Welcome

Spotlight Specialty- Couples Therapy

Gottman Method Couples Therapy

Gottman Method Couple's Therapy powerfully addresses the core needs of couples including prompt repairs when things get off track, effective and truly mutual compromises and developing (or re-developing) a deep friendship. The science-based method of Gottman Therapy includes targeted assessments that enable the creation of an personalized treatment plan for your unique situation. Heart-rate monitoring during the sessions allows timely breaks as needed to teach the skills of self- soothing and to keep communication constructive. The goal of therapy is both a restoration of harmony and a demonstrated self-sufficiency in caring effectively for your own relationship. I am one of three certified Gottman's therapists in the state of Tennessee and have specialized training in the areas of substance abuse, trauma and infidelity. As a licensed psychologist, I use specialized psychological tests as needed to help get to the root causes of relationship issues and change the current destructive patterns of interactions to ones of safe and deep connection. 

Couples on the Brink

Discernment Counseling is a special program I offer for couples on the edge of splitting up. Overall, thirty percent of all couples who come to couple's therapy have a mixed agenda where one person is "leaning in" toward repairing the relationship while the other person is ambivalent about the relationship's future or even  "leaning out." Unless the couple can clarify the mixed agenda, traditional couple's therapy can be a waste of time and money. Discernment Counseling was invented for this situation and it can help couples get on the same page about whatever they decide to do next whether it is to fully commit to work on the relationship or to part ways respectfully. Most importantly, if you can come out of it the program with both partners clearly dedicated to a significant couple's therapy program, then the chances for success can improve significantly. The program consists of up to five two hour sessions with each session including a brief meeting with the therapist together, and then a 45 minute individual session for each person with the therapist strictly focused on understanding the patterns of this relationship and focused on developing greater clarity about their decision. Upon completing their individual session, each partner will provide a brief summary of what they gleaned from it to their partner and then it will be their partner's turn to do the same individual session plus providing a summary to their partner. Finally, they will together receive a summary of the therapist's observations about their patterns. Because the program is not couple's therapy per se and is instead focused on the decision primarily through individual interaction, many "leaning out" partners find this approach more comfortable and are therefore open to it. Research shows that roughly half of Discernment Counseling clients will later move to couple's therapy and among those who opt for ending the relationship, greater harmony and cooperation is reported post break-up. Currently, I am only of two therapists in the State of Tennessee, listed as trained in this method. 

Hopeful Spouse/Partner Counseling

This also is a specialty program of up to five sessions focused on the common but difficult situation where one person is interested in help and the other is not and refuses to become involved in any program including the Discernment Counseling program. The emphasis here is upon maximizing your possibilities for change and to make re-initiation in a joint process of change more likely, remembering, of course, that it is always impossible to control another person. What can be done to make the possibility re-engagement more likely and at the same time develop a deeper understanding of what happened in the first place? That is the purpose of this program. An important resource for this work is Michelle Winer-Davis's book, The Divorce Remedy.

All programs are open to all couples regardless of marital status or sexual orientation. Couples dating each other or living together as well as LGBTQ+ are welcome. 

Individual sessions are also available related to couple's or family work (specialities include accelerated recovery from breakups/divorce for teens and adults using the latest in rapid trauma techniques such as EMDR, Brainspotting and hypnosis and family counseling aimed at healing ruptured relationships). Also specialized supportive therapy or coaching targeted toward a safer return to dating following a breakup/divorce. Singles support group also available. 

PRE-MARITAL EVALUATIONS- Two sessions focused on history and completion/feedback on the Prepare-Enrich Premarital Inventory. 

Day and evening hours/weekend availabile

Accepting new clients for the treatment of:

• Relationship problems including infidelity, substance abuse, or "empty shell" marriages
• Anxiety and Depression including panic disorder, ocd, excessive worry or phobias
• Alcohol or drug abuse , compulsive gambling, eating disorders, etc.
• Impulsive behavior (ADHD, adolescents, etc.)
• Trauma treatment (childhood abuse, domestic violence, car accidents, betrayals, etc.)

Executive and life coaching are available for peak performance and life adjustment in areas such as peak executive performance, pre-retirement planning, and entrepreneurship as well and more personal areas such as substance abuse recovery, ADHD, relationship building and divorce adjustment.   See my coaching page https://www.drjohncoaching.com for more information.

Career Coaching (one-on-one guidance for first career decisions or for changing directions)

My approaches include both traditional psychotherapy and more rapid techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, and EMDR. I am certified in hypnosis by the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH), a group that only trains licensed healthcare professionals. I am Certified in Gottman Method therapy from the Gottman Institute for working with couples, a technique based on extensive scientific research about couples.

You can schedule an appointment right now by calling 615-337-6975.