As an expert counselor who teaches couples and families how to strengthen and repair their relationships, I know I can help you! Changing how you feel is only a phone call away - I look forward to talking with you.
-Dr. Kathy Nickerson

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Q&A with Dr. Kathy

Question: My girlfriend and I have been together for 5 years now and we have had a long distance relationship. Just recently she brought up the idea of taking a break. She feels that these are the times of our lives that we need to make sure that she is the one for me and me for her. I strongly disagree. What should I do?

Read Dr. Kathy's Answer on AllExperts.com
Office Location - Irvine Spectrum

Kathy Nickerson, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist - PSY 20446
Marriage Counseling in Orange County
8001 Irvine Center Drive, Suite 400
Irvine, California, 92618
949.222.6688
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MARRIAGE COUNSELING - MY PHILOSOPHY AND APPROACH

Right now, I imagine you're in a lot of pain. I am sorry about that and I understand. Deciding to seek couples counseling can be intimidating. Maybe you're feeling overwhelmed and hopeless, finding yourself hoping that through couples therapy, your relationship will get better.

I am so glad you've found me because I believe that any relationship - no matter what state it's in - can be made better with marriage counseling.

Many people will tell you that marriage therapy or any type of relationship counseling will only work if both partners really want it. I don't think this is true. It only takes one person to make a change, to start things moving in a different direction, and make things so much better.

The simple truth is that I love love. I love people and I whole-heartedly believe that relationships give meaning to our lives. When you're in a great relationship, your world seems better, brighter, stronger. Having this kind of relationship is my wish for you.

If your marriage or relationship is on the rocks, hang in there. I can teach you how to get things back on track. If you're thinking about getting married and are interested in premarital counseling, great! I can help you master the secrets to having a strong and loving relationship for life.

I practice a special kind of couples counseling called emotionally focused couples therapy (EFT). EFT is wonderful for three primary reasons: (1) it is short term, most couples find their relationship is much better after 8-20 sessions, (2) it is positive and structured, where we focus on the strengths of each partner and understanding how couples get stuck in hurtful cycles, and (3) it really, works - research studies find that 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery and approximately 90% show significant improvements.

While our work together will be customized to fit your relationship, EFT is the framework I use to help the couples in my practice. I decided to use this approach after trying many others and finding that this technique yields the quickest, most long-lasting results. It's also far more effective than other types of couples therapy. If you're ready to talk further, please feel free to call me at 949.222.6688 to schedule your complimentary consultation.