San Mateo Couples Counseling

The overarching principle for couples therapy for San Mateo residents is that all significant growth comes from disagreements, dissatisfaction with the current status, or a striving to make things better. Paradoxically, accepting that conflict produces growth and learning to manage inevitable disagreements is the key to more harmonious relationships. 

In the beginning sessions I like to provide some reading and videos to San Mateo residents in couples therapy to help deepen the knowledge of what we are practicing in session. So I send out short handouts to strengthen your understanding of the concepts being applied.

Reading and videos for San Mateo residents in couples therapy will cover:

• How to help your partner in San Mateo feel understood and how to have more compassion for them.
• How to become a better listener by asking the right questions.
• How to make a break effective when one partner gets overwhelmed in an argument.
• Specific tools for residents in San Mateo during couples therapy on how to have an effective repair conversation after an argument or fight.
• How to gain a greater awareness of the impact of your family of origin and how it may influence current relationships.
• Learn simple methods in couples therapy to reduce stress and regulate emotions.
• Why differentiation in relationships matter so much what you can do to achieve it.

Lastly, we focus on Positive Sentiment Override for San Mateo residents in couples therapy. This means that your view of your partner, and ultimately your relationship, is seen through a positive lens. We get into Positive Sentiment Override by taking concrete and deliberate action to make deposits in our partner’s emotional bank account. This has a strong effect on how we interpret communication from our partner. Negative Sentiment Override (NSO) or the Negative Perspective, on the other hand, distorts your view of your partner to the point where positive or neutral experiences are perceived as negative. Couples in the Negative Perspective don’t give each other the benefit of the doubt. Creating a Positive Perspective for San Mateo residents in couples therapy of their partner and relationship helps to bring back the vitality, warmth and quality of friendship to your relationship.