For two
Couples Therapy & Marriage Counseling in Charlotte, NC
Same argument, different Tuesday. Couples therapy is how you find the pattern underneath the fight, and change it, instead of getting better at having the fight.
Does this sound like your relationship?
- You keep having the same argument and it never resolves
- Conversations go tense, defensive or silent fast
- One or both of you feels unheard, unseen or unappreciated
- Emotional or physical intimacy has quietly faded
- You still love each other and feel further apart than ever
- Something happened, a betrayal, a loss, a baby, and you have not found your way back
Recognize several of these? That is usually reason enough to start a conversation. Request an appointment →
We specialize in Emotionally Focused Therapy
EFT is one of the most researched approaches in couples work. Roughly 70 to 75 percent of couples move from distress to recovery, and up to 90 percent report significant improvement.
The reason it works is that it does not stop at communication skills. Most couples already know they should use I-statements. EFT goes after the emotional cycle underneath, the pursue-and-withdraw loop, the protest that sounds like criticism, the shutdown that looks like indifference, and changes the pattern at its source.
Ashleigh Bryan holds both the Externship and Core Skills training in EFT. Kelly Roberson is Gottman Level 1 certified, and Angie Baquedano is a PREPARE/ENRICH facilitator, so we can match your couple to the method that fits.
What you and your partner will learn
- 01
See the cycle
Identify the specific sequence that takes you from fine to fighting, and the emotional triggers driving each step.
- 02
De-escalate
Interrupt the loop early, before it hits the point where nothing productive can happen.
- 03
Say the real thing
Express the need underneath the complaint, in a way your partner can actually hear.
- 04
Respond differently
Learn to turn toward each other during the moments you have historically turned away.
- 05
Rebuild safety
Repair after ruptures, and build the reliability that makes closeness possible again.
What we help couples with
- Recurring conflict and communication breakdown
- Emotional distance and disconnection
- Infidelity, betrayal and trust repair
- Intimacy and sexual disconnection
- The transition to parenthood and postpartum strain
- Parenting disagreements and the default-parent imbalance
- Financial conflict and differing values
- In-laws, blended families and stepparenting
- Career changes, relocation and life stage shifts
- Discernment when one partner is unsure about staying
What if my partner is reluctant?
That is extremely common, and it is not a reason to wait. Often one partner carries the initiative for the first few sessions. We create a space that is neutral by design, no one gets ganged up on, and no one is treated as the problem to be fixed.
If your partner will not come at all, individual therapy focused on relationship patterns is still genuinely useful. Relationships are systems; changing one part changes the whole.
What changes
What clients tend to notice
- Conflict that leads somewhere instead of nowhere
- The ability to say what you need without it escalating
- Trust and emotional safety, rebuilt deliberately
- Warmth and closeness that does not require a vacation
Who provides this
Ashleigh Bryan
MS, LMFT, PMH-C
Couples therapy and maternal mental health, grounded in 17+ years of practice.
Kelly Roberson
MA, LCMHCA (NC), LPC (SC), NCC
Couples work, adult ADHD, and the question of what you actually want your life to be.
Angie Baquedano
MA, LMFT
Bilingual family and couples therapy, terapia en español.
Couples Therapy: questions we are asked
How much does couples therapy cost in Charlotte?
Our self-pay rate is $170 per couples session, with a $185 initial intake. That is meaningfully below the $245 to $280 range common among Charlotte couples specialists. We are also in-network with BCBS PPO and Aetna, and offer discounted 3, 6 and 12-session packages.
How long does couples counseling take?
Every couple is different, but many begin to notice meaningful change within a few months of consistent weekly work. Couples arriving after a major rupture such as infidelity generally need longer.
Is Emotionally Focused Therapy evidence-based?
Yes. EFT is among the most rigorously researched couples therapy models available, with decades of outcome studies behind it.
Do both partners have to want this?
It helps, but it is common for one partner to feel unsure at first. We work with ambivalence directly rather than pretending it is not in the room.
We are engaged rather than struggling. Is this right for us?
Premarital counseling may be the better fit. It is structured, forward-looking work rather than repair, and we offer it with both PREPARE/ENRICH and SYMBIS assessments.
Do you offer couples therapy online?
Yes, for couples located in North Carolina or South Carolina. Virtual couples work is effective, and it removes the logistics problem of getting two schedules and a commute to line up.
Get started
Taking the first step is the hardest part.
Tell us a little about what is going on and we will match you with the right clinician, usually within a few days.
In-network with BCBS PPO & Aetna · Self-pay from $155 · Evenings until 8 PM