Our relationships are such a core part of who we are. We as humans crave connection to those around us, and often find ourselves in romantic relationships that we center our lives around. You are likely reading this page because you know the value therapy can bring to your relationship. Maybe you are soon to be married... maybe you just want to have check-ins to work on conflicts as they arise. You may be reading this page because your relationship is at a make-or-break moment, and you see therapy as your last chance to make your relationship work. You may be reading this page because your relationship has ended, and you value the process of ending well. Whatever your reason is for reading this page, it's valid, and we can help.
We are passionate about working with couples at any stage of their relationship. Our work with couples is what inspired the practice name, “Communication and Connection Therapy.” Communication skills create a strong connection and are the foundation to a solid, happy relationship.
There is no official guidebook on family relationships, and it’s okay to not know all of the answers. Our therapists are trained to help with the stuck places that hold your family back from connecting in the way that your family needs.
Family conflict ranges from mild to severe and can challenge every family at some point. Common family problems include financial issues, grief, substance misuse, communication, mental health concerns, separation, divorce, or blended family adjustments, and chronic illness.
Conflict does not have to be severe to warrant therapy. By working with a therapist, individuals, families, or specific family members, can expect to learn to understand one another better, communicate more effectively, and work proactively to disrupt unhealthy patterns.
*C&C Therapists work primarily with adult family systems (all or most children in the family system have entered adulthood) and family members, as we are not child therapists. If you are in need of family therapy with young children, we are happy to offer recommendations to child therapists we trust.
Over 77% of people report experiencing physical and/or psychological symptoms of stress. In other words: If you’re feeling stressed, you’re not alone.
Signs of stress include: Low energy • Headaches • Body/Stomach pain • Sleep disturbances • Cold/Illness flare-ups • Self-sabotage behaviors • Mood swings • Forgetfulness • Low sex drive • Change in appetite • Rumination • Procrastination.
Unrelenting stress can lead to burnout. Burnout is more of a general “wearing out” feeling one gets when responding to stressors. Burnout can manifest as feelings of alienation, cynicism, ineffectiveness, and emotional exhaustion.
Although stress is inevitable, negative reactions to stress don't have to be. With research-backed stress-reduction techniques, addressing the underlying causes of stress, and adjusting boundaries, you can not only reduce your symptoms of stress, but become a lot better at being stressed!
You are powerful. If you don't believe this, let one of us prove it to you. All that you need to assert your independence and accomplish your goals is already inside of you.
Sometimes we lose sight of what makes us uniquely powerful. We instead feel unsure, doubt ourselves, and put others' opinions of us ahead of our own. You know you better than anyone else. You have already proven yourself a 100% success rate in getting through hard times. We want to help you find what motivates you, inspires you, and encourages you. We want that answer to be you.
In closing...
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” -Bernard M. Baruch
According to latest research, at least 1 in 59 Americans identify on the autism spectrum. As the qualifications for this diagnosis have expanded and are better understood, the stigma surrounding people who experience autism is still impacting their experience in the world today. In therapy, we have no interest in trying to “cure” autism. Frankly, we don’t believe that autism is a disease that needs to be “cured,” or a “problem” that needs to be solved.
What autism is. Autism is a developmental difference that affects social, communication, and cognitive development. Autism varies greatly and looks different from person to person but can be understood as differences in social, communicative, and cognitive development. A common way of understanding autism is through a spectrum.
What autism is not. Autism is not a mental illness, learning disability, or disease. While the exact cause of autism still remains unknown, there are myriad of theories revolving around what may prompt neurodiversity. The only scientifically upheld theory is the neurological theory; originally proposed by Bernard Rimland (Rimland, 1964) and confirmed later by Folstein & Rutter (1977). This theory posits that people with autism are born neurodiverse, not resulting from an external cause.
At C&C Therapy, we work with our clients to help increase insight to how autism impacts their daily life, better utilize their strengths, improve social and communication skills, and learn how to better advocate for their needs.
People often come to therapy wondering if what they have experienced is trauma. Trauma and symptoms of PTSD can occur in response to any event or circumstance that goes beyond one’s ability to cope. This can look different for different people. What constitutes as traumatic for one person may not be experienced as a trauma for someone else.
One common understanding of trauma is abuse. Abuse can be enacted by anyone in a position of power and can be emotional, psychological, physical, sexual, religious, and/or financial. Surviving abuse takes tremendous strength and beginning the work of healing takes a great deal of courage.
Single incident traumas can occur after events like a car accident, an isolated assault, medical surgery, a complicated birth experience, a betrayal, and so forth.
It is not uncommon however for someone to have experienced chronic traumatic experiences. This type of trauma also can stem from a variety of different experiences; such as a childhood in which neglect or abuse was repeatedly present, persistent bullying, domestic violence, cultural violence, or working in a dangerous job.
Although trauma can manifest in each person differently, common effects of trauma and abuse include Feelings of anxiety, sadness or panic • Hyperaware/hypervigilant of your surroundings • Feeling like you don't have a voice in your relationship • Low self-esteem • Indecisiveness • Startle easily • Feeling wound up and easily fatigued • Difficulty sleeping • Flashbacks • Dissociation • Difficulty concentrating • Feeling detached or estranged from others.
Anger is a very valuable emotion. It tells us when we, or someone we care about, is being treated poorly. It tells us what causes are worth fighting for. It even tells us when our bodies and minds are uncomfortable and pushed past their limits. Unfortunately, anger can also point us towards untrue assumptions, lead us to act in ways against our values, and cause us to overreact in ways that pushes people away.
Anger management is the process of learning to recognize signs that you are becoming angry and taking action to calm down and deal with the situation in a productive manner. Anger management does not try to keep you from feeling anger or encourage you to hold it in. Anger is a normal and healthy emotion when it is expressed appropriately. Our goal in anger management therapy is to help people find solutions to the destructive expressions of anger.
Opening up about chronic illness or pain is easier said than done. You may have learned to keep it to yourself because of repeated responses like these:
“My cousin has that too and she’s doing just fine.”
“It could always be worse, you could have...”
or
“Have you tried…?”
Although well intentioned, these responses lead to a hard truth: There is a part of your life that others will never understand. They try to, but you’re the only one who knows what it’s like to live in your body.
From Corey Petersen, LCMFT: I don’t know what it’s like to live in your body, but I know what it’s like to live in mine. In 2009 I was diagnosed with Lupus (LSE). I wish I had full control over everything Lupus throws at me, but I have learned how to do the most with the control I do have, and have created a life that I love. I’d like to help you do the same.
Depression can feel like the weight of the world bearing down on your body. It can feel like sadness, heart ache, grief, or pain. It can feel like nothing.
Depression is an experience that can look like a lot of things. It can look like a messy room, staying in instead of hanging out with friends, or a lack of motivation at work/school. It can last throughout the day, show up at night, and can change with the seasons. It can be a nuisance, a struggle, or enough of an intrusion to act as mediator between life or death. It can convince you to drop your responsibilities, seclude yourself, or even self-harm.
Anxiety can be a companion to depression, but can also be felt on its own. Anxiety tells us similar stories, and interrupts our relationships with others.
Depression and anxiety are experienced on a spectrum. They don’t show up the exact same way for any two people. We are here to help wherever you find yourself on those spectrums. We can offer hope, compassion, and guidance on your path to feeling whole.
