Emily Knutzen Therapy
Couples therapy to build skills for conflict, communication, and connection in Seattle
Expanding the conversation, demystifying conflict, connecting couples
When I meet couples for the first time, they often share that they feel confused and misunderstood in conflict, frustrated by an inability to create change, and unsure about how to move forward.
“We don’t know why we keep having the same fights.”
“Everyone we know is either divorced or miserable, how do we do something different?”
“We seem to understand what happens intellectually, but can’t figure out how to change it.”
“Afterwards, we end up not talking for a while and then things just go back to normal.”
They say things like…
I help couples slow down conversations, dig in to thoughts & feelings, understand their conflict patterns, and practice skills to deepen understanding and connect with themselves and their partners.
“Can we stay with this for a moment. Tell me more about what’s happening for each of you right now.”
“What do you notice about your body or your thought patterns that tells you conflict has started?”
“Let’s practice. What would be a helpful way to share this with each other during conflict?”
“It makes so much sense you’d react like that. Will you turn and share those feelings with your partner?”
