Couples and Family Therapy in Hawai’i and Colorado

Who It’s For

My couples therapy and family therapy services are designed for partners and family members who:

  • Feel disconnected despite their best efforts to communicate

  • Find themselves caught in the same conflicts repeatedly

  • Want to deepen their sense of closeness or intimacy

  • Are navigating life transitions - like having a baby or taking care of a parent - or relationship challenges

  • Seek to rebuild trust and security in their connection

LGBTQ+ Relationships As a therapist with specialized training in gender-affirming care, I provide an inclusive space for LGBTQ+ couples to explore their unique relationship dynamics. I understand that LGBTQ+ relationships often navigate additional stressors and social contexts that impact connection, and I bring both cultural competence and specific training to this work.

Polyamorous and CNM Relationships With understanding and training in polyamorous and consensually non-monogamous relationships, I provide inclusive care to people in all types of relationship structures.

Common Challenges

People often come to couples therapy and family therapy when they're experiencing:

  • Communication patterns that leave them feeling unheard

  • Emotional distance or disconnection

  • Recurring conflicts that never seem to resolve

  • Difficulty recovering from breaches of trust, such as affairs or other attachment injuries

  • Transitions that strain the relationship (career changes, becoming parents, etc.)

  • Intimacy or sexual compatibility concerns

The EFT Approach

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is an evidence-based approach that helps couples identify and transform negative interaction cycles. Rather than simply teaching communication skills, EFT addresses the attachment needs and emotions that drive our responses to our partners.

In EFT, we:

  1. Identify the negative cycle that keeps you stuck

  2. Explore the deeper emotions and needs beneath surface reactions

  3. Facilitate new, more vulnerable interactions that build security

  4. Strengthen the bond between partners

Research shows that 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery using EFT, and 90% show significant improvement.

What to Expect

Our work typically begins with 1-2 sessions to understand your relationship history and current challenges. We'll then meet weekly or biweekly for 50 to 75-minute sessions, generally for 15-20 sessions depending on your specific situation.

Between sessions, you'll be invited to notice your negative interaction pattern and practice new ways of interacting in your daily life. This integration work helps accelerate the reconnection process.

As we progress, many couples report feeling a deeper sense of connection, greater emotional safety, and more satisfying interactions even before therapy concludes.

Outcomes

While each couple's journey is unique, clients often experience:

  • A clear understanding of their negative interaction cycle

  • Greater emotional intimacy and connection

  • Improved ability to discuss difficult topics

  • Increased security in the relationship

  • New patterns of interaction that foster closeness

  • Enhanced capacity to repair after conflicts

"We came in barely speaking to each other, feeling hopeless and ready to separate. After working with Angela, we've developed a completely new way of understanding each other's reactions and needs. The fights that used to last days now get resolved in minutes because we know what's really happening beneath the surface." — Former Client