Marriage Counselor Reviews
Page Three
Different stories. Same breakthrough.
From silence to connection, from conflict to care—
these are the turning points that matter.
This is page 3 of 4 in our client praise series.
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We had discussed and were likely headed for divorce.
We had discussed and were likely headed for divorce. We never reconnected after my affair and never reset our shared lives together after the tumult of our early marriage years. We needed to reconnect, to identify shared dreams, to start trusting and treating each other differently.
We tried couples therapy. It was unsuccessful. To say the least.
I felt like Angela Voegele (hallowed be her name) listened to me, and in turn, she helped my partner listen to me. (And she helped me listen to my partner, too.)
Angela was wonderful and the intensive format really works. It’s expensive but much cheaper than (1) all the counseling I’ve previously consumed and (2) divorce.
This is early days. We have a lot of work ahead. But our retreat helped us stand back up, together, and to start walking forward again, together. And it gave us a blueprint for what that path might look like, without prescribing our destination. We both have hope. Shared hope. I didn’t realize how deeply I longed for that shared hope until our retreat helped us rediscover it.
We’re implementing the Gottman process, doing the work, and living in hope.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.? If you’re both serious about transforming your relationship, it can change your life.
We hesitated starting couples therapy because of the money and an unknown therapist. But Jenny is a superstar.
We hesitated starting couples therapy because of the money and an unknown therapist. We wanted to improve issues with intimacy, communicating, conflict resolution, and quality time. With other couples therapy in the past, we would get stuck often. We couldn’t seem to progress. It was always about putting out fires, never learning or growing.
Jenny Fang was intuitive, used different modalities, and pointed. She taught me so much. She would show me how to talk to my partner. We’ve mega shifted! It’s like we are starting new with helpful tools. Trauma is there but we are aware of it now. We’re making different choices. Jenny tapped in to deep parts of us that are problematic and keeping us wounded.
This deep work is what we needed to breakthrough.
What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc?
-We shifted out of being wounded 24/7 so we could start the real work
-Learned about our trauma and tendencies
-Tools to talk! Especially in conflict. Also, the secrets to making my husband feel loved.
Jenny is a superstar. She’s so smart and really gives a s—. She’s changed our lives and we are profoundly grateful.
It’s been the sweetest month I’ve ever had in our marriage.
I spent most of my marriage not knowing it could be as rich as this last month as been. I felt the “switch,” over this last month, and it’s felt like living in sunshine instead of shadows. My husband and I haven’t had a fight in months, even while navigating normally very tense waters including dealing with our families, and even buying a house! They’ve turned into discussions….
Dr. K, I’m not kidding, it’s been the sweetest month I’ve ever had in our marriage. I know that we’ll hit plenty of bumps ahead, but for the first time in a long time, it feels like my teammate, my partner, has shown up.
So this email is simply to say “thank you.” Thank you for giving us the tools, and the hope that things would change if we wanted them to. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for giving me my husband back, and for listening when we were at our rock bottom.”
Our marriage was very troubled. We had trouble communicating and resolving issues.
Our marriage was very troubled. We had trouble communicating and resolving issues.
We had tried couples therapy several times, and it was a waste of time and money. We were worried that this therapy would be as ineffective as that other therapy we tried. Jenny Fang was well researched, intuitive, and positive. She helped us focus on building a better future rather than arguing about the past. Now we are more appreciative of each other and able to engage in effective communication, I have a better understanding of where we each come from and how that affects how we, each, perceive the world. I also have a better appreciation of the goodness in my partner. For a couple in trouble this has been the best experience.
Our relationship had a strong foundation weakened by distance created by geography and alcohol.
A friend had a great experience with your [CTI] team and I was impressed (in theory and, more importantly, in practice) by the data-informed intensive format.
My husband looked at himself, me, our relationship, and his alcoholism with open eyes and heart. The exercises and tools have been great. I felt a lot of hope for the first time in a year.
I appreciated Dr. K’s directness and kindness rooted in starting our intensive with deep knowledge of me that felt spot-on based on the Big Big Book. I believe my husband felt the same, so it really clicked for us in real-time.
We now have an Ice-breaker/heart-opener within our relationship, professional understanding of how our histories and personalities could fit together more smoothly, and tools to guide how we work through our tough discussions.
There is still a lot of work to do, for sure, but now there’s a path to follow, our path. I experience new revelations and reflections daily, about myself, my husband, my kids, and what I do or don’t want in my life. I am looking myself squarely in the eye.
Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes, already have.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Trust the process and believe that a skilled therapist equipped with an honest and full Big Big Book can help make a huge difference in a surprisingly short time.
Many thanks.
We had an instant connection with Evelyn
Our intensive weekend with Dr. Evelyn De Villiers was wonderful.
We had an instant connection with Evelyn and she was extremely easy to speak to and open up to.
Dr. De Villiers offered us many, manageable intervention techniques and helped us uncover a lot of triggers and feelings. She reviewed the BIG BIG Book with us so that we would know where to go, in the book, based on what was going on in our relationship.
I know I left the weekend with a renewed sense of hope for my marriage and I feel like she gave us real life, useful ways to handle conflict.
Dr. De Villiers is one of the best therapists that I have been to. She is so personable and relatable and knowledgeable. She truly believes in helping others and that came across from the second we met her.
I cannot say enough positive things about Dr. De Villiers.
We are getting a divorce, but I wanted to understand how we got there and figure out how to move forward.
I feel like it’s not all my fault that our relationship failed, now. I’m dealing with my childhood issues. We also have points of reference from our weekend that help us communicate better for sake of kids.
We communicate better now. I am working on my stuff.
I liked her toughness, depth of knowledge and challenges to us. I liked her working with us even though we were not both on the same page.
Would you recommend Couples Therapy Inc.?
Yes, it helps to get away and focus on your stuff. I learned a lot about us.
Dr. K, I’m glad we worked with you. It was inspiring and comforting to know what good help is available if you don’t wait too long to seek it out.
We are getting a divorce, but I wanted to understand how we got there and figure out how to move forward.
I feel like it’s not all my fault that our relationship failed, now. I’m dealing with my childhood issues. We also have points of reference from our weekend that help us communicate better for sake of kids.
We communicate better now. I am working on my stuff.
I liked her toughness, depth of knowledge and challenges to us. I liked her working with us even though we were not both on the same page.
Would you recommend Couples Therapy Inc.?
Yes, it helps to get away and focus on your stuff. I learned a lot about us.
Dr. K, I’m glad we worked with you. It was inspiring and comforting to know what good help is available if you don’t wait too long to seek it out.
We struggled with avoidance and communication. I felt very shamed by a previous therapist.
Scott Wolfe provided a lot of concentrated therapy in a short time; practical application of Gottman tools, better understanding on negotiable issues/non-negotiables. It was much better than spreading it out in a one-hour session.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Disconnect from everyday life and focus on the intensive.
I had filed for divorce.
Our core issues were my husband’s outbursts of anger, different beliefs in parenting style and a profound inability to communicate effectively with both feeling that the other wasn’t listening. My husband’s personality traits are exactly those of someone with a borderline personality disorder. He has never been in therapy, often distorts reality and typically considers suggestions as criticism.
It was very apparent that Angela Voegele did her homework and was prepared for our completely opposite personalities. Angela’s calm, patient demeanor was especially effective in dealing with my husband’s unpredictable mood changes and outbursts of anger. Angela was not deterred when he stormed out during the first two-hour session and was able to communicate with him.
We now know what triggers to avoid conflict and are making changes in our living arrangement that were a major factor in the breakdown of the marriage. We will each seek individual therapy and will continue marriage therapy.
Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc?
Absolutely yes.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Having our personality profiles explained to us was very helpful, but I believe for someone like my husband it would have been more helpful to explain to him that based on his profile he might have Borderline Personality Disorder and should seek therapy. He did tell Angela that he has an appointment to see a therapist but he has been saying that for years. Basically, a complete diagnosis for people with personality disorders would be more helpful.
Note:
Diagnosing personality disorders effectively would add significantly to our diagnostic process for couples that is already one of the most extensive in our profession. It’s also a specialty to work one-on-one with individuals with a personality disorder, and usually involves both individual psychotherapy and group psychotherapy. I’m delighted to hear that Angela was able to work effectively with the affect dysregulation your husband displayed. Dysregulation, in one or both partners, is a common feature of a troubled marriage. So glad to hear you got the help you deserved. – Dr. K
We were recovering from an affair and struggling with trust and sexual intimacy.
We went to a therapist for a few months and were able to improve in some areas. However, after the Couples Therapy Weekend, it is clear that that therapist we had been seeing was not a couples therapist and we knew that we needed to identify someone else. Kathy was great-very professional and knowledgable. The CTI website provided information that seemed like it would be a good experience and it was.
Kathy was able to get a lot of issues presented and discussed that had never been discussed. I think my spouse and I will be better able to discuss other issues moving forward. She was very direct, which was very much needed and appreciated. She was also very insightful.
I would recommend her highly.
My partner has realized the depth of pain she has caused me by being involved in an affair. My spouse and I can now speak more openly. I am stronger emotionally and have the courage to end the marriage now if necessary.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Do it!
There were some basic areas of communication and disconnect between us.
There were some basic areas of communication and disconnect between us. Listening to each other, hearing each other, understanding each other and most of all accepting, appreciating and respecting our differences. And for me, plain and simple areas of care, compassion, affection, closeness and intimacy. There were areas of anger, pain, hurt and significant disconnect for both of us.
We considered couples therapy before and actually talked with one therapist talking through his approach and decided not to do that process. We did attend the Gottman Art and Science of Love weekend. The weekend gave a good overview of the research and Gottman approach which then led us to do the couple’s retreat with Angela.
Angela was personable, professional, direct, open, supportive and gave specific information and examples.
Within the sessions, I was able to express my questions, areas of need and Angela Voegele was great about listening, asking clarifying questions and giving direct responses, helpful information and she shared video examples and other resources.
We made good progress and need more help and support. We are in the midst of major transition and are just now about to purchase a new home, yet it has major challenges attached and throws us into significant financial continued stress. I am concerned. We know we have the ability to communicate. We have the information to do more. We are committed to each other and love each other. We need more opportunities to learn and grow. I hope we can create ways to live up to our “decisions and commitments” made in our sessions. WE have a long way to go. Thanks for what Angela has done to support us…and all she does and thanks to the Gottman Institute for what you are doing.
The scientific and intensive approach to therapy made us chose this program.
Therapy in general made me nervous. Just the fear of the unknown.
Nancy Garcia-Ruffin was extremely prepared and very open, warm, and understanding. She made us feel like what we were going through wasn’t out of the ordinary and could be fixed if we put the work in. She is amazing at her job.
I couldn’t have asked for a better therapist. Nancy really cares and is so focused on helping. Therapy is scary at first because you never know what will come out or the outcome. She made us feel very safe and she really really helped us.
The intensive weekend allowed us to focus on our relationship without the kids. Therapy was a safe place where we got to understand how our past traumas have affected our relationship. Better communication tools which allow us to become closer and resolve conflicts.
We have been able to start over in our relationship and we have a better understanding of our issues.
It is worth every penny.
We felt extremely fortunate to have Havi work with us.
We are very happy to have chosen her in our journey. She was caring, listened to our needs, and provided gentle nudges in our thinking/interactions in an appropriate manner.
Before I called Couples Therapy Inc. the relationship was over for me.
The issues to be resolved were my partners lies, lack of accountability, and a few others. I was done with the relationship, although I cared for him, and so I thought doing the therapy would be a waste of time and money.
The change was actually dramatic. I opened up and am allowing him to prove himself to me, which was his goal for the therapy. My partner and I now have some useful tools for connecting; I remembered my love for him again.
I loved the warm environment. I really liked that Angela soaked up and was involved in our discussions. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like or liked least, except I didn’t want it to end because I learned so much. Angela was great! I would only want to see her again. It was like she’s known us for years.
I already have recommended Couples Therapy Inc. to others because it’s not just talk or a tagline. The intensive therapy gets into that which you wouldn’t for months, if at all, with traditional 1-hr long therapy.
We’re looking forward to a beautiful future together.
Thank you for offering this type of intensive support to couples like us. I learned more about myself and my partnership in our three days together than I learned in three years with another therapist!
Before I called Couples Therapy Inc. the relationship was over for me.
Before I called Couples Therapy Inc. the relationship was over for me. The issues to be resolved were my partners lies, lack of accountability, and a few others. I was done with the relationship, although I cared for him, and so I thought doing the therapy would be a waste of time and money.
The change was actually dramatic. I opened up and am allowing him to prove himself to me, which was his goal for the therapy. My partner and I now have some useful tools for connecting; I remembered my love for him again.
I loved the warm environment. I really liked that Angela Voegele soaked up and was involved in our discussions. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like or liked least, except I didn’t want it to end because I learned so much. Angela was great! I would only want to see her again. It was like she’s known us for years.
I already have recommended Couples Therapy Inc. to others because it’s not just talk or a tagline. The intensive therapy gets into that which you wouldn’t for months, if at all, with traditional 1-hr long therapy.
We learned to focus on improving the future.
We had tried other couples therapy many years ago for several sessions but did not have any success. In contrast, I would recommend Marisa Mundey and CTI because I feel she helped put us on the right track. We were troubled and needed to improve communication, trust, and boundaries and we learned better ways to communicate, we learned to focus on improving the future more than worrying about the past, and we now have hope for our future.
Marisa is wonderful and is able to make everyone feel comfortable and listened to.
Now we have better communication and a better understanding of each other’s feelings. The things I liked the most is that Marisa had a genuine interest in our lives and that she did not rush us and made sure we were satisfied before ending any sessions
We were struggling to hear each other.
I did research and wanted an intensive but not group but was concerned if my husband would be able to communicate. Diane Foy was patient, supportive and still directive which helped us be successful.
Now there is more understanding, connection, communication and resolution of ongoing conflict. We have a way to address any conflict/focusing on positive/seeing my partner’s intention.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
If you are willing to be real and honest, it will we be life changing!
Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes!!! If you are ready to do work, it is the perfect model to do it!
Thank you to Diane for matching with each of us in a way we needed to be open and honest with each other!
Mi relación antes de empezar con la terapia no era buena. (Spanish version)
¿Cómo describirías tu relación antes de contactar a Couples Therapy Inc.? ¿Cuáles fueron los problemas centrales que quería mejorar?
Mi relación antes de empezar con la terapia no era buena
Había un gran problema de confianza y eso era lo que queríamos mejorar
¿Qué te hizo elegir Couples Therapy Inc.?
Mi esposa me comentó sobre la terapia de parejas y acepté porque quería conservar mi matrimonio
¿Qué dudas tuvo sobre comenzar la terapia de pareja con nosotros?
Al principio no estaba seguro si podría ayudar la terapia porque en mi país no hay cultura de hacer terapia para la pareja
¿Quién fue su terapeuta de parejas aquí en Couples Therapy Inc.?
Dr Heide Rodríguez Ubiñas
¿Qué habilidades y habilidades específicas te gustaron más o menos sobre trabajar con este terapeuta? ¿Cómo fue trabajar con ellos?
Trabajar con la doctora nos ayudo mucho ella es muy profesional y tiene un gran conocimiento, nos dio muchas herramientas para aplicarlas en nuestra relación como , conocer el lenguaje de amor de la pareja y hablar su idioma
¿Recomendaría a su terapeuta de parejas y Couples Therapy Inc.? Si es así, ¿por qué? ¿Si no, porque no?
Si recomiendo esta terapia de pareja porque de verdad sus doctores están bien preparados y serán de gran ayuda si la pareja de verdad quiere conservar su matrimonio
¿Qué tres beneficios resultaron de trabajar con Couples therapy Inc.?
La confianza , comunicación, respeto
¿Qué le dirías a las parejas que están considerando trabajar con Couples Therapy Inc.?
Si de verdad quieren y están interesados en que funcione su relación de pareja , no tengan miedo abrir su corazón y mente y estén abiertos a aprender y ponner en práctica todo lo que aprendan
¿Algo más que quieras agregar?
Escuchen a su pareja
My relationship before starting therapy was not good. (English Version)
My relationship before starting therapy was not good.
There was a major trust issue, and that was what we wanted to work on.
What made you choose Couples Therapy Inc.? My wife told me about couples therapy, and I agreed because I wanted to save our marriage.
What doubts did you have about starting couples therapy with us? At first, I wasn’t sure if therapy could help, because in my country there’s not really a culture of doing couples therapy.
Who was your couples therapist at Couples Therapy Inc.? Dr. Heide Rodríguez Ubiñas
Working with the doctor helped us a lot. She is very professional and knowledgeable.
She gave us many tools we could apply to our relationship—like learning each other’s love language and how to speak it.
Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not? Yes, I recommend this couples therapy because the therapists are truly well-trained and will be a great help—if the couple truly wants to preserve their marriage.
We learned trust, communication, and respect.
What would you say to couples considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
If you truly want your relationship to work, don’t be afraid to open your heart and mind. Be open to learning and putting everything you learn into practice.
Anything else you’d like to add? Listen to your partner.
Our relationship was in distress.
We were not connected, not relating well, and not having sex.
Had you considered or tried couples therapy before? If so, how successful or unsuccessful was it?
We tried couples therapy for a couple sessions before, and also did a Gottman relationship workshop.
What made you choose Couples Therapy Inc.?
We needed intensive counseling and had met with Angela before (she led the Gottman workshop) and heard about this. I liked that there was a detailed assessment prior to the workshop, so that we could think about and communicate to the therapist complex issues and feelings so she would know something about our problems ahead of time.
What changes resulted in your marriage/relationship resulted from your work with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Nothing. We are back to where we started from. It’s so frustrating and disappointing. We are not having sex. My husband is still checked out/withdrawn, and I am still frustrated. We went to see Angela twice after the intensive, but she was very passive and we gained nothing from the sessions.
Who was your couples therapist here at Couples Therapy Inc.?
Angela Voegele.
What specific qualities did you like most and least about working with this therapist?
I liked that she was pleasant and unbiased. I did not like that she was very passive and did not help us to work through our major issues. With all of her certifications (Gottman, Couples therapy, sex therapist, etc), I had high hopes that she would be skilled in helping us to address complex issues and help us to shift our dynamic. She gave no clear guidance, no homework for us to work on, and we are STILL stuck in the same patterns as before.
Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?
No. Why? Because, we have not seen results.
What three benefits resulted from working with Couples therapy Inc.?
none.
Anything else you’d like to add?
We spent literally days writing our assessments before the intensive. I cannot understand why you would not provide a copy of this to each of us so that we could continue to reference it as a road map for our ongoing growth. This should be provided to each couple. We took a LOT of time to write down our issues and goals, and should be able to reference them easily again.
From Dr. K
I’m sorry that you didn’t get help from this retreat and the two additional sessions you had with Angela. It’s heartbreaking that these problems remain between you, but clinically not surprising. Sexual issues, especially low desire issues, are complicated, difficult and retractable. One weekend and 2 sessions would be very quick change, and you may consider working with a clinician over a longer period of time.
For those reading this, I want to emphasize again that the scores and analysis of the BIG BIG Book are for the clinician’s use and are not intended to be given to clients. The results are to be interpreted in the context of all the other information obtained about the couple during the assessment process including joint and individual interviews and clinical observations. The results of the questionnaires do not stand alone, nor will they ever be an ongoing roadmap for growth. A second reason it isn’t handed out to clients is that each partner is encouraged to answer questions openly and honestly, free of concern about what their partner may think about their answers.
Angela discussed the results of the entire assessment with both of you and suggested a treatment plan for improving and strengthening your relationship based on all the assessment information you provided. These assessments require sensitivity as well as clinical wisdom to use them to provide a helpful therapeutic roadmap. We outline this fact clearly at the start of every BIG BIG Book. Please reach back out to Angela if you’d like clarity regarding those areas of growth for both of you.
I’d say that I know it is expensive, but if you are open to working on your marriage, then this seems like an effective tool.
I was at a point where I was debating on leaving the marriage, due to anger issues & no communication. Looking back, I’d say previous couples therapy was unsuccessful long term or short term. Possibly, just a temporary relief/fix.
I heard about CTI’s reputation from a magazine article sent out to help couples with marital stress. The cost was my only hesitation.
I am finally hopeful for a possible turn around from the fear I had.
Scott Wolfe was patient. He kept to the task at hand. He was focused, compassionate, hopeful and had faith in the method you use. It provided a way to look at the marriage & relate in a way no other therapist we have previously seen did. I am no longer afraid of my partner. I went from hopeless, to hopeful. I look forward to the continued growth we learned from the therapist.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
I’d say that I know it is expensive, but if you are open to working on your marriage, then this seems like an effective tool.
Our relationship was rough. We had no idea how to communicate.
I was concerned that it was going to be a lot to take in within 2 days.
Dr. Kathy McMahon knew her stuff. Anything we threw at her she had already dealt with and knew how to approach it. It’s only been a few days since we went but there have already been a few positive changes. When we don’t agree on something we can talk it out like adults.
It was expensive but well worth the happiness it brings both of you.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Just do it. It’s so worth it. It’s like a breath of fresh air not having to walk on eggshells.
We have tried couples therapy before and it helped in improving our relationship to a certain extent. But it was heading nowhere.
We have tried couples therapy before and it helped in improving our relationship to a certain extent. But it was heading nowhere. I was not sure how to continue with the relationship, I had no direction. I could not bring myself to be intimate with my partner.
Results? Angela Voegele had some good methods & tools that helped us to understand and communicate with each other better. She was also good at identifying the underlying issue in the preliminary session itself. I came aware of some deep-rooted issues/disappointments that I wasn’t aware of before the therapy. Understanding those issues made a lot of difference in improving our relationship.
1. I could see what the core issues were for me.
2. I no longer feel angry with my partner.
3. I see the potential for my relationship with my partner to improve.
Would you recommend? Yes, I would recommend it to couples who are at stumble block with their direction in their relationship. Those who don’t know why they want to stay or leave the relationship.
However, unlike my other therapist, Angela did not pay much attention to how uncomfortable we were during the sessions. It is very important that certain ambiance is created for a 2-day continuous therapy session. Comfortable seating is very important as I was uncomfortable with the furniture and as a result, I was getting agitated at certain points. The room, though was a small space could have been decorated to ease the mood of the participants. It was very bare and wasn’t very inviting for therapy.
NOTE FROM ANGELA: “The continued comfort of my clients is extremely important to me. Couples Therapy Inc. and I invite comments like these and encourage all of our clients to speak up immediately in session whenever they are unsettled, so we can enhance their comfort. Heating and cooling needs vary from client to client. However, I’ve made changes to my office seating (replacing the Italian leather loveseat with a full-sized sofa) in response to this comment, and I invite this client to contact me to allow me to make amends for any physical discomfort he/she endured during their time with me…”
We were in a 25+year marriage with no real communication.
We were in a 25+year marriage with no real communication. After years of multiple stressors, one partner felt ending the marriage would be best. We were confronted with loving the other person, but not feeling “in love.” There was a lot of emotional isolation and distancing. One partner’s work had become more important than the marriage.
We were hesitant about revealing personal, very personal truths to a stranger. We were both anxious about hearing the status of our marriage from a professional.
Dr. K is personable, funny, and impartial. We never felt like she was taking anyone’s side. She is highly intelligent and insightful. After the first few moments of speaking with her, we both felt very comfortable.
We heard new “truths” about each other. We began to understand how our childhood experiences played a key role in our roles of husband and wife. We let ourselves finally be vulnerable. Instead of pursuing a legal separation, we are now committed to working on building our marriage into something fun and amazing.
Dr. K is passionate about her work and her enthusiasm is infectious. It is an amazing experience to feel such desire to not simply “save” what you had but to make it rich with love and respect.
We both felt our “stories” were validated. Our childhood experiences are relevant and with Dr. K’s help, we were able to see each other in a new light. For the first time in our 26 years of marriage, we are putting ourselves first.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
It is a leap. Forget all the worry and the questions and just do it. You will not have any regrets. It will be the best money you’ve ever spent.
We were in a place after 20 years of marriage where we weren’t understanding one another and were considering divorce.
We had done therapy one other point in our marriage, and had a good experience but never with Couples Therapy Inc.
We chose Couples Therapy because of Doug Burford’s years of experience and because he is Christian based. We were hesitant due to a fear of judgment and getting someone who didn’t get our issues.
Doug helped us to find ways to understand one another, and to know that we were both trying to accomplish the same things but with different approaches. We learned to be on the same team.
Doug was understanding, non-judgmental and related everything we did back to a biblical basis, which was so beneficial for us. The videoed fight was eye-opening and good to see. It made our issues easier to see.
I would recommend Doug and actually have already to a few close friends and family. I would trust him to get to the root of their issues and give solid tools to use to better their marriage
Now we have a different approach to arguments. More of a discussion to understanding rather than a fight. Work in progress and implementation of tools given. More understanding of one another than we have had in years.
We will forever be grateful to Doug. He gave our marriage a second chance
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Don’t give up on your spouse. Put in the work. It’s worth it
I wished to restore my trust in my partner and our relationship and also improve our communication skills.
I believed communication or lack thereof was the core issue in our broken relationship.
We have not had couples therapy before and I have to share that it was absolutely amazing and eye opening on how helpful and useful therapy can be. I would whole heartedly recommend therapy, specifically with CTI, to any couple that is struggling or even not struggling
I did not have any hesitations. I was however slightly skeptical of the effectiveness of therapy that is based on scientific evidence conducted in a controlled environment. I realized after therapy that my skepticism was unfounded.
Our communication is like night and day and that is very refreshing. I do not shy away from complaints and from expressing my emotions and thoughts. My partner is more comfortable talking to me without fear of stonewalling her. We seem to be getting connected again to a different level than before. Our sexual life appears to be a lot more healthier as well.
The Big Big Book stood out to me as, although long, it in itself provided valuable therapy. I was surprisingly very comfortable opening up about my relationship issues and my personal issues with my therapist. Also Dr. Kathy McMahon’s use of the Gottman principles was on point.
I would recommend CTI with no reservations, simply because I witness first hand the positive results. I can attest personally to how it help us in the darkest hour of our relationship. I believe any couple would benefit from therapy in general, but our therapist at CTI was nothing short of a true expert and a skilled therapist. I cannot thank you enough!
We got:
1-Great tools to repair our relationship and regain trust in a shorter amount of time.
2- Better communication skills for the future of our relationship.
3- A reminder of our fondness and admiration for each other. And I’ll add a 4- more sex ;-).
I you are seriously committed to saving or repairing or improving your relationship then I would not look further then using Couples Therapy Inc. Even though it was our first couples’ therapy, we did our research and interviews, and CTI was our first choice without hesitation.
I will be forever grateful to Dr. McMahon for her time with us. It was truly a blessing to have had that opportunity. I also would like to thank the Client Services Manager, Olivia Meissner, for her professionalism and her help throughout the process. Finally, even though the Big Big Book could be stressful or seemingly long at times, I found myself feeling excited and looking forward to getting back to it after each time I took a break.
Things were tense.
We were dealing with some concerns related to trust/betrayal and maybe some built up resentment or other issues.
This was our first time doing couples therapy.
Couples Therapy Inc. had many options for different therapists. Each of them had their background listed out in a way that made me feel confident and comfortable working with any of them. Our hesitation was the cost, especially for just one weekend, which, for us, ended up being virtual.
Dr. Heide Ubinas Rodriguez had the ability to help us see things from the other person’s POV. She also remained neutral while doing so. We are able to communicate better even if we have to tell the other person that we don’t like something they did. It feels more like we’re teammates now.
I have a better understanding of my partner’s personality and how that ties to her past/background and better communication skills e.g., phrasing things in a more helpful way than they might first develop in my head.
I’m also remembering that a relationship needs work and deserves for me to put in the necessary work for it to thrive.
What would you say to couples considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
It would certainly bring perspectives that will be beneficial to you as a couple, but also as individuals.
The pain that brought you here?
It doesn’t get the last word.
We were planning for a divorce.
Past weekly sessions of couples therapy improved our communication but not much more.
Angela Voegele was very positive, very prepared, very professional.
It was a positive experience. The entire experience was geared toward making us (the couple) get along. The concept of considering that we may not be happy together was avoided repeatedly.
We gained the ability to talk more calmly and worked through several resentments.
We were distant. We wanted to reestablish emotional intimacy.
I thought Dr. Patricia Gorman was great. She was warm and sympathetic to both of us and it was easy to trust her. Her advice made sense to us. We learned some concrete techniques for talking to each other and our relationship feels reinvigorated.
We were able to open up to each other and talk about some old problems. We were able to get in better touch with our love for each other. I feel reassured about our relationship and optimistic about the future. It was a really good experience for us. We liked the fact that it was intensive.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Try it. But it’s important to be willing to take the process seriously. We were both really interested in doing this weekend and I think that helped us.
We had poor communication and high-stress levels.
I was hesitant about spending a substantial amount of money with no results. However, our relationship was almost over. We had poor communication and high-stress levels. This was more of a scientific approach. Dr. K was very neutral and explained things very well.
It’s only been a week but our relationship has definitely improved. We have better communication and understanding each other better and the stress level between us has also decreased. I had no hope before going to see Kathy. Now I know we’ve got a chance to mend our relationship.
I would definitely recommend Couples Therapy Inc.
I honestly thought a divorce was a better option
Not communicating with each other, fighting over little things, resenting one another, making up but not resolving our feelings so things quickly turned negative again and another fight and retreating to ourselves ensued. I honestly thought a divorce was a better option/alternative than to living as unhappy as I was. And we were fearful that our problems were too big to even begin to resolve in a weekend couple’s therapy retreat.
We have participated in weekly couples counseling before 3 different times over the past 23 yrs. It was good at times, but we defaulted back to our old ways of behaving.
Over this weekend we learned to be honest, open, patient, and supportive communication. We both have issues that we need work on individually and we discussed them openly and honestly with each other. We also learned techniques to better communicators with each other. We are enjoying spending time together again and it is so rewarding.
Angela Voegele is an excellent therapist. She listened and was able to see through to what our real issues were. She was nonjudgmental. She confronted us when we defaulted to the four horsemen behavior, she made us accountable to each other for what we did well and what we did to make our communication unhealthy and non-productive. She related well to us and we felt comfortable sharing with her in a non-threatening way. She had our best interest at heart and was genuine in her advice, sharing of personal information and our goal setting for our future. My only regret was that we didn’t have more time with Angela.
Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes. Angela and Couples Therapy Inc. was a true gift to us and our relationship and I would recommend her to anyone who is experiencing marital discord, uncertainty about divorce, and or to just jump-start a long-term marriage.
I have learned to be a more effective listener, to be vulnerable about my shortcomings and to own them as being part of who I am, and that it is empowering to be a more accepting and forgiving communicator with my husband.
We met with Angela and it was a life-changing experience that I am so grateful we participated in it. It has given us and our marriage a second chance. I am hopeful for the first time in a long time and I am in love with my husband again and it feels wonderful. Thank you.
Havi put together my life into an understanding in which two decades worth of therapy was unable to do.
She was beyond my expectations. Havi Kligfeld put together my life into an understanding in which two decades worth of therapy was unable to do. It allowed me to recognize the reason for my behavior and the change needed. Together, with the extensive kindness, compassion and support we had an incredible couples intensive which put us on the track for success!
We were in dire straits.
I wanted the verbal abuse to cease and I was concerned that my husband would not respect the therapist. We had been to couples therapy before, and it was not successful in teaching us tools that we could use. I liked the fact that Dr. K was not afraid to take on our strong personalities even when it was uncomfortable.
What changes resulted?
Renewed hope
Would you recommend Couples Therapy Inc?
Yes, a million times.
We have a:
We are both hopeful and we have a plan.
We were married for 40 years.
We were married for 40 years. We were dealing with the effects of a multi-year on and off affair, and while we had begun to break open to positive territory, we felt it was really important to frame up the opening we had created between us – to consolidate and further the gains we had begun to make in the way we were relating.
After searching online and reviewing several options, we came across Scott Wolfe’s website. We were impressed by Scott Wolfe and the things he said there, including what he said about the intensives, which led us to Couples Therapy’s website.
And we were impressed by what we saw there as well – so we booked.
One thing – perhaps peculiar to us: Scott had practiced here in Columbia MD for many years. Columbia is a unique community and we knew that there was an excellent chance that a therapist that had practiced here successfully would have a background of values that was a match for us.
We were prepared to go to Nevada, but he had a free weekend coming up almost immediately planned for Columbia, so we grabbed it fast.
We were not sure what to expect. Frankly, both of us have had less than stellar experiences with various individual therapists in the past. And we have both done extensive personal development work for 40 years. So while there were natural nerves, we knew we could handle anything that came up, and had already begun to deal with some of what we expected were the most difficult things to say to (and hear from) one another.
We were well on the way, but I think the weekend really solidified things for us. We are on a really good trajectory, enjoying being together…freer with one another than I think we’ve been in over 30 years. We had already begun to get to ownership of the whole ‘mess’.
This is a complicated thing to describe without it sounding like jargon – but in my case, I had already seen that my own actions of many years (35!) ago – seemingly harmless to me at the time – had set in motion an entire way of our being together. And in that sense, I could own…be fully responsible for… the fact that my wife had had an affair (and I HAD been feeling wronged, etc.).
This is not to justify anything she did or I did (in fact – wrong domain… no freedom there, just righteous anger and justification). But it began to let the air out of the balloon, to dissipate the ‘charge’ for me, which allowed it to do the same for her.. all the hurts, etc.
Scott was an invaluable guide, witness, coach etc as we continued to pull the threads. I also think it is important to say that we did NOT have a horrible relationship for most of our marriage. Far from it. We successfully raised a daughter and had many good times. But guess what – it was all on top of a seemingly small betrayal of 35 years ago that rather than effectively dealing with at the time, we ‘managed’ around, which set the inevitable in motion. That got completed at the weekend.
Scott was fabulously safe and non-judgmental. It was clear that he has heard it all and could listen to anything. He was clearly FOR us as US and as individuals.
We’re now paying attention – remembering ‘turning toward’. Checking in with one another. We have an open future now. We had a predictable (and not a GOOD predictable) future before.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Go ahead, be bold, do the homework (prep) fully and do the work. LISTEN
We are glad we found you. And for myself – I am glad we found and chose you and Scott.
Before we reached out our relationship was contentious and bordering on a separation.
We had tried couples therapy before but it was somewhat unsuccessful, I don’t think we ever found a good match of a therapist.
We chose Couples Therapy Inc. because of the online reviews and the ability to concentrate significant work into a short period of time.
Angela Voegele was extremely prepared and stuck to her program without idle chatter. There really isn’t anything negative to say other then it’s a long day. It was overall very intense but rewarding. We already seem to be communicating better, and surely have a deeper understanding of techniques to help us grow more together.
We have a better understanding of trust, openness, and honesty in our relationship. Our intimacy has returned. The dark cloud over our marriage seems to be clearing.
Angela knows her profession extremely well, and the intensive design of the program really gets to the core of whatever issues you may be experiencing in a timely, efficient manner.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
JUST DO IT!
We were; unhappy, teetering, with a poor ability to connect and manage conflict.
Havi Kligfeld was confident, she had a plan, and was evidence-based. We improved conflict management, improved kindness, and improved understanding.
We took an 180-degree turn. We developed a new shared story, techniques to manage conflict with extended “speaker-listener” techniques, and my husband learned to “see my pain” and to renew his supportive role in my life. A few happened in therapy, but the time we spent together AROUND the therapy was where we had the most amazing breakthroughs. So therapy was a catalyst for us to rediscover our ability to heal. We were on the wrong road and this weekend put us on the right road.
It was a miracle. Benefits are continuing. We were both highly motivated and had been together for our whole lives and agreed on many many things so that may have made it easier for us, but we were truly stuck. Thank you!
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
DO IT. Worth it. Intake is great to be very clear about what is going to happen, it reduces fear.
We were in trouble.
We weren’t communicating that effectively. We both needed to reflect on our method of dealing with difficult topics, understand how our partner responds to our style and learn tools to get the most effective means of dialogue going. We were concerned that the therapist would take sides or use theoretical concepts that wouldn’t work in practice. Instead, we learned a lot more about each other, how to communicate more effectively, and tools to avoid slipping into old destructive habits. What we left with:
(1) Understanding your partner’s response to stress – tough topics
(2) Understanding how to communicate effectively given these long-held response mechanisms, and
(3) Leaving with a feeling of optimism for our future IF we continue the hard work done over the intensive weekend.
I liked all aspects of Dr. Gorman’s approach to us individually and as a couple. Her sense of humor and balanced approach in listening and guiding were exactly what we needed. She is a gem.
Bottom line: The intensive approach, although difficult and exhausting, is the best way to get on track. I can’t imagine trying to do what we did over several weeks of one hour sessions.
Our relationship was not supportive and unstable, we had poor communication with each other, conflicted interests.
Reading about Gottman made me believe it could help us. We wanted experts in Discernment therapy.
Tim Donovan was truly amazing and thoughtful. He led us to make our own decision to work on our marriage and found a way to balance his direct approach…which we really needed with autonomy in making these decisions. Extremely effective at getting us to face our conflict head-on in a safe space for us to talk through. We were able for the first time to feel good after having very stressful conversations. I can’t thank him enough for this.
We learned a better way to communicate, how to start having conversations and active listening. I am able to understand my husband’s fears and drivers.
It was very accommodating for internationals and very effective in one intensive session. We accomplished more in one session than we did for the last 2 years.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Go for it, it would be the best investment for your marriage and family.
I wanted to see if we could save the marriage; my core goal was to stay together.
We had tried some therapy sessions with local therapists but it was not really very helpful and I think it actually pushed my husband in the other direction.
We both loved Angela Voegele because she was extremely detail-oriented, pushed in the right places and discussed the things that we did not want to discuss, but had to. She was amazing really. She showed us how to talk to one another and see the other person’s point of view based on their perspective and why they are coming from that point of view. I learned more about my husband in those 2.5 days than I had in our 11 years together.
The weekend opened both of us up to have conversations that in the three prior years we were not able to have so we were able to work things out between us. Ultimately it seems like after couple’s therapy my husband has become a completely different person. He is much happier after opening up and telling me the truth. He decided he wants to work on our relationship after all and that there is hope for us.
We would recommend Angela and Couples Therapy Inc. Angela was very thorough; she was not on either one of our sides, very neutral. She as extremely intelligent, sensitive and ultimately probably saved our marriage.
I had just found out my husband wanted to leave.
I was trying to save our marriage.
Our marriage retreat turned into divorce planning. He is/was unwilling to work to reconcile the marriage. I found out he was having an affair. He was finally honest with me; I didn’t know there was a problem until he told me he was leaving. At that point, he was unwilling to work on our relationship.
Angela was easy to talk with and she made me feel comfortable. She was supportive and able to change her focus once it was clear that my husband had no intention of reconciliation.
I gained better communication skills once I found out the truth.
Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes, because I like the Gottman method, it was easy to coordinate, insightful, very responsive and affordable.
We had suffered and were repairing deep trauma
We needed to determine the possibility of bringing intimacy back into our relationship after suffering from a significant relationship sever.
We have been in couples therapy before. At that time we were trying to determine if we could stay together as we had suffered and were repairing deep trauma individually and together. Most of the work centered around putting ourselves back together individually and learning how to relate to each other without triggering each other. However, we did not get to the point where we worked on developing intimacy.
Even though we have been married for a long time, we never developed the tools to be truly intimate together and to learn how to meet each other where we are at at any given point in time. After we had a sever in our relationship, that capability diminished all together.
We came to Couples Therapy Inc. to learn how to be intimate given our individual and collective backgrounds. We never had anyone explain how to work together to overcome severe historical and recent traumas. Most of our couples therapists worked on ways in which we should engage verbally but until we came upon Dr. Kathy McMahon (Dr. K) we did not find anyone willing to teach us intimacy.
I was nervous about dredging up past traumas but that anxiety was quickly diminished.
We are now able to ask for what we need and to experience different levels of intimacy including emotional, psychological, and physical. We can openly discuss our needs in the moment and not be so fixated on stereotypical definitions of intimacy – we get to define it for ourselves in whatever way makes sense. We have hope for the first time in quite a few years to continue to work towards each other and benefit from the value a close couple’s relationship brings improving our quality of life. We often dismiss intimacy as unimportant but it really is the key to relationship satisfaction with a positive impact on the quality of other relationships in our lives.
Dr. McMahon is extremely knowledgeable about brain science, trauma, and intimacy and its impact on adults. She used incredible techniques to help us feel completely comfortable talking about details of intimacy that are frankly difficult under any circumstances. She helped each of us realize our areas of vulnerability and sensitivity and provided clear tools to help us overcome significant rifts in our relationships. She also connected our current behavior with our past experiences and provided tools to ease us back to each other. We felt so empowered and capable after just a weekend of therapy.
I would absolutely recommend Couples Therapy Inc because it is completely structured for the participants and is designed to help the individuals and the relationship uniquely flourish. Dr. McMahon really did her homework and through the BIG BIG Book knew us and understood how to manage the sessions to optimize the benefit to us.
It was a truly amazing experience that I never received in all of my therapy previously.
What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
- Define for ourselves intimacy.
- Open to receiving love in many different ways.
- Ability to bring deeper meaning in our relationship after years of being severed.
It is completely worth the time and effort to participate in Couples Therapy Inc as it will change your life in the most positive way.
THANK YOU for taking the time to spend with us, to care about our outcome, and to share your expertise to help us drive meaningful interactions. Dr. McMahon’s expertise is incredible.
These aren’t fairy tales.
They are hard-won victories
I feel more at peace
I just wanted to say thank you again for a really good weekend. For the first time in many years, I feel like we are headed in a good direction. I feel more at peace and I believe my partner does too. We have had a few good days since we left and feel grateful for your guidance. (Therapist is Dr. Scott Wolfe)
We were stuck – a sexless marriage with growing resentment.
We tried therapy in the past, but looking back he never focused on the lack of intimacy as one of the potential missing links (why things might be stuck, to begin with). these sessions did. I think our sexless marriage issue has been brought forward as one of the core reasons as to why we are having more issues with each other.
Angela Voegele really was the right person for us – I think it’s her own experience that makes you sit back and listen (reassuring); she doesn’t force doctrine down your throat and she kept making us look back at some basic issues we have that are probably the reason for all of the current troubles – stuff we brought up and then she made us think about as to why. She also kept the TO DO LIST basic and straight forward – it’s work, but reasonable work and if keep at it you will get there.
Angela was very good at letting each of us talk but then getting us to re-align with the topic/issue. very good at making sure we understand you can be critical but how you say it is key – soften the wording. you are not the only people with these type of problems and you need to put time aside to work on you and us and then the kids
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Be ready for some hurt – not by the session, but what it stirs up in you – it makes you look back at your actions and words. I think I would recommend her without a problem – but it’s super important, and we were lucky my wife made sure, she was the right person for us and our current issues.
We hadn’t been to couples therapy before and this was extremely helpful.
We loved Dr. K and wish she was closer. She was compassionate, articulate, understood us, and easy to speak with.
We didn’t know if we could make it one more week together. I was praying it was going to help us. However, there is always a certain amount of anxiety with something new.
Results? Well, we are still working on our core issue, but we realize through the therapy what we had, and that our marriage wasn’t hopeless. My husband was humbled by it, and he has made many changes that were recommended. She made him see things from a different perspective that I couldn’t. He was not sharing with his therapist what he needed to in order to grow and become a better person. He was self-destructive. He now is working on that – which gives me and us hope. We have the skills for coping when I get crazy angry. We are talking better. Also, that how you speak to someone makes a difference in the results you get. I realize if I criticize him he’s only going to get defensive so I use my words carefully! We use the results of how well we know each other and where we scored as a couple to help us also in seeing that we still have enough left in this relationship to work on it.
I already have recommended Couples Therapy Inc and Dr. K. Alot of married couples lose what they have over the years and take each other for granted. They’ll invest money in a house or car, when their relationship is most important.
Well, we have a few more sessions with her and I’m looking forward to that. We also set ourselves up with a therapist here.
I just wish we had one more day.
We had poor communication and high-stress levels.
I was hesitant about spending a substantial amount of money with no results. However, our relationship was almost over. We had poor communication and high-stress levels. This was more of a scientific approach. Dr. K was very neutral and explained things very well. It’s only been a week but our relationship has definitely improved. We have better communication and understanding each other better and the stress level between us has also decreased. I had no hope before going to see Kathy. Now I know we’ve got a chance to mend our relationship.
I would definitely recommend Couples Therapy Inc.
I don’t feel so angry with my husband.
Our relationship was strained. I wanted to stop feeling so angry so much of the time. Previous couples therapy was somewhat helpful when we struggled with communication.
We chose Couples Therapy Inc because of the use of the Gottman method and the location of a therapist with a profile that matched our needs and the price. It was a large expense and time commitment without a trial run. That was my reluctance.
Diane Foy was directive without interfering. She was great at explaining things we had questions about. Overall, she gave us, not just a weekend of repair, but tools and strategies for us to use moving forward.
I’m just sad she isn’t closer! I don’t feel so angry with my husband. He is doing so much more and is kinder to me. We have experienced improved fondness and general kindness throughout the day, we have recommitment to working together, and we address difficult issues more gently.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
You and your family are worth this investment.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Administrative: The volume of emails around signing up made finding the materials we needed clunky. Otherwise, a fabulous experience!
Thank you so much for sharing this. We know the sign-up process includes a lot of information—and we’re actively working on making it simpler, clearer, and easier to navigate. Your feedback helps us improve. – The Couples Therapy Inc. Team
We had become very distant from each other, very little communication or intimacy.
For many years we sought out professionals and were unsuccessful at getting to the root of the problem.
We did have concerned about expense and fear of the unknown. Fear of what might happen. But Dr. Kathy McMahon (Dr. K) was very personable and genuinely interested and caring. She provided education in communication skills and allowed us to practice what we learned. I loved that she shared examples and stories to illustrate a point. She was flexible and worked with us on whatever topic came up in the exercises and made it easier to talk about difficult subjects.
Through this experience we developed a mutual understanding and I am now have greater concern for my husband’s concrete communication tools, education on communication styles and practice. We also have more open communication about sex and intimacy.
Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes, definitely. It was not only “talk therapy” but educational, with proven methods and educational materials with lots of practice and support in those techniques. I developed a new understanding of my husband and his point of view. Understanding the role that trauma has played in my life and in my relationships has helped him to understand this too. This retreat has opened the door to open and honest communication for us.
Using my husband’s words, this weekend helped us more than 3 years of couples therapy did! We were amazed at what was accomplished in such a short time. We are so thankful that we took the leap and did this, it helped us immensely. We have renewed sense of understanding, care and love for each other that would not have been possible otherwise. Thank you Dr. K!
Our relationship was extremely rocky due to problems with communication.
My husband thought I was always blaming or attacking him when I was trying to communicate my needs and desires to connect. He would shut down rather than engage in effective communication because he misunderstood the importance of reflective listening and relationship building. And I was concerned that my husband would not participate in the sessions.
But the scientific research behind the methods of relationship building appealed to us. I knew it was important for us to learn concrete communication skills or we would never be able to get out of the argument loop we were stuck in.
Angela was great at pacing the conversation and finding the right moments for de-stressing and teaching. She is very comfortable to work with because she made us feel at ease and gave us a lot of encouragement. There were difficult issues from both of our childhoods and our previous divorces that came up during our retreat and Angela handled them in ways that helped us learn to recognize our triggers and communicate our needs.
Our communication has improved dramatically! My husband listens, turning towards me and focuses on what I am saying when I speak. He is doing the little things, like taking care of chores I mention and making sure I am comfortable, without the previous drama which made me feel like an irritating roommate rather than someone he loves. These changes have brought us back to being a team again and we are much closer.
Our relationship is stronger because we know we are both committed to our marriage. We are both invested in continuing to build our skills using the Gottman resources and regular counseling, further reinforcing our long-term commitment to each other. Last, but not least, we are finally out of the cycle of having the same arguments over and over! Amazing!
I would highly recommend Angela Voegele and Couples Therapy, Inc.. If you are serious about changing your relationship, the science behind the skills you will learn will improve your marriage.
Don’t question this, just do it! If you are at the end of your rope, book a couples intensive weekend. It may seem like a lot of money, but it is so much better to have a dedicated period of time without distractions to concentrate on your relationship.
We needed help and we knew we needed something out of the norm
We needed help and we knew we needed something out of the norm, something intense. Going bi-weekly or weekly wasn’t enough.
My hesitation was not knowing the therapist. We had to leave it to chance that she would be someone we could both learn from.
Debbie Woodall-Carroll showed empathy, patience, listening, and reframing. My husband came to see why I’m so scared of his actions. The light bulb turned on. Debbie was so easy to talk with.
We have a better understanding of each other, a better way to communicate, empathy and honesty.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Don’t wait! You’ll wish you had done this sooner. I urge you, for your happiness, to stop thinking about it and schedule it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, individually and together.
Our marriage had little trust and poor communication.
Marisa Mundey had a good sense of our moods. She was able to get us to open up. She didn’t not discuss one major issue that exists in our marriage.
We got an understanding of how we both feel about that state of our marriage, we understand the reasons why our marriage has failed, we learned ways to improve our marriage. We’ve been taught communication tools. It’s up to us to implement them.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Be open and honest when completing the Big Big Book.
We had intimacy problems – No Connection.
Angela Voegele detected the problem very early on and worked on overcoming this problem. She has given us tools to succeed, and I would say we are almost > than 50% there. I and my wife feel very relieved. Angela was encouraging, empathetic. It solved the problem for us.
What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc?
Thank U Folks For Helping Me, My Wife & My Family
I was so unhappy and I am now looking at the world differently,
Changes?
Life changing, earth shattering, amazing changes — I am not kidding when I say this absolutely hands down saved our marriage, saved our lives…
I was so unhappy and I am now looking at the world differently, knowing I have a partner with me in this life that I once felt so alone in. We have a lot of work to do- but we are both committed to this and following through with the changes.
I cannot believe that this had such an immediate impact on us and I am forever, forever grateful. I will be recommending you to any of my friends or family that ever is faced with some serious relationship troubles.
Our relationship was very rocky because of a recent affair, which had my partner wanting to leave me.
Our relationship was very rocky because of a recent affair, which had my partner wanting to leave me.
Angela Voegele was very honest and understanding of both of our sides but didn’t baby us. She didn’t make me feel like the “bad guy” or baby my partner for being the “victim.” She gave us concrete tools to work on our marriage. We would have liked even more “scenarios” to test out different techniques of discussing conflicts, etc.
It worked to get my partner in the mindset to work on things. There is more understanding and willingness on my partner’s part to work on things.
My partner is open to working on the marriage, she understood why I had the affair and we felt positive about our marriage after the therapy.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Do it.
It made such an impact on our relationship for the better.
We picked Couples Therapy Inc based on the website and association with Gottman.
Dr. Carolyn Cole was so present and with us the whole way. Extremely knowledgeable.
It made such an impact on our relationship for the better. I can’t wait to continue sessions with Dr. Cole. It was an amazing reset like we discovered each other all over again.
We now have a stronger connection, building on communication, understanding each other and why we are the way we are.
Recommend? Yes.
Don’t hesitate, don’t walk… run.
Best decision you can make for your relationship.
She did absolutely NOTHING wrong.
Marisa Mundey was well-prepared, well-spoken and compassionate. She did absolutely NOTHING wrong. We are feeling hopeful and moving forward.
We were getting a divorce.
We were verbally separated and she had been seeing other people and had been intimate.
Previous couples therapy was very unsuccessful.
We went with Couples Therapy Inc. for the intensive option utilizing the Gottman method and the assessment before hand. It was the assessment that saved our marriage. The counseling helped us define the plan and clear our path forward.
Angela Voegele was easy to talk to. Not taking sides. Compassionate. Very comfortable to work with Angela. We uncovered a lot.
Would I recommend? Absolutely. I’m a data person. Seeing the results of our assessment and her interpretation, made all the difference to both of us. Seeing how compatible we actually were and where we need to focus to move forward was very powerful for both of us.
What three benefits resulted from working with Couples therapy Inc.?
Saved my marriage, saved my marriage, saved my marriage.
We are on a road to real recovery and happiness.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
If you haven’t tried the intensive then you haven’t tried everything. It was a painful but necessary step to move forward.
Our relationship was tense, uncertain.
We wanted better communication and healing from infidelity. A few prior sessions of couples therapy didn’t work for us.
My husband likes talking until he gets a resolution, so I felt this type of therapy would be a good fit.
Will it really work if I invested a lot of money?
Marissa Mundey is professional and knowledgeable. We left feeling more connected emotionally, more hopeful, more patient, more committed, and we have better listening skills
Do it! It is definitely worth every penny!
My wife and I had two large perpetual issues, but we did not have the correct language to describe it that way.
Dr. Kathy McMahon seemed like she would be a one-stop shop for us.
We were hesitant because of the cost, travel, and time away from kids.
We now have the language and roadmap to start working with each other to solve our problems.
I loved Dr. K’s expertise in Sex Therapy, Peak Oil, and Gottman. She was awesome! She definitely converted me to Gottman, and she tailored our time together to my needs. I would definitely recommend Dr. Kathy McMahon and Couples Therapy. I am convinced that the Gottman Institute techniques used are the best available anywhere.
My wife and I have a language now, such as flooded and perpetual problems, which describes what we are experiencing We have a roadmap to deal with our perpetual problems. We experienced a deep connection during our weekend intensive visit.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
It is definitely worth your marriage to take a weekend to learn the tools available from Couples Therapy Inc, and to get personal attention tailored to your situation.
Our relationship was hopeful but struggling, our communication skills were severely lacking.
We have tried couples therapy before and it we both walked away from that experience unhappy.
I liked that Jenny Fang used a variety of techniques in her couples counselling, that she identified with a minority family of origin similar to our own, she was a good listener, knew when to dig deeper and when to let issues sit. She is friendly and made us both feel comfortable and accountable to one another without feeling like she was “joining sides”.
The questionnaire is VERY extensive, and for couples serious about wanting a change, it allows your therapist to get the big picture on who you are before you start your intensive. The full-day sessions were really great to dig deeper into issues that we couldn’t address in shorter sessions.
List 3 benefits: A more clear understanding of how past experiences shaped us and how that impacts us now. Hope that these past wirings can be changed so that things don’t have to stay the same in the future. Time away together in the intensive reminds us that there is still something there.
Honestly I feel it is too early to say what changes have resulted, she has given us tools which we have implemented in our relationship to talk more and listen more. We are working with these tools and seeing how to best fit them into our day to day practice.
Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?
I would for sure recommend our therapist, she was amazing.
Our relationship was not in a good spot as we were dealing with issues of infidelity.
We had been in couples therapy with slow progression.
We needed a clear direction as to whether we were going to stay together or not.
Angela Voegele was very straight forward yet understanding. She was able to call each of us out for things. We weren’t able to get away with poor habits and lack of responsibility. She treated each of us fairly but was straight forward.
I would recommend Angela to others. She was able to hone in on our issues and also see our strengths. She gave us real tools to improve and showed us the good we still have in our marriage.
We have better communication skills moving forward, we understand each other better and can have fruitful discussions that do no turn into arguments. We have hope for our future.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
They have proven techniques, tools, and skills that will benefit every couple. It goes beyond talk therapy to learning, practicing new skills, and growing in your marriage.
Past therapy seemed to have only caused more problems.
Past therapy seemed to have only caused more problems. We were concerned about the cost, given the value of our past therapy. But I wanted to improve my intimate relationship with my spouse.
This therapy was successful and effective. It gave us exactly what we needed to address, we resolved issues verses fighting about them. We have better intimacy, regular relationship, and overall feeling of closeness. The ability to discuss verses arguing. Dr. Scott Wolfe was excellent.
Overall, it was excellent and effective. Our therapist was excellent and high quality. He did an outstanding job.
She is like a modern-day Sherlock Holmes for the mind.
Yes, we had previously tried therapy to address communication and honesty about a relationship outside the marriage. However, the therapist was more focused on the now versus the core issues.
Research into the Gottman Method and the scientific involvement behind the relationship made us choose Couples Therapy Inc. We also had never prepared for a session utilizing skills like the BIG BIG Book or the prep through The Seven Principles of Marriage workbook.
We honestly did not have any hesitation. Through a process of elimination, we felt confident in this organization.
Rebecca Lanier created an environment of comfort and safety from the minute we met her. Rebecca’s ability to communicate always felt like a contribution versus a direction. Her calm demeanor really allowed all of us to openly communicate and honestly work through the steps without being defensive or protective.
She is like a modern-day Sherlock Holmes for the mind.
She was able to pinpoint the source of our marital issues within the first 6 hours of the weekend. This is something no other therapist had been able to accomplish in our past. Rebecca also had a gentle approach to sensitive topics that left us wanting to openly talk about issues neither of us had identified previously.
She is very knowledgable in the topics we covered and communicated things intellectually and with real connection for both of us. We both feel that Rebecca was the perfect match for our therapy needs. We could not be happier or more gratified with the entire experience and our time with Rebecca.
Rebecca was the perfect therapist for our personalities, histories and problems. Her ability to interact with us separately and as a couple was refreshing. Her experience and skillset made the weekend a real success. Combined with the Couples Therapy reviews and confidence in the approach, we were very pleased.
In the short time since we completed our initial weekend, communication changed instantly upon our first exposure to Rebecca. We have knocked down the walls that were straining our marriage. I feel like I have my wife back.
Advice to other couples… first and foremost, do the pre-work (BIG BIG Book, other assignments) based on your therapist recommendation. I was amazed how much we got out of the Big Big Book exercise.
It helped me realize issues before we even started our weekend. If you are not willing to do the work before the meeting you are handicapping the success you will get out of the experience.
Havi is the best therapist we’ve ever seen.
Before meeting with Havi Kligfeld, we’d been seeing another therapist, and interviewed with a couple more others. The session with Havi was the ONE session where I felt we would be truly helped, supported, and given the tools needed to improve our marriage.
That is to say, Havi is the best therapist we’ve ever seen.
I could tell that her approach truly followed what I’d learned was a research based approach on the dynamics of intimate relationships-but more importantly, I sensed she truly cares and wants to make a positive difference! I also could not help but keep seeing the name Gottman come up in my mind again and again! She’s amazing.
We were disconnected, living separately in the same space.
We were disconnected, living separately in the same space. Not fighting but not being together. Growing further apart over time.
This was our second intensive with (Dr. K) and I was struck by her preparation and understanding of us through the big big book. She focused on our relationship and how to communicate, guiding us and teaching us in a way that never felt like she favored one or the other. She skillfully avoided who was at fault or who was the problem to “fix”.
As the name “weekend intensive” implies the experience is intensive. This magnitude of experience is required to make life altering changes.
We look forward to being together, we are communicating as well as enjoying each other’s company.
Even if you don’t think you have the time or the money to do this, make the time and find the resources. This is your life together, this is more important that a trip or a new car.
My husband was struggling to come to terms with the affair
Our relationship was tenuous at best after the discovery of my affair. We were considering separation and eventual divorce and didn’t see how we were going to get through this. My husband was struggling to come to terms with the affair and to understand it. We knew we had some things that needed to be worked on in our marriage but we weren’t sure if it was worth doing if he was unable to forgive the affair.
We started therapy with another therapist after my infidelity was discovered and had switched therapists once.
We were not sure if a retreat would help.
I liked that Angela Voegele was a certified sex therapist and was able to guide us in the discussion about the sexual nature of the affair. That helped both me and my husband understand the affair from a totally different perspective.
Angela was amazing, insightful, and compassionate. The entire process from booking the retreat to meeting her was seamless.
Benefits included getting to meet Angela who is incredible, gaining a better understanding of the infidelity as well as the state of our marriage.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
If you think you’ve tried couples therapy and it didn’t work for you, give this a chance. The work we did in 2.5 days was incredible and could not have been accomplished with weekly one hour sessions with a therapist.
This was intense but rewarding.
We needed the help and were hesitant to face the unknown and bring up the past which has been long forgotten.
We appreciate Dr Scott Wolfe’s help and professionalism.
This was intense but rewarding. We have more open communication, transparency, and trust.
“We could’ve taken an amazing vacation for this price”—but we’d have come home no better off.
Our relationship was in a very negative place before the retreat. My husband and I were really just roommates for a long time, not communicating with each other at all. We would go over and over the same issues and never be able to improve or make any progress.
We tried couples therapy in the fall and never seemed to get any lasting positive improvements. Sometimes it was torture just to get through the 1 hour with the therapist!
My husband and I both wanted to try something drastic and intense. We wanted to immerse ourselves into the therapy weekend and not think about anything else the entire time. We researched online and found Couples Therapy Inc and were impressed with the reviews so we decided to give it a try.
The main hesitation with starting the retreat was really only the cost. Although we were concerned about leaving our kids, and the possibility of not connecting with the therapist, our main concern was spending the money.
I can’t say enough positive things about our experience. From the moment we met Dr. K, we loved her. She made us feel comfortable from the time we met her on Friday night.
She was so down to earth and made us laugh all the time. Her wealth of information about relationships was astonishing. She really taught us about relationships. Other therapists that we’d been to just kind of sat and asked us to open up about our feelings, but they never taught us concrete techniques and skills to use with each other.
Dr. K is so grounded and down to earth. It doesn’t seem possible but 6 hours of therapy a day with her felt like it went by faster than 1 hour with our previous marriage counselor.
Would you recommend us?
Absolutely!!! It was the most worthwhile weekend my husband and I could have ever spent with each other.
When we first researched the retreat weekend, we said: “we could go on an amazing vacation together for this price” but we quickly realized that we would come home from that vacation no better off than we left.
We can say that we came home from the retreat with a completely different outlook on each other and ourselves. It was the best thing we could have done for our marriage.
What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
- Learning how to communicate effectively and without making the other person defensive
- Learning how a little statement of negativity in reaction to something your partner says can turn them away
- Learning about each other more, and learning to continue to get to know each other at home.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Don’t hesitate! Take the leap and do it! The weekend was so fun for us. We were sad to see it over on Sunday night!
Anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you Dr. K! We couldn’t have imagined this weekend to be as powerful and eye-opening as it was. We could have spent weeks with you!!
It is well worth your time, effort, and money if you truly want to grow in each other’s love and grow your marriage.
We had become very distant and were basically cohabitating.
Dr. K. (Dr. Kathy McMahon) had the ability to really hear what we were trying to say to one another.
We are really listening to each other. We are practicing complaints and creating rituals. We are present with one another. We are working on our communication. We are hopeful that the next chapter in our lives will be all we want it up be.
With the help of a non-judgmental therapist’s skill and guidance, the BIG BIG book, and a weekend, you can truly get to the heart of your problems and begin the healing process. Dr. K. did her homework and was truly present and able to keep us on track.
It is well worth your time, effort, and money if you truly want to grow in each other’s love and grow your marriage.
The therapy can be life-changing if one is receptive to it.
Our relationship was strained with the weight of resentment towards each other and we were each considering that relief would come in the form of divorce. The core issue was that I felt I wasn’t heard or understood and as a result wasn’t motivated to be intimate with my husband, which was his chief complaint.
We tried couples therapy with a psychotherapist and it was unsuccessful.
The idea that an intense retreat, in which we could delve deep into our issues with guidance from an experienced therapist (in both couples and sex therapy), could provide us with the desperate relief our relationship needed? I just wasn’t sure how effective it would be and whether it would help resolve our issues.
I liked how the administration and coordination of the therapy was handled. It was very organized, professional, and communication via email kept us informed from beginning to end. We were particularly impressed with the Client Services Rep. It was really our phone conversation with her that diminished our doubts about whether to move forward with the therapy because she was knowledgeable, articulate, and friendly. She made us feel comfortable.
Angela Voegele was an excellent therapist. She was a good listener, showed empathy and support for each of us as individuals and as a couple (meaning she didn’t favor one person over the other, but instead validated each of our feelings and helped the other to understand them), and she has a wonderful demeanor, which strikes a great balance between being warm and open, but also firm and direct when necessary.
Angela’s approach is effective, and the therapy can be life-changing if one is receptive to it and puts in the work. I was hoping for some sort of a transformative experience and I got that.
Couples Therapy Inc. provided us with a cleansing of our issues. Although the work was draining, in the end, we were rewarded. I felt heard, understood, and emotionally healed afterward. It was as if a re-start button was pushed and we could begin again as a couple. Our hope was renewed.
It planted several seeds in me that I can now reference in my mind to help me have a new perspective on a recurring situation, and create a shift not only in the dynamic between my husband and me but in the relationship I have with myself.
It provided relief from the heavy weight of anger, hurt, and resentment my husband and I were carrying; we felt lighter afterward.
It gave us hope that we could succeed as a couple.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
The therapy is hard work and pricey, but it’s absolutely worth your time and money. Like anything in life that’s of high quality and true great value, it comes at a cost.
I did not see any option except divorce and now I see our future again.
Our relationship was distant, with no connection. We wanted to reconnect and move on from anger.
Jenny Fang was amazing at seeing what we were trying to say and where our pain came from. We really enjoyed going each day, we looked forward to her input.
Now, we are closer, we have a connection and can see past our previous anger. Jenny Fang saved our marriage, I did not see any option except divorce and now I see our future again.
What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
I would highly suggest it!! You have nothing to lose.
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