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 in DC?
Couples therapy is for anyone who wants to improve their relationship. In sessions, you’ll have a chance to talk with one of our qualified couples therapists about any challenge you may face. Through therapy, we can help you:
Work through conflict
Talk about sex and intimacy issues
Improve communication to get you unstuck
Recover from infidelity or an affair
Learn how to have healthy conflict rather than destructive conflict
Manage an unexpected crisis, such as a health crisis or unemployment
Navigate major life changes, such as changing careers or having children
Resolve day-to-day challenges, like sharing the workload at home
Help you manage anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges that are affecting your relationship
Couples therapy is a place to learn how to connect with the guidance and support of a therapist. In session, we will teach you new ways to look at conflict, and new ways to communicate. We offer a personalized approach tailored to you and your partner.
Couples therapy is for everyone, including people in the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities. Couples therapy can help you no matter what type of relationship you have, whether it’s polyamorous, monogamous, or somewhere in between.
Are you ready to get started? See what therapy can do for you. Contact us now for a free initial consultation.
"We love each other, but it's really hard to make this work sometimes."
Who is couples therapy for?
Couples therapy is for partners who want to grow, evolve, and deepen their connection together. It’s for any couple, no matter how long you’ve been together or what you are going through.
Being a practice based in the DC area, we often work with successful professionals who want the most out of both their careers and relationships. In sessions, our therapists will provide you with specific tools and resources you can use right away at home. We understand that you are looking for change - and we can help you get there.
Over the years and thousands of sessions with couples, we’ve found that couples therapy works best with people who are ready to:
Invest in the time and energy of regular therapy sessions (usually weekly or biweekly),
Let go of negative conflict cycles that are holding them back,
Examine the thoughts, experiences, and behaviors that are coming up in the relationship, with curiosity and compassion.
Are you ready to get started? If so, we’d love to connect with you. Click the button below to reach out today.
"I want to connect with my partner and don't know how.”
What can you expect in couples therapy?
Couples therapy is similar to individual therapy, with a few differences. First, you’ll have the chance for a qualified therapist to observe how you interact with your partner in real-time, and offer feedback and helpful insight.
Second, you’ll have a chance to practice new communication skills with your partner in session, with the guidance of your therapist. It’s like having someone on your team, behind the scenes, supporting you both where you need it.
Let our experienced team help you and your partner. Couples therapy is designed to improve the connection and bond between you no matter what life throws at you. Using a combination of effective therapy models and the latest research, we’ll first assess and understand your unique relationship. Then, we will work together to achieve your goals by practicing new skills in sessions that you can take home that day.
Regardless of the reason, most couples wish they had started therapy sooner. Reach out now to learn more about how couples therapy can help your relationship. Video teletherapy and in-person sessions are available.
When should you get couples therapy?
You don’t have to be in crisis to benefit from couples therapy. It’s usually better to come in sooner rather than later because early intervention is key. We’ve never met anyone who said they wished they had waited to come to therapy. Yet we often hear couples wish they had come sooner.
Working with one of our DC couples therapists can meaningfully improve your relationship. Some benefits include:
Understanding why you get stuck - so you can fix it
Practicing new communication tools - so they feel natural
Accessing deep emotional and sexual intimacy - so you feel connected and safe
Feeling more confident in your relationship - so you can enjoy it
The first step is contacting us for a free consultation call. You’ll be matched with a therapist on our team for a 15- to 30-minute video call to see if you are a good fit.
Next, if we decide to work together, you’ll set up an 80-minute assessment session to review your goals and treatment plan.
After that, you’ll meet with your therapist individually for one 50-minute session each for further assessment. Following the assessment phase, you’ll begin regular weekly or biweekly couples sessions.
During every step, you’ll have the support of a compassionate, experienced, and effective therapist. Contact us today to meet with one of our therapists for a free consultation call to see if we are a good fit for you.
Meet Your DC Couples 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 MSW, Supervisee in Social Work
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.
Why choose the Center for Intimacy and Relationships?
Because we specialize in therapy about relationships and sexuality. This is what we do - all day, every day. Our team has conducted thousands of therapy sessions talking with people like you about relationships, sex, intimacy, connection, love, and loss. We understand that it’s hard, and it’s complicated. Don’t go it alone. We can help you and your partner build an intimate connection.
We are a boutique psychotherapy practice offering customized therapy services, including sex therapy for couples, tailored to you and your goals. Here you will find a warm and welcoming team of clinicians committed to the therapeutic process. We believe in the power of therapy and human connection.
We also believe in the importance of finding the right fit. Through experience, we know you will get the most out of couples therapy when you have a therapist who intuitively understands you. That’s why we offer a complimentary video consultation for all couples, to see if you click with us. We take these calls very seriously to determine if we are uniquely suited to help you. If we decide on the consultation call it’s not quite right, don’t worry; we will offer you referrals to qualified therapists in your area so you don’t leave empty-handed.
We offer both in-person couples therapy and online couples therapy, for busy DC professionals. With offices in Farragut Square, Tysons Corner, and online, we can meet you wherever you are for regular sessions.
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.