Couples Therapy in the DC Metro Area
Most couples will need help at some point in their relationship. Whether you are learning to communicate better, support each other through a difficult time, or work through ongoing conflict, you’ve come to the right place. Get specialized therapy for relationships, intimacy, and connection.
Why get couples therapy?
Couples therapy is for anyone who wants to build a meaningful, supportive, healthy partnership. Through therapy, we help you create:
A relationship that feels like a safe home base
Deep, mature communication that doesn’t end in a blow-up
A relationship that grows with you
The ability to handle conflict without it threatening the relationship
A more connected, intentional, and fulfilling intimate life
Partnership alignment around values, career, money, and parenting
Emotional maturity and personal growth you can be proud of
The ability to stay connected despite high-pressure careers
Our experienced therapists develop a personalized approach tailored to you and your partner. In session, we will teach you new ways to look at conflict and give you new tools to communicate more effectively.
You don’t have to be in a crisis to benefit from couples therapy. Early intervention is the key to establishing strong bonds and effective communication. Most couples wish they had come sooner!
"We love each other, but it's really hard to make this work sometimes."
Even the most loving and committed partners may have barriers that get in the way of intimacy, such as negative self-talk, anxiety, or past experiences. We’ll give you strategies to clear those barriers.
Who do we work with?
The Center for Intimacy and Relationships is an inclusive, boutique therapy practice that specializes in helping individuals and partners experience the relationships and sexuality they want and need.
We work with people in all types of relationships and communities, including people with LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, cishet, monogamous, or polyamorous identities, and everything in between. We help you make sustainable changes that will lead to a lifetime of healthy, satisfying, joyful intimacy — however you define it.
Located in the DC area, we often work with successful professionals who want the most out of their careers and relationships. Over many years and thousands of sessions, we’ve found that couples therapy works best with people who are ready to:
Invest the time and resources to commit to regular therapy sessions (usually weekly or biweekly)
Find the root of negative conflict cycles that are holding them back
Examine their thoughts, experiences, and behaviors with curiosity and compassion
We welcome partners who have had previous couples therapy or who have current individual therapists. We pick up where they may leave off, exploring the specific issues that are impacting sex and emotional intimacy.
We offer in-person therapy at our offices in Farragut Square and Tysons Corner, as well as online video teletherapy, so we can meet you where you are for regular sessions.
Are you ready to get started? Let’s schedule a free intro call to see if we want to continue the conversation.
What can you expect in couples therapy?
Couples therapy is like having someone on your team, behind the scenes, supporting you both where you need it. Using a combination of effective therapy models and the latest research, we’ll first assess and understand your unique relationship. Then we’ll work together to achieve your goals.
During sessions, a qualified therapist will observe how you interact with your partner in real time, offering feedback and helpful insights. You’ll also practice new communication skills, with the guidance of your therapist, that you can take home and use that day.
Our process
1. The first step is to contact us for a free consultation. You’ll be matched with a therapist on our team for a 15- to 30-minute video call to see if we’re a good fit. It’s important to make sure you click with your therapist, too.
2. If we decide to work together, you’ll set up an 80-minute assessment session to review your goals and treatment plan.
3. After that, you’ll each meet with your therapist individually for one 50-minute assessment session.
4. You’ll begin regular weekly or biweekly couples sessions.
During every step, you’ll have the support of a compassionate, experienced, and effective therapist. This is what we do—all day, every day. We understand that it’s hard to talk about relationships, sex, and intimacy. We always respect your boundaries, and we move forward at your pace.
Are you ready to take the first step? Set up a free consultation to see if we have a fit.
Featured Relationship Therapists
Camille Espinoza LICSW, MSW, MSPH, CST-S
Camille Espinoza, (she/her) specializes in couples therapy for people ages 25-45, of all orientations, genders, and backgrounds. Camille is trained in several methods of couples therapy, including Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Collaborative Couples Counseling, and EMDR. She is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist Supervisor.
Alexis Logan, LCSW
Alexis Logan, (she/her) specializes in working with couples learning how to communicate about everything from healthy boundaries to open relationships. Clients appreciate her warm and affirming approach. Alexis enjoys helping couples of all lifestages and backgrounds work through day-to-day challenges as well as sexual concerns.
DC Couples Therapy FAQs
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The best therapy is therapy tailored to you and your relationship, provided by a therapist you can trust. There are many reputable models of therapy to choose from, such as the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Imago, Developmental Model, Relational Living Therapy (RLT), and more. Every model has pros and cons. Some work better for certain people than others. The best model is the one that works for you. At the Center for Intimacy for Relationships, we use a variety of approaches and customize our services to you. If you are interested in a specific model of therapy, inquire on your free consultation call.
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Our clients would say a resounding yes. Regardless of the outcome of couples therapy, our clients routinely tell us it has been helpful to have a safe space to talk about their relationship and grow both as a couple and as individuals. Couples therapy can help with many things, such as learning how to manage anxiety, depression, or trauma symptoms in your relationship. Or learning how to communicate your wants, needs, and feelings. Or learning how to receive valuable feedback from your partner or therapist. You are sure to get something meaningful out of couples therapy.
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Absolutely. Couples therapy is for anyone who wants to improve connection, emotional intimacy, communication skills, or physical intimacy.
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Not necessarily. Most couples we see in our offices decide to continue the relationship after therapy is over. Sometimes couples separate because they are growing in different directions. Therapy can help with either scenario. As therapists, we do not tell people if they should separate or stay together. That is a personal decision only you can make. We are here to facilitate healing and growth and will support you in your decisions.
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This depends entirely on your situation. Some people have an individual therapist and a couples therapist. If you’d like a coordinated approach, we can arrange for one therapist on our team to see you as a couple and another as an individual. We can figure it out together on our intro call.
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You and your therapist will decide on your therapy goals together. For some, it’s about having healthier conflict. For others, it’s about increasing emotional or sexual intimacy. Whatever it is, we will do our best to help.
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Yes. This is one of our specialties. Historically, couples therapy and sex therapy have been separate branches of psychotherapy. We believe they are inherently intertwined. Here, all of our therapists have training and experience talking to couples about sex and intimacy. If this isn’t something you want to focus on, that’s no problem. We will be ready later if you need it.
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Whenever a couple is having trouble communicating about sexuality, it may be time to seek help from a qualified therapist. Most couples come to see us because there is some kind of difference between them that is causing problems over time. For example, one partner may feel more desire than the other, and they don’t know how to talk about it. Or perhaps one or both partners struggle to express their emotions around intimacy. Or maybe there is simmering resentment because partners have different needs and wants around sex. Or, sometimes couples have a strong emotional connection but can’t seem to get their sex life on track.
All of these issues are common in relationships, and we can help. In our sessions together, we will teach you how to communicate with each other, step by step. In session, you will practice having difficult conversations under the guidance of a skilled therapist, so that you can take away new skills to use at home.
We work with and affirm all types of couples—couples of all ages, backgrounds, relationship structures, orientations, and genders. We are passionate about helping people have healthy and satisfying relationships, however they define them.
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To get started, fill out our contact form. We’ll be in touch within 48 business hours. We start all potential clients with a free 15- to 30-minute video consultation to see if we’re a good fit to work together. And we are happy to refer you to one of our trusted colleagues if it’s not a good match.