Category Archives: Thrive Relational Therapy

Marriage and Couples Counseling in Vancouver, Wa

Marriage and Couples Counseling in Vancouver, Wa Problem: When we are in a relationship, it can be hard to find the right balance between being close and being independent.   One of the biggest problems that couples face is figuring out how to manage their independence while still maintaining intimacy with each other. It’s not […]

Is polyamory a bad idea?

Is polyamory a bad idea? Different people have different things they want out of life and out of their intimate relationships. If you strongly desire a monogamous relationship, and are not comfortable with polyamorous relationships, then practicing polyamory is probably not a good idea. If you feel comfortable with multiple sexual or romantic partners, feel […]

Is non monogamy the same as polyamory?

Is non monogamy the same as polyamory? Non-monogamy can be any form of sexual relationship outside of another relationship you may be in. Love does not have to be involved, it can be purely physical. Polyamory means many loves, essentially. It can be a sexual relationship or a non-sexual but emotionally romantic one, and it […]

Can a polyamorous person be in a monogamous relationship?

Can a polyamorous person be in a monogamous relationship? A person that identifies as polyamorous can be in a monogamous relationship if they choose to be. It can be difficult and will require a lot of open communication and flexibility as the poly person may feel they aren’t getting their needs met. A person that […]

How can I be ethically non monogamous?

How can I be ethically non monogamous? Ethical non monogamy is consensual between multiple partners, allowing for and supporting multiple relationships. It is very important that it be open, talked about in depth. It won’t be necessary to keep secrets as communication is key. Apply the same level of common decency, safety, and care to […]

Brief Couples Therapy: What is it, who is it right for and how does it work? All your questions answered.

Brief Couples Therapy: What is it, who is it right for and how does it work? All your questions answered. Some couples don’t need in depth, trauma and emotion focused therapy to heal deep rooted wounds. Sometimes when a couple contacts us for therapy, and they wish to work on communication, this really is all […]

Why do people cheat on people they love?

Why do people cheat on people they love? There are countless reasons for infidelity. Some may feel their reason is as simple as wanting to be accepted, respected, loved, wanted, or praised (the things they likely feel they aren’t getting in their current relationship). Others feel their reasons are more complex and may have to […]

Is it possible to work through infidelity?

Is it possible to work through infidelity? Yes! Many couples state they feel happier, healthier and more satisfied in their relationship after the process of healing from infidelity. Experts say it’s possible for couples to go on to have a happy relationship after infidelity, provided they’re willing to put in the work. … But couples […]

Can a marriage survive infidelity without counseling?

Can a marriage survive infidelity without counseling? If you and your partner are still able to communicate with each other, then surviving infidelity without counseling is definitely possible. There are many self help books around infidelity that may be beneficial for couples to read with the addition or without the addition of therapy.

Does counseling help cheaters?

Does counseling help cheaters? A therapist can help if the couple wishes to save the relationship, or if a person is hoping to heal and move forward. The therapist may call unhealthy relationship patterns into question. These could include codependency, emotional abuse, or repeated affairs. Therapists can help people who have been cheated on work […]

What can COVID teach us about consent?

What can COVID teach us about consent? Its safe to say that COVID has shifted our worlds dramatically. I haven’t met a single person unaffected in one way or another. And while there are many outcomes from COVID and the lockdown, both negative and positive, one that I am beginning to explore with clients is […]

I had an affair, the guilt is killing me!

I had an affair, the guilt is killing me!   If you are reading this, I’m guessing you are in the hot box. You may be confused as to how to proceed, what to do next. You’ve had an affair, maybe you have already told your partner about it, maybe you haven’t. But either way […]

The grief paradigm of affairs.

If you have looked up affairs or infidelity on the internet, you have likely gotten an onslaught of information, largely related to how bad the affair partner is, how their moral compass is off, and the oldie but goodie, “once a cheater, always a cheater” nonsense. But if you are the person that had the […]

What is a sexless relationship and what can you do about it

In the field of sex therapy and couples counseling,  it is common for a client to ask “Am I in a sexless marriage?” Clients in the therapy room are often trying to understand their relationship dynamics and patterns and want to better understand their sex life. The question, “How much sex should I be having” is […]

Pause, reflect, respond

Communication is tricky business. Communication is the primary reason any person calls me asking for help in couples or relationship counseling. We don’t talk, they say. Or we only argue. Or we don’t know how to talk about our feelings.  Each time I hear this and I know the feeling. Because communication is at the core […]

Holiday Cheer!

The holidays have arrive, and so has holiday stress. If you are like many, the stress of holidays and family can take it’s toll on you and your relationship. As a relationship counselor, I often joke with clients that I could start an entire business based on the stress of the holidays. I get it. […]

Outside the Box Therapy: What does it mean and what can you expect?

We advertise on our counseling website as “Outside the box” mental health therapy. This is something that I believe strongly in professionally and personally. The common Dr. Seuss quote, “Why fit in when you can stand out” fits within this idea. But what can you really expect from this notion? What do we mean when […]

I have a strange fantasy; is there something wrong with me?

This is the question that I so often get asked after the first session in therapy. Many folks, men or women, come into the counseling room and wonder; “why do I enjoy being choked?” or “I can only orgasm when I fantasize about…” Some of the fantasies are more taboo than the others such as […]

Sensate Focus: Healing intervention used in sex therapy modalities

If you have ever talked to me about sex, healing sexual trauma, intimacy or anxiety reduction in sex you have likely heard me make mention of sensate focus. I believe it to be one of the most useful tools or interventions in sex therapy, and in emotional and intimate re-connection. So what exactly is sensate […]

Communication for couples

Coupledom is hard. Long term, short term, casual or official it is difficult to communicate effectively. What would you say the biggest pitfalls to communication are? Misunderstanding? Aggressive tone? Reading between the lines? Dismissing communication? OR not engaging in conversation maybe? I see all of these all the time. They are all common and equally […]

Affairs, Infidelity, and Cheating: The Misconceptions

I have a fair number of clients who enter into couples counseling after cheating, infidelity or an affair. I am seeing clients more and more who have experienced some sort of infidelity, some physical affairs, some emotional or online affairs, or fantasies. As I browse the internet reading research and recent blog posts I am bombarded with […]

Affair Recovery – Healing from Infidelity

Do you suspect your spouse or partner is having or has had an affair? Or has it recently been disclosed that an affair has happened? This can be one of the most trying and emotionally painful times in a individual or couples lives. Many people have swirling thoughts, confusion, anger, and find themselves feeling very […]

Life Transitions

Vancouver Counselor to walk with you in your Life Transitions. Life can throw a curve ball or two and sometimes it can just be too much to manage on your own. I offer therapy that focuses on all the twists and turns that you may have experienced recently. For some this looks like beginning parenthood, […]

Individual Counseling

How do I know if individual counseling is right for me? Most people experience general confusion, sadness, anxiety, and struggle with general life transitions. But for many, these can pile on top of one another, and be too great to manage on your own. Making the decision to engage in individual therapy takes immense courage. […]

Couples and Relationship Therapy

​Let’s be honest, being in a relationship is hard. It isn’t uncommon to experience challenges, and when they arise, it can be really difficult to decide what the next step is. I see my role in couples and relationship therapy as a person to sit with you, where you are in the moment and help […]