Couples & Family Therapy
Evidence-based therapy for couple and families with doctoral-level relationship specialists. Move from conflict to connection through collaborative, trauma-informed treatment.
Introduction to Couple & Family Therapy
Healing Relationships, Rebuilding Connections
Relationships can be one of the most rewarding and challenging parts of life. When communication breaks down, conflict escalates, or patterns feel stuck, couple and family therapy can help. At Summit Psychotherapy Center, our doctoral-level clinicians specialize in treating disconnected and high-conflict relationships using evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches that support couples and families in taking the active steps to change relationships for the better. We work collaboratively with couples and families to understand what drives relationship challenges, interrupt destructive patterns, and rebuild empathy, connection, and collaboration. Whether you’re navigating everyday relationship stress or complex trauma-related dynamics, we’re here to support you in moving toward the relationship you want.
Our Specialized Approach
Evidence-Based Relationship Therapy
Our team is extensively trained in specialized couple and family therapy approaches designed to address even the most challenging relationship dynamics. We use:
Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Couples (DBT-C) – Active, skills-based approach that gives high-conflict couples the tools to interrupt escalation and foster connection and collaboration
Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Families (DBT-F) – Family-focused intervention for emotion regulation and communication
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) – Attachment-based couples therapy to rebuild and deepen emotional connection
Trauma-Informed Couple Therapy – Understanding and addressing how trauma impacts relationship dynamics
Structural Family Therapy – Understanding and changing family interaction patterns that are no longer working
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Couples – Values-based relationship work
Who Can Benefit?
Relationship Challenges We Address
Our specialized team works with couples and families experiencing:
High-conflict relationships and chronic escalated conflict
Communication breakdowns and misunderstandings
Patterns of emotional dysregulation in relationships
Trust issues and betrayal recovery
Emotional disconnection and intimacy challenges
Trauma’s impact on relationships
LGBTQIA+ relationship concerns
Perinatal and postpartum relationship stress
Life transitions affecting the relationship
Sex and physical intimacy concerns in relationships
Benefits of Couple & Family Therapy
Working with our specialized relationship experts provides:
Improved communication and conflict resolution skills
Tools to interrupt destructive patterns and rebuild connection
Understanding of what drives relationship challenges
Skills for emotional regulation during difficult conversations
Trauma-informed approaches that address underlying wounds
Collaborative problem-solving strategies
Strengthened emotional bonds and intimacy
Values-based work to build the relationship you want
What to Expect in Couple & Family Therapy
Your Relationship Therapy Journey
Initial Consultation (Free 15 Minutes)
We offer a complimentary phone consultation to discuss your relationship concerns and determine if our specialized approach is right for your needs.
Collaborative Assessment
The first few sessions focus on understanding each person’s perspective, mapping out relationship patterns, and identifying goals. We work to create a safe environment where everyone feels heard and respected.
Active Treatment Phase
Weekly 50-minute sessions where you’ll learn skills, process difficult emotions, interrupt destructive patterns, and practice new ways of communicating and connecting. Our approach is active and collaborative, with both in-session work and between-session practice.
Building Lasting Change
Couple and family therapy helps you develop new patterns that last beyond treatment. We continuously monitor progress and adjust our approach to ensure you’re moving toward your relationship goals and to help you learn how to maintain the relationship you want even after therapy ends.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a highly researched, evidence-based approach to couples and family therapy that focuses on strengthening emotional bonds and creating lasting, secure connection. Rooted in attachment science, EFT helps individuals and partners understand the emotional patterns that keep them stuck in cycles of conflict, distance, or disconnection.
At Summit Psychotherapy, our clinicians use EFT to help couples and families identify underlying emotional needs, increase emotional safety, and develop healthier ways of responding to one another. Rather than focusing only on surface-level arguments, EFT works to transform the deeper emotional dynamics that shape relationships. This approach supports meaningful, long-term change by helping clients build trust, repair emotional injuries, and experience greater closeness and resilience in their relationships.
Our Couple & Family Therapy Expertise
Specialized Training in High-Conflict Relationships
Our team includes the founding director of Stanford University’s DBT Couple and Family Program. Dr. Jasmine Dobbs-Marsh’s expertise in treating high-conflict relationship systems comes from her extensive clinical experience treating couples and families across outpatient, IOP, PHP, and residential levels of care. This expertise undergirds couple and family therapy at Summit Psychotherapy, where our clinicians specialize in helping families understand what drives relationship challenges and how to rebuild connection. Our clinicians have advanced training in trauma-informed couple and family therapy, ensuring we address not just surface-level conflict but the deeper wounds that impact relationships.
Ready to Transform Your Relationship?
Take the first step toward moving from conflict to connection. Our specialized team is here to help you understand relationship patterns, build new skills, and create the collaborative, loving relationship you desire