. In this section, you can read about what to look for as well as some things you can do about them in addition to marriage counseling. An integrity checklist is also available [...]
Marriage counseling and couples counseling have been specialties of Cary Counseling Center for Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Morrisville and Holly Springs for nearly 30 years. In addition, our therapists are also exceptionally trained for individual psychotherapy, treatment of PTSD, family counseling and play therapy for children.
Strategic Marriage Counseling
Our therapists emphasize goal-focused strategic counseling. It’s NOT the passive “listening” therapy that takes years to produce results. Our strategic marriage counseling has several characteristics that make it especially effective:
Careful Assessment – The strategy for marriage counseling is tailored to each couple. One size doesn’t fit all. Social history, old traumas, schemas, behavioral patterns, level of dissociation, inhibition of meta-motivational states and parental templates are all assessed to find out where to focus the counseling. Marriage counseling that focuses on communication is really only dealing with surface issues. Communication breaks down because of subtle emotions in the unconscious. When those emotions are better managed, communication opens up because the person can think differently. Even subtle emotions can change how the brain operates. It’s important to determine which emotions are sabotaging communication so that they can be reconditioned.
Clear Goals – Goals are negotiated at the beginning so that all parties can agree on what’s realistic and what’s not. Progress toward the goals is reviewed regularly so that everyone can be held accountable to stay on task.
Active Intervention – The therapist teaches, confronts, models, challenges clients to practice different behavior both in and between sessions. The emphasis is on training each partner to practice the behavior and thoughts that will change emotions over time. Our most intensive intervention is a week long nautical retreat with marriage counseling by Dr. Bryce Kaye and his wife Helen. Read more about their Love Odyssey marriage counseling retreats.
Marriage First Aid
This Marriage Problems First Aid Kit contains extensive help for your marriage problems even before coming for marriage counseling. You can read Dr. Kaye’s advice given to hundreds of site visitors who have asked questions about their marriage problems. Read all the chapters from Dr. Kaye’s book which details many interventions that you can perform yourself. You can also [...]
Counseling Based On Neuroscience
At Cary Counseling Center, our therapists emphasize the science of cultivating emotions. We know that conscious control of behavior is often over-ridden by emotion from lower brain centers in what’s called the limbic system. Therapies and counseling that rely on insight alone don’t produce optimal results. We employ newer science-based techniques such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization [...]
