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Online Couples Therapy in
Los Angeles and Beyond

Resolving Relationship & Intimacy Issues | Licensed
Clinical Psychologist in California
and New York

Building intimate connections can be one of the most
rewarding and challenging aspects of your life. Lack of
intimacy and feelings of isolation, including within the
context of a relationship, can be a contributing factor to
psychological distress. Couples therapy in Los Angeles,
across California or New York can help you address and
resolve issues you and your partner(s) are facing.

Dialogue Therapy for Couples

For couple therapy I rely on an integrative depth approach
called Dialogue Therapy. This novel method brings
together psychoanalytic strategy with mindfulness and
elements of drama therapy to help couples learn and apply
skills to navigate conflict, enhance communication, and
bring about a deepening intimacy. The founder of this
method, Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath in Love Between
Equals, writes: “The mutuality of true love feels raw and
exposed, as though your heart is on a platter: within this
mutuality you risk being both deeply loved and deeply hurt.”

“Dr. Matthew Silverstein is an excellent couple therapist who is
trained in Dialogue Therapy. He is also an overall excellent clinician. I
know his work through supervising him and recommend him highly
for couples or individuals. He’s thoughtful, intelligent, and
competent.”

— Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath

Through Dialogue Therapy you will learn
tools to better listen to each other, build trust,
empathy, and love for each other–as you are

So many challenges can affect couples regardless of how
long they’ve been together. You might feel like something
is missing from your relationship, patterns of arguing and
fighting may repeat without being resolved, or maybe
addiction and co-addiction are overtaking your capacity to
connect more authentically.

What’s Getting in the Way of Healthy
Relationships?

Cultural values and community support can be such a
source of guidance and strength for couples. Yet when
collective beliefs are used to shame or judge couples that
may be non-normative whether because of gender, age,
ability, religious, or ethnic differences, this can intrude into
the well-being of relationships. Relationships can also
become a venue for enacting, often unintentionally, old
patterns of addiction, hurt, neglect, or abuse. When a
couple lacks the tools for navigating differences or
communicating about problems in a way that can be
mutually helpful, trust and intimacy often start to break
down.

“To open our hearts more fully to love’s power
and grace we must dare to acknowledge how
little we know of love in both theory and practice.”

— bell hooks, “All About Love”

The Benefits of Couples Therapy Los Angeles
and Beyond

Couple therapy can provide a productive arena to first
acknowledge the realities of the relationship. It can
provide a venue to realistically and compassionately
assess what is challenging to an existing or desired
relationship and what may be interfering with growing
individually or as a couple, accepting one’s own sexuality,
erotic interests, financial needs, relationship values
(e.g. monogamy, polyamory, kink, open relationships, being
solitary), and extra-relationship values (e.g., family, friends,
community, and religious life).

Participating in couples therapy in Los Angeles can also
offer insight, skills, and tools needed to reduce conflict,
sustain stability, and build enduring intimacy over time.
Couples therapy can offer an opportunity to explore the
possibility of deepening a relationship and solidifying
commitment, or sometimes, it can be a respectful and
loving way of allowing a relationship to come to a natural
close.

Couples Therapy in a Fast-Paced City Like Los Angeles

Building and maintaining relationships can be difficult in such a large, fast-paced city like Los Angeles. Did you know more than
26,000 same-sex couples live in Los Angeles County—the highest number of same-sex couples in any county in the state of
California?

How Can Couples in Los Angeles and Beyond
Strengthen Their Relationships with Therapy?

Every couple is different, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for couples who want to strengthen their relationships. Fortunately, couples therapy can provide you with personalized insights and takeaways designed to help you achieve your unique goals. Here are just a few ways to nurture more connected, intimate relationships

  • Practice Effective Communication: Open and honest communication is key to any relationship’s success. Couples can practice active listening, express their needs clearly, and avoid criticism or defensiveness when expressing themselves. For example, paraphrasing what your partner says before responding can promote a sense of understanding.
  • Spend Quality Time Together: Focus on spending time together without distractions (such as scrolling through Instagram on your phone or answering work emails in front of each other). Quality time together helps strengthen emotional connections and reinforces how much you care about your relationship.
  • Express Gratitude and Appreciation: Regularly expressing appreciation makes a world of difference. Understand each other’s “love languages” and what makes your partner feel seen, heard, and appreciated. The smallest gestures can make the biggest impact.
  • Manage Conflict Constructively: Things happen, but how couples handle conflict is crucial. Focus on the issue at hand without attacking each other’s traits or character. Consider using “I” statements (“I feel” instead of “You always”) to move toward a resolution.
  • Support Individual Growth: A healthy relationship balances togetherness with individuality. Support your partner’s personal goals and respect their space. Doing so can lead to more fulfillment in the relationship.
  •  

Looking for Couples Therapy in Los Angeles, or Anywhere in
California or New York? Let’s Connect.

I’m a Clinical Psychologist licensed in both California and New York offering online therapy for adult couples across the age, gender, and cultural spectrum. Give me a call if you are ready to:

—Move through conflict and cultivate healthier, more effective communication
—Deepen emotional and physical intimacy
—Recommit to what makes your relationship meaningful and lasting

Supporting LGBTQ+ couples across Los Angeles, California and New York is a central part of my practice. As a gay/queer psychologist who has worked with LGBTQ+ couples for more than two decades, I bring the sensitivity, skill, and understanding that can make a difference. I would be honored to help you work toward your intimate relationship goals. Send me a message and I’ll reply as soon as possible!

Let's Connect