Couples Therapy

San Diego Therapist Nicole Kahn

Being sucessful in a relationship requires many things including the ability to recognize troublesome differences. Occasionally, our relationships get strained and are not able to function at their optimum level. This can cause great distress within each person in the couple as well as compromise the integrity of the relationship itself. Whether you are recently dating or involved in a long-term relationship, engaging in therapy will provide you with the support and insight needed to better understand and work through your relationship difficulties. You will gain the ability to better manage conflicts, to identify and avoid repeating patterns of distress, and will learn effective communication skills. Acquiring these tools will re-ignite the connection that brought you together so that you may enjoy a successful, happy, and fulfilling relationship for years to come.

 

Couples Therapy / Marriage Counseling
Premarital Counseling

 

Couples Therapy / Marriage Counseling

Being in a relationship often brings with it a set of expectations and rules about how each person "should" act toward the other. When we embark on a new relationship, we bring with us a lifetime of traumas, hurts, and disappointments that, unknowingly, may get projected onto our partner. Our preconceived notions about the roles of our partner and of ourself in the relationship and our level of communication can create stumbling blocks to real and lasting intimacy.
The goal of couples therapy/marriage counseling is to help you better understand the dynamics of your relationship so that conflicts get resolved and the connection you once shared becomes revitalized. Utilizing an eclectic approach that incorporates psychodynamic, solution-focused, and cognitive techniques provides you with the tools to maintain and create a deeper and a more solid bond over time. You will have the opportunity to explore core feelings that may be undermining your communication with each other as well as uncover ways of thinking that may be preventing you from deeply connecting to one another. You will be given concrete steps for effective communication and so will acquire the tools to communicate better, negotiate differences, problem solve, and even argue in a healthier way. With increased insight and better communication skills, your partnership will be restored to its natural state of balance and connection.

 

Premarital Counseling

Entering into marriage is an exciting yet serious commitment. Marriage is one of the biggest transitions a person can make, and so it is quite normal to experience feelings of anxiety, confusion, and even doubt. As we live in a culture obsessed with the "perfect" wedding, we often lose sight of the importance of nurturing our relationship and our forthcoming marriage. Premarital counseling provides couples with a safe space to freely discuss desires, needs, and concerns within the relationship as well as to examine the integrity of the relationship's future. Couples are given an opportunity to discuss topics that often get ignored amid wedding plans, such as marriage expectations, money, children, role expectations, and core values. Therapy fosters healthy and more open communication between couples and paves the path for both a smooth transition into marriage and a fulfilling, long-term relationship.

 

Nicole provides counseling and therapy to individuals, adults, teens, couples and families.  She treats issues including depression, anxiety, grief, loss, healing trauma, eliminating overeating, weight management, stress management, life transitions, personal growth, self-esteem, relationships, premarital counseling, improving communication and chronic pain.  Nicole serves the greater San Diego area including La Jolla, University City, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mira Mesa, UTC, Sorrento Valley, Carmel Valley, Del Mar, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, and Point Loma.