Couples Counseling For A Better Marriage
Committed relationships are hard work and many couples are caught in negative cycles of poor communication and interactions. I can teach you how to prioritize, validate, and reconnect with each other so that together you can break your negative cycles and create positive change.
Couples Counseling To Improve Your Communication & Connection
Is your marriage in crisis? Relationships require skills that most people are never taught. Learn how you can break your negative cycles and create positive change in your relationship by connecting with each other, reflecting on your personal patterns, and effectively redirecting your partner.
Repair And Strengthen Your Marriage
When working with a couple, I always start with the same hypothesis: Your marriage can be happy and successful, and the issue is that no one has every taught you the skills to make that possible.
Let me teach you how to communicate with you partner to build a closer connection, repair from past hurts, improve a sexless marriage, or figure out once and for all if you are truly compatible with each other.
Considering Divorce
An unhappy marriage can be one of the most painful experiences to have to endure. Unfortunately, 40% of couples who divorce regret it. Make sure you are making the right choice.
Couples Communication
Break the negative cycles of communication and interaction by learning the skills to reconnect and find peace in your house.
Sexless Marriage
Couples of all ages can lose their spark or desire. Sexual satisfaction is extremely important for marital success and affair prevention.
Affair Recovery
Affairs can feel like the end of the marriage and leave someone questioning what they did wrong or blaming their partner. There are ways to survive and prevent affairs by working on your relationship.
Marriage Requires Skills
I’m often asked why the divorce rate is so high. My answer is that people are rarely taught relationship skills. Imagine if construction workers were not taught how to properly build houses. How many homes would fall or collapse? I educate every couple on the three pillars of relationship success: connect, reflect, and redirect.
Connect: Increase your love, like, and lust for each other while considering how your daily interactions can help create a deeper sense of connection and validation.
Reflect: Consider how your own emotional intelligence and overall health impact your marriage. Taking responsibility for your actions and making positive contributions to your relationship has profound results.
Redirect: Learning how to co-regulate with each other creates a deeper sense of connection even during difficult times. This connection also helps guide you both towards a shared vision of your life together.
Intensive Couples Therapy Retreats
Couples Therapy Options
Every couple has the choice of an intensive counseling format, or traditional shorter psychotherapy sessions. There are many benefits to working intensively and efficiently on a Couples Retreat instead of stretching out the treatment over weeks and months. However, I understand that not every couple is ready to move that quickly, so couples should consider which option is a better fit for their goals.
Dr. David Helfand, PsyD
Couples Counseling Expert
Dr H is an expert at quickly discovering why people are stuck in their negative cycles and then identifying the best methods to help them break free. He has a strong background in neuroscience, health psychology, marriage therapy, sex and intimacy, meditation, and yoga.
The Neuroscience of Marriage
You will become better at whatever you practice. If you tend to argue, that will increase. If you often feel loved, that will increase. Therefore, part of my job is to help every couple consciously put their marriage in a positive state as much as possible…
Researchers have repeatedly found that happy relationships require a ratio of 5:1 positive to negative interactions. This means for every negative experience together, you need 5 positive ones to then feel good about your partner. My goal is to help you surpass this ratio so that you thrive as a couple.
Additionally, I want to teach you how to turn negative emotions into a positive connection. Brain scans of couples in love and disagreement shows us that these states are very similar neurologically. Therefore, discord in a relationship is actually an opportunity to connect if you know how to appropriately redirect that energy and emotion.
Frequently Asked Questions
I want every one of my clients to experience a peaceful and fulfilling life without the need for ongoing professional support. I want you to become independent, successful, and understand how to increase your own resiliency using scientifically proven techniques that correct the root cause of your issues. I have dedicated years of my training to learn and refine these skills so I can teach them to you.
Sometimes. I am currently only accepting Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plans, but Couples Retreats and other services I offer are not covered by insurance. Traditional shorter couples counseling sessions can sometimes be covered.
My general fee is $250 per half hour session. Couples Therapy Retreats are $1600 per day, and all retreats include free access to the online Couples Course. You can book 1, 2, or 3 days for your retreat.
Each day of the retreat is equal to at least 1 month of really good therapy. We are able to continuously work on your goals without stopping and starting which creates momentum and allows for deeper work with better outcomes. Many individuals and couples also find it difficult to attend weekly sessions, so the condensed format of a retreat allows for easier attendance.
All in-person Retreats are held at my office in St Johnsbury, Vermont. Due to state licensing laws, virtual retreats are currently available only if you are located in VT, MA, or FL during our meetings times.
Because Retreats are offered on a limited schedule there is a strict cancellation policy. A non-refundable deposit of 50% is due upon booking. You can transfer your deposit one time in specific cases. The final payment is due 1 week before your retreat and is non-refundable and non-transferable for any reason including inclement weather and family emergencies.
The full policy is available in the “Client Informed Consent” document.
Not at this time. I work with one couple at a time to maintain your privacy and allow me to focus on your specific needs.
