Introduction to
Weekly Couples Therapy, offered virtually by Alex Szablya, provides a traditional format for exploring meaning and joy in a partnership, better communication and goodwill, and the path to a more fulfilling, harmonious union. Couples meet once a week with Alex to process emotions, express more of their authentic selves, and learn practical skills they can continue applying at home.
Alex is distinguished from many other therapists in that she emphasizes the positive when it comes to relationships: what is already working, the ways each partner is contributing, the positive intentions of each client, and the potential for the partnership to deepen. This mindset is invaluable, as many couples come into counseling already filled with pessimism, anxiety, and mistrust. Alex believes that love is a decision, and with the right tools, partners can achieve the positive outcome they desire.
Alex works with all kinds of couples: Same-gendered, non-binary, polyamorous, and heteronormative. Her clients hail from all over the globe and have a wide array of backgrounds. Whether they are struggling with issues of physical and emotional intimacy, are in crises due to perpetual roadblocks, or are simply seeking to take their partnership to the next level, Alex provides a supportive, solution-focused setting where clients can reimagine their bond.
To take the first steps with weekly couples therapy, you will meet with Alex Szablya virtually to learn more about her evidence-based approach and the specific modalities she incorporates into her work.
This unique 30-minute introductory session is distinguished by the following points:
During your initial meeting, you and Alex may discuss:
Alex Szablya helps couples strengthen their unions and rebuild connection, fondness, and goodwill. She employs data-driven therapeutic models to bolster healthy communication, resolve longstanding conflicts, and restore a close, nurturing partnership. Weekly sessions are held virtually, but may be in person in New Orleans or in other cities. Complete an introductory call with Alex to learn more.
Some of the core strategies Alex employs in her work include:
Based on the work of Dr. Sue Johnson, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) helps couples relearn tenderness, empathy, and commitment in their partnerships. Couples learn to break out of self-destructive, cyclical conflicts and become more vulnerable, expressive, and authentic.
The Gottman Method is an evidence-based therapeutic approach developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman. It helps clients disarm relationship conflicts by facilitating verbal communication, respect, intimacy, and vulnerability. The Gottman Method utilizes the Sound Relationship House theory to help individuals move beyond the Four Horsemen (criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling).
Relational therapy draws on psychodynamic and psychoanalytic theories, supporting the belief that healthy, stable, and satisfying relationships foster optimal well-being. This approach favors deeper bonds between therapist and client, helping couples to practice secure, healthy attachments.
During weekly couples sessions, Alex will introduce an array of new tools, skills, and concepts to clients, including the following:
Also referred to as the Emotional Bank account exercise, building goodwill in your relationship can go a long way toward reinstating the harmonious bond you seek. Partners will learn to incorporate gestures, both verbal and nonverbal, that foster fondness, trust, and closeness. Improved connection can be achieved by:
This concept is derived from the Masters of Marriage work in John Gottman’s research. The Masters speak to each other with an attitude that their partner’s point of view is valid, that it makes sense, even when very different from their own. They strive to offer ideas or solutions that encompass both their own point of view and their partner’s.
Through this lens, each partner is both teacher and student. A ‘good’ teacher instructs using encouragement. This means taking note of what your spouse does well and communicating their successes. A ‘good’ teacher points out what isn’t working well with gentleness, fusing constructive criticism with positive statements, and asking for positive needs. A ‘good’ student considers a partner’s subjective reality as valid. A ‘good’ student also listens deeply and strives to meet a partner’s needs.
During weekly sessions, Alex will have partners imagine a bullseye, with concentric circles that extend outward. The innermost sanctum is reserved for the partner alone, while friends, children, family members, and professional relationships can be placed in the outer circles. This helps partners to begin to prioritize their bond as their primary focus and better understand the sacredness of their union.
When clients choose Alex for coaching therapy to help rebuild their connection, they are already making a decision in the right direction. Partners always have the choice to turn towards each other, turn away from each other, or turn against each other. Alex supports couples to choose each other over and over, embracing a positive approach to the relationship that fosters goodwill, closeness, and hope.
With time, weekly couples therapy can help build therapeutic momentum, offering a forum to re-establish trust, connection, and bonding. Benefits of weekly sessions with Alex include:
Ideal candidates for weekly couples therapy are partners who:
Weekly sessions can be especially helpful for those dealing with the following:
Weekly couples therapy offers partners a consistent, structured setting where they can learn to foster goodwill, express each other’s love language, see each other’s reality and point of view as valid, and gain in understanding, empathy, and connection. Appointments usually last 50-70 minutes and require clients to actively participate, share emotional vulnerability, and commit to take-home activities.
As a first step, clients will complete a detailed intake and assessment form. Early sessions will explore social and cultural backgrounds and conditioning, and the couple’s goals for a more satisfying, harmonious union. Couples will create measurable goals to work toward, providing a clear roadmap of what success looks like in their individual cases.
The standard format for weekly couples therapy includes:
Rates for weekly counseling and other services are $300 per hour for couples and $250 per session for individuals. Alex can go over pricing with you in more depth during your introductory call. Alex is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). She has a Master’s in Psychology from Seattle University.
Alex Szablya supports couples seeking to take their relationship to a new level of trust, communication, bonding, and mutual respect. She works with evidence-based therapeutic modalities in Marathon Intensives and weekly sessions, helping clients experience improved connection, fondness, and love. She employs established methods such as Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Relational Therapy, and the Gottman Method.
Clients from all over the globe seek out Alex Szablya, including those from Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. She works with men and women in technology, academia, finance, or other sectors, providing timely, personalized insights that help partnerships get back on track.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
To get started with Weekly Couples Therapy in New Orleans and beyond, reach out to Alex Szablya’s friendly team today to book an informative, empowering introductory session. Alex is an experienced couples coach, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who can help partners achieve the harmonious, fulfilling unions they most desire. Call today to get started on the path to renewed intimacy, connection, and closeness.