| “It is… possible to heal even badly wounded relationships. It takes commitment and willingness to look more closely at one’s own behavior and goals, as well as what the couple desires in a relationship. Not every relationship can be ‘saved,’ but most relationships can heal, and people can learn to respect, enjoy and honor each other.” – Arlene (Ari) Istar Lev, LCSW-R, CASAC - Website: http://choicesconsulting.com/) |
I enjoy very much working with people in relationships. My focus in couples and relationship counseling is on improving communication and problem-solving skills, understanding relationship patterns, and increasing empathy and emotional engagement towards one another, which, in turn, improves the sense of connection between partners. When working with relationships, I sometimes give exercises to practice at home between sessions.
The reason I call this work both couples and relationship counseling is that in addition to working with marital or otherwise committed partners, I can also work with people in other relationships (e.g., parent and child, siblings, or close friends). I work with both mixed-sex and same-sex couples, as well as relationships in which one or more partner is transgender.
Relationship issues I work with include (but are not limited to):
- Communication problems
- Recovering from affairs and infidelity
- Sexual issues
- Parenting issues
- Supportive therapy and consultation to family members of an individual who comes out about sexual orientation or gender identity
