Couples Therapy in Evansville, Indiana | Reconnect & Strengthen Your Relationship
I currently see couples in-person in Evansville, Indiana as well as virtually throughout Indiana and Illinois.
You Still Love Each Other. So Why Does It Feel Like You're Growing Apart?
When Love Isn’t the Problem, But Connection Is
Oftentimes when people think about couple’s therapy, they think of two people who are on the brink of divorce. Movies and tv shows have done a great job of showing us the major blow ups in session. The mood shifts, and suddenly one partner is screaming, throwing tissue boxes, and storming out of the therapy room. In couple’s therapy we are often exploring difficult topics that are wrapped up in layers of vulnerability folks have shoved down for years, so of course there are times where things get heated! The reality is, though, most of the couples sitting on my couch aren't wondering if they should end their relationship. They're wondering how to find each other again.
Maybe you’re raising kids, building careers, taking care of aging parents, or simply trying to keep up with everything life keeps throwing your way. From the outside, your relationship may even look “fine.” But somewhere along the way, you’ve started feeling more like roommates than partners.
You may be frustrated that conversations that matter never seem to happen. One or both of you keeps your feelings to yourself because it seems easier than risking conflict. You care deeply about your partner, and when they’re already going through a hard time, you don’t want to add anything else to their plate. You tell yourself you’ll bring it up later. You’ll wait for that magical moment when life slows down and everyone is in the perfect place to have hard conversations. Later turns into months, and maybe even years. Slowly the distance between you grows, and it’s not even because you stopped loving each other.
I call this “Protective Communication,” and it’s more common than you may think. It's what happens when we care so deeply about protecting our partner that we slowly stop sharing the parts of ourselves that most need to be known.
Protecting the Peace Often Protects the Tension
Sometimes we try so hard to protect our partners that we stop letting ourselves be fully known. We can't build closeness while hiding the very thoughts and feelings that create closeness in the first place. The disconnection this can cause is painful. And the good news is, you don’t have to stay there.
Many couples I work with aren’t yelling. They’re avoiding it. They carefully choose which feelings to share, and avoid bringing up disappointments because they don’t want to hurt each other. Most of the time, they’re doing it out of love. However, over time those unspoken needs don’t disappear. They usually turn into loneliness, resentment, distance, or disconnection. My role isn’t to create more conflict. It’s to help create conversations that feel safe enough to have before resentment has a chance to grow.
Maybe You're Here Because...
You feel more like roommates than partners.
Difficult conversations never seem to happen.
You love each other but don't feel emotionally connected anymore.
Physical intimacy has changed.
Life has become about surviving instead of enjoying one another.
You're exhausted from work, parenting, caregiving, or stress.
One partner experienced trauma that's affecting the relationship.
You're trying to reconnect before the distance grows even larger.
When Sexual Trauma Impacts Your Relationship
One of the areas I particularly enjoy working in is helping couples navigate the impact of sexual trauma.
Sometimes couples reach out because physical intimacy has changed. Other times they're feeling emotionally disconnected, aren't sure how to talk about sex anymore, or find themselves avoiding conversations altogether because they don't want to make things worse. Often, neither partner knows exactly what to do next.
The partner who experienced trauma may feel guilt, shame, pressure, or frustration because intimacy looks different than it once did. They may worry they're disappointing their partner, feel overwhelmed whenever the topic comes up, or notice themselves shutting down, becoming numb, or even dissociating.
Meanwhile, the other partner is often carrying their own pain. They may feel confused, lonely, rejected, worried about causing harm, or unsure how to support the person they love without making things harder.
One of the first things I want both partners to know is this: Neither of you are the problem.
The distance you're experiencing isn't because one of you has failed. It's because trauma changes the way our brains, bodies, and relationships respond to closeness. That isn't anyone's fault. Understanding that often allows couples to stop blaming each other and begin working together instead.
There Is No Rush Here
One fear I hear from many couples is that starting therapy means they'll immediately have to talk in detail about sex or be given homework they don't feel ready for. That isn't how I approach this work.
Healing rarely happens because someone is pushed before they're ready. It happens when people feel safe enough to become curious about what's happening. We'll move at a pace that feels manageable for both of you. Some sessions may involve difficult conversations. Others may focus on understanding how trauma affects the nervous system, learning new ways to communicate, or simply noticing what feels emotionally safe and what doesn't.
If something begins to feel overwhelming, we slow down. If we need to take a break, we take a break. There isn't a finish line we're racing toward. My goal is never to force vulnerability. It's to help create enough emotional safety that vulnerability becomes possible.
What Couples Therapy Looks Like
If you've never been to couples therapy before, it's completely normal to feel nervous about what to expect.
Our first session is primarily about getting to know both of you. I'll spend time learning about each of your individual histories, your relationship, what brought you to therapy, and the goals you hope to work toward together.
From there, we begin building a relationship that feels safe enough for honest conversations to happen. That can take time. Rather than jumping straight into the hardest parts of your relationship, we'll work together to understand the patterns you've both developed, how trauma may be influencing those patterns, and what helps each of you feel emotionally present during difficult conversations.
Some sessions involve processing emotions. Some involve learning new ways to communicate. Some involve celebrating progress that might have felt impossible just a few months earlier. There isn't one "right" way to do this work.
We'll continually check in with one another about what's feeling helpful, what's feeling challenging, and whether the pace still feels right. Therapy is a collaborative process, and I want both partners to feel like they have a voice throughout it.
LGBTQ+ Relationships Deserve More Than Affirmation
As a queer therapist, working with LGBTQ+ couples is one of the most meaningful parts of my practice. While every relationship is unique, there are experiences many queer couples navigate that deserve space in therapy. Things like family rejection, religious trauma, living in communities that don't always feel affirming, questions about identity, or simply trying to figure out what your relationship looks like in a world that often has strong opinions about it.
I also know there isn't one "queer experience." Being LGBTQ+ doesn't tell me everything I need to know about your relationship, your values, your family, or the goals you have for your future together. Some couples have incredibly affirming support systems. Others have spent years navigating discrimination, hiding parts of themselves, or building a chosen family after losing important relationships. Some are navigating life as new parents, while others are figuring out what partnership looks like without children. Every couple has their own story, and I never want assumptions to get in the way of understanding yours.
One area I especially enjoy working with is couples navigating gender transition. Sometimes one partner is beginning to explore or openly express their gender identity, while the other is doing everything they can to be supportive but still has questions, fears, grief, or uncertainty they're afraid to say out loud. Those emotions don't automatically mean someone isn't supportive. They often mean they're adjusting to change while trying to protect the relationship at the same time.
Therapy becomes a place where both partners can bring those experiences into the room without worrying that one person's emotions automatically cancel out the other's. It is possible to celebrate growth, grieve change, feel uncertain, and love your partner deeply all at the same time. Those experiences don’t cancel each other out, and making room for that complexity is often where healing begins.
I've also seen firsthand how powerful it can be when both partners feel like they no longer have to protect one another from difficult conversations. Whether we're talking about navigating transition, rebuilding connection after family rejection, processing religious trauma, strengthening communication, or simply creating a relationship where both of you feel fully known, my goal is never to decide who is "right." My goal is to help you understand one another more deeply.
I don't believe healthy relationships avoid difficult conversations. I believe healthy relationships learn how to have them without losing each other in the process.
Why I Love This Work
One of my favorite moments in couples therapy isn't some dramatic breakthrough. It's watching partners realize they're no longer fighting each other. They're finally working together.
I love helping couples have conversations they've wanted to have for years but never quite knew how to begin. Watching two people slowly become teammates again is one of the most rewarding parts of my work.
Whether we're navigating stress, parenting, trauma, intimacy, identity, or simply the realities of being human, my hope is that therapy helps you leave feeling more connected to one another than when you walked in.
You Don’t Have to Wait Until Things Feel Worse
One of the biggest myths about couples therapy is that it's something you do only when your relationship is falling apart. I don't believe that. In fact, I often see the most meaningful change happen when couples recognize the distance that's growing between them and decide they don't want to stay there.
You don't have to wait until resentment has replaced connection. You don't have to wait until every conversation ends in conflict. You don't have to wait until one of you has emotionally checked out.
If you've made it this far, chances are your relationship matters deeply to you. That matters to me, too. Whether you're navigating life transitions, rebuilding intimacy after trauma, strengthening communication, or simply hoping to find your way back to one another, I'd be honored to walk alongside both of you.
Healing doesn't happen because couples stop having difficult conversations. It happens because they learn they can have those conversations without losing each other in the process.
If you're ready to begin, I'd love to help you take that first step!