Evidence-Based Pathways for Strengthening Relationships: A Practical Guide for Polyamorous Couples & Committed Couples in San Diego, CA
Polyamorous couples in San Diego, CA can strengthen connections with evidence-based couples therapy in San Diego, CA. Learn inner child work, reduce negative schemas, and cultivate responsible communication.
Three Predictable Narratives for those impacted by ADHD in Long-Term Committed Relationships
ADHD can shape how we think, feel, and act in everyday life. That’s not a flaw in the relationship—it’s a difference we can learn to work with together. This handout blends ideas from trusted sources (APA, NIMH, APA relationship science, and Gottman Institute) to help you build more safety, attunement, and shared meaning. It offers simple, doable steps you can try at home, with space to customize your own rhythm, repair script, and meaning map.
Couples Therapy Topic: Involving Kids in Healthy Conflict Resolution -Age Appropriate?
In this blog, I’ll outline a family-system approach that integrates Gottman Method Couples’ principles, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) where appropriate, and practical considerations for situations involving substance use. I’ll highlight age-appropriate steps, non-verbal communication strategies, and concrete tools you can use at home. I’ll also weave in how these modalities can support the well-being of the entire family system, including kids’ sense of safety and belonging.
Myth-Buster Blog: Common Myths About Substance & Behavioral Misuse/Excessive Use in Relationships
As a couples trauma therapist, I’ve walked along many couples and individuals through the tangled terrain of substance use, trauma, and relational healing. My aim here is to separate myth from the actual science, so you can make informed choices for your relationship and family overall. I hope this blog helps you find a grounded synthesis of common beliefs about substance & behavioral use & misuse in romantic partnerships, followed by what the current evidence actually shows. I’ll also highlight practical tools, resources, and ways to navigate treatment and recovery within a healing, non-codependent framework.
Lighting the Path Between Autistic and ADHD Partners: Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies to Improve Connection and Communication
The most reliable gains for ND couples come from integrating psychedelics within carefully designed, ND-informed therapy ecosystems—where therapists understand the unique communication styles, sensory needs, and cognitive profiles of autistic and ADHD individuals, and where the couple’s goals center on enhanced connection, shared meaning, and family well-being. If executed with stringent safety practices, clear consent, and rigorous integration, PAT has the potential to help ND couples access new pathways to closeness and mutual understanding.
Strengthening Neurodivergent Couples: Navigating Addiction, Sexual Balance, Work–Life Harmony with Love
This blog reviews common struggles in these domains, summarizes relevant etiology and research where available, and outlines evidence-based couple interventions—tailored with neurodivergent considerations—that can help partners connect more effectively, regulate arousal and stress, and create sustainable patterns of care. The emphasis is on practical steps, with attention to nonviolent, collaborative communication, respect for differences, and the well-being of the family system, especially children.
Why Your Relationship Feels Like a Battlefield: Understanding Trauma Bonding vs. Secure Attachment in Couples
Relationships matter, however we are often taught from an early age that fighting is life and death and therefore it feels so real and scary. Learning how to co-regulate with the evidenced based approaches is the best way to connect authentically when we have childhood trauma involved.
Rebuilding Trust After Relapse: Step-by-Step Repair for High-Achieving Couples
Evidence-based, step-by-step guide to rebuilding trust after relational relapse for high-achieving couples. Includes safety planning, Gottman trust metrics, and practical repair strategies tailored for blended families, parents, law enforcement, and LGBTQ+ relationships.
Rebuilding Trust & Safety: Trust Repair After Addiction Relapse or Trauma Disclosure
Learn clinically grounded trust-repair strategies for relapse and trauma disclosures using Gottman trust exercises and DBT distress tolerance skills. Includes practical steps, Q&A, and resources. Visit my site for tools and guides.
Work-Life Balance for Two: Setting Boundaries Between Jobs and Home Life
So many couples struggle with individualization and collaboration, creating shared life meaning through shared goals. Taking the time for your relationship goals, allows you to life a more fullfilling life if you can accept your partner’s influence.
Radical Acceptance in Relationships: Letting Go with Self-Compassion
Radical acceptance with self-compassion is a scientifically grounded, practically workable path for reducing reactivity and preserving love under perpetual tension. When you combine it with Gottman’s insights about ongoing differences, high-functioning couples can navigate life’s inevitable frictions with more humor, more warmth, and more durable collaboration.
Behavioral Couples Therapy for Addiction: A Practical Roadmap
Behavioral Couples Therapy (BCT) for addiction is a practical, ADHD- and trauma-informed path for couples. This clinical, approachable guide from Amy Anderson Therapy outlines the BCT basics, partner involvement, and effective coupling activities to reduce relapse and rebuild connection.
EMDR for Couples: Reprocessing Memories Without Re-Traumatization
EMDR and couples actually is a great approach to deep trauma processing. It’s a bit more complicated as it can be done in various ways within the EMDR protocols. Learn the various reasons why EMDR is the best approach for childhood abuse and prior relationship wounds impacting couples in the now.
Understanding Complex Trauma in High-Achievers: A Valentine-Inspired Guide to Healing with IFS and Trauma-Informed Therapy
Explore how childhood trauma underpins anxiety, burnout, and substance use in high-achievers. Learn how Internal Family Systems (IFS) concepts of parts and Self can support trauma-informed therapy and complex-trauma couples work. Includes a practical parts meditation.
Bids, Boundaries, and Self-Leadership: A Unified Path to Fulfillment for High-Performing Couples
What are bids you may ask? Emotional or physical attempts to connect with your partner in a meaningful way to each other in unique ways. Many of us need boundaries after realizing our own self-actualized leadership of our parts to allow for that. We take a deep dive of the research on how to effectively attune to each other’s bids for affection and attention, while maintaining a healthy sense of self through boundaries and interdependence.
ADHD vs. Emotional Neglect: Why Conversations Go Sideways in Neurodiverse Couples
ADHD couples communication, emotional neglect in relationships, neurodiverse couples therapy, ADHD relationship challenges, executive function support, rejection sensitive dysphoria, structured communication tools, DBT for couples, attachment in adult relationships, neurodiversity-affirming therapy.