What is relationship therapy?
Couples therapy is available at Carolina Integrative Therapy to support clients through many of life's challenges. Couples often find themselves needing assistance communicating effectively prior to, during, or following some of life's greatest transitions. Our team primarily uses the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with couples.
Do you only work with married or monogamous couples?
No. Relationship therapy is open to people in many kinds of relationships and family structures. We welcome nontraditional relationships, including consensually non-monogamous, polyamorous, queer, trans, and chosen family systems.
Can we come to therapy even if we are not sure we want to stay together?
Yes. Relationship therapy does not require you to already know what the outcome should be. Some people come in wanting to repair and reconnect, while others want support navigating uncertainty, transition, or clearer decision-making.
Do you work with LGBTQIA+ relationships and families?
Yes. We welcome LGBTQIA+ clients and relationships and approach this work through an identity-affirming, trauma-centered lens. Our goal is to create a space where people do not have to explain or defend who they are in order to receive support.
What kinds of concerns can relationship therapy help with?
Relationship therapy can support concerns such as communication difficulties, recurring conflict, trust issues, intimacy challenges, life transitions, parenting stress, trauma impact, relationship structure changes, and feeling stuck in painful patterns.
Do you work with consensually non-monogamous or polyamorous relationships?
Yes. We affirm consensually non-monogamous, polyamorous, and other nontraditional relationship structures. Therapy is not based on the idea that one kind of relationship is more valid than another, but on helping people build clarity, consent, communication, and care within the relationships they are actually in.
Can relationship therapy help if trauma is affecting our relationship?
Yes. Trauma can shape communication, nervous system responses, intimacy, conflict, and trust in ways that are hard to untangle without support. Relationship therapy can help people understand those patterns with more compassion and build safer, more connected ways of relating.
Do all partners or family members need to attend every session?
Not always. Depending on the goals of therapy, some sessions may include everyone involved, while others may focus on part of the relationship system. Recommendations are made thoughtfully and collaboratively based on what will be most supportive.
What if one person is unsure about therapy?
That is very common. Not everyone starts in the same place, and uncertainty does not mean therapy cannot be helpful. A consultation can be a good place to ask questions and get a sense of whether this support feels like a fit.
How do we get started?
The first step is to reach out for a consultation. From there, we can learn more about what you are looking for, answer questions about fit and logistics, and help you decide whether relationship therapy feels like the right next step.