Couples therapy with elizabeth earnshaw,ma, lmft, cgt
About elizabeth
Elizabeth is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Clinical Fellow at the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and a Certified Gottman Method Therapist. She is the author of the relationship handbook I Want This To Work. Elizabeth practices Gottman Method Couples Therapy and Relational Life Therapy. She specializes in working with high achievers and parents. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The LA Times, Today, and Oprah.
Working with Elizabeth
Couples Therapy with Elizabeth follows a process that she has found helps couples move forward and reduces the likelihood that life gets in the way of progress. Elizabeth offers both weekly couples therapy sessions and intensive couples therapy. Below you can learn more about the general process Elizabeth follows for either service.
Weekly couples therapy
Couples who partake in weekly therapy with Elizabeth can expect:
An assessment - Prior to your first appointment you will individually complete a comprehensive assessment which helps Elizabeth to better understand your relationship.
A four hour intake session - Couples therapy tends to follow a 4 session assessment process. Because of this, couples often struggle to find time to get through the assessment process and actually begin the deeper work of couples therapy. Elizabeth does the entire assessment in one session which reduces the likelihood you delay your treatment due to having to schedule 4 separate assessment sessions. The intake session is split into four parts:
First hour: You will talk with Elizabeth about your relationship, the challenges you are facing, and your goals.
Second + Third Hour - You will each spend about an hour talking with Elizabeth individually.
Fourth Hour - Elizabeth will provide comprehensive feedback about your relationship, next steps, and a roadmap for what you will work on during therapy sessions.
Couples Therapy Sessions - Your couples therapy sessions can be schedule for 50 minutes to 2 hours long. In most cases, longer sessions are needed at first if there is a history of high conflict. Most couples find that they can reduce the session length within the first few weeks, however everyone’s situation is different. During couples therapy sessions, you will work with Elizabeth to target the specific areas that came up in your assessment. You will do this by having conversations and learning new skills. Elizabeth provides practical, direct feedback and structure to your sessions.
In between sessions - Elizabeth will offer you “homework” that you can complete at home to continue to improve your relationship from week to week.
Intensive couples therapy
For couples who are in significant distress, struggling with a complex issue, or don’t have time for weekly therapy sessions, Elizabeth offers intensive couples therapy. During intensive couples therapy you meet with Elizabeth for 2-3 days. Each day is 5-6 hours worth of therapy. The first day of an intensive includes the entire assessment process. The subsequent days are designed to address the specific challenges that appeared on the assessment. Many couples choose to do the first two days back to back and then to do the third day one to two months later in order to check in on progress and troubleshoot any issues that might have arisen during the time.
To schedule with Elizabeth e-mail info@abetterlifetherapy.com for information about availability.