Couples Therapy - Beverly J. Scott L.M.F.T. - Pacific Coast Counseling

Couples Therapy

Couples therapy at Pacific Coast Counseling helps partners repair connection, manage conflict, and deepen intimacy using evidence-informed methods tailored to relationship needs. With over 25 years of experience working with couples, I guide partners through safe, structured therapy that addresses both the emotional and behavioral elements that maintain distress. Whether you’re dealing with chronic arguing, a breach of trust, sexual concerns, or life transitions, couples therapy provides tools to rebuild secure attachment and grow lasting closeness.

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Three people in a counseling session. A woman speaks to a couple seated on a rug. They all hold paperwork.
Couple on sofa with therapist, indoors. Therapist seated, couple looking toward her, listening.
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Why Couples Therapy Matters

Relationships are central to emotional health and life satisfaction. When communication patterns become toxic or unresolved hurts accumulate, partners may drift apart, fueling emotional pain and isolation. Couples therapy helps partners break destructive cycles, identify unmet needs, and create new ways of relating that support mutual growth. Therapy builds skills for transparent communication, conflict resolution, and emotional attunement—elements essential to sustainable partnership.

Core benefits of couples therapy

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Improved communication

Learn to express needs without blame and listen deeply to your partner.

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Repair of attachment injuries

Structured interventions address betrayals and restore safety.

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Better conflict management

Replace escalation with effective problem-solving strategies.

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Increased intimacy

Reconnect emotionally and physically through guided exercises.

Couple embraces on a couch, foreheads touching, arms around each other. Inside near a window.

Clarity during transitions

Navigate major life changes—parenthood, retirement, relocation—with a shared plan.

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Anger and reactivity reduction

Develop regulation tools to reduce destructive patterns.

Recurrent fights about same issues

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Emotional distance and loss of intimacy

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Sexual dissatisfaction or changes in desire

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Infidelity or secrecy

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Parenting disagreements and blended family issues

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Stress from life transitions

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Difficulty communicating under stress

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Common reasons couples seek therapy

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First sessions focus on assessment and mapping the relationship. We identify conflict patterns, attachment styles, and specific goals. The initial phase may involve separate interviews to understand each partner’s perspective, followed by joint sessions that set a collaborative treatment plan.

Assessment and Initial Sessions

Therapeutic approaches used in couples therapy

Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)

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Helps partners access underlying emotions, reshape interaction patterns, and create secure bonds.

Gottman-influenced interventions

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Practical tools for increasing fondness, reducing defensiveness, and improving problem-solving.

Cognitive-behavioral techniques

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Address distorted thinking and behavioral cycles that maintain conflict.

Attachment-based strategies

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Focus on creating secure emotional safety and responsiveness.

Behavioral exercises

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Structured at-home tasks to practice new communication and intimacy skills.

Repairing trust after infidelity

Infidelity is one of the most common reasons couples seek therapy. Recovery includes:

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Handling chronic conflict and demand-withdraw cycles

Many couples fall into ‘demand-withdraw’ cycles where one partner pursues change and the other pulls away. Therapy offers:

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Sexual issues and intimacy concerns

Sexual dissatisfaction is often a symptom of broader relational dynamics. Therapy addresses:

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Practical skills taught in couples therapy

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Session logistics

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Session length

Standard couples sessions last between 50 and 90 minutes depending on the complexity of the issues addressed.
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Frequency

Weekly or biweekly sessions are often recommended at the start to establish progress and consistency.

Mode

Therapy is offered in-person at 1611 South Pacific Coast Highway #200b, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 or through secure telehealth.
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Fees

Sessions are private pay with superbills available for out-of-network reimbursement to support insurance claims.
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Sometimes individual therapy helps a partner address personal issues—trauma, depression, or substance use—that affect the relationship. Couples therapy may proceed in tandem with individual work; coordination is handled with consent and clear boundaries.

When to consider individual therapy alongside couples work

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Research supports the effectiveness of approaches like EFT and integrative couples therapy in reducing relationship distress, improving satisfaction, and increasing relationship stability.
Therapy is most effective when both partners are engaged and willing to practice skills outside sessions.

Evidence for couples therapy effectiveness

Progress is measured through relational indicators—the frequency and intensity of fights, emotional responsiveness, sexual satisfaction, and daily interactions. We set concrete goals, such as reducing weekly escalations and increasing expressions of appreciation, and track them regularly to ensure therapy produces measurable change.

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Measuring progress and success

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Common challenges in couples therapy

Reluctance from One Partner

Therapy remains effective by focusing on individual changes that influence relationship dynamics.

High Conflict or Safety Concerns

Safety protocols guide therapy when violence or severe harm is present, with referrals as needed.

Slow Progress

Changing long-term patterns requires commitment, patience, and consistent practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can therapy save my marriage?

    Couples therapy can significantly improve relationship functioning but success depends on mutual commitment, severity of issues, and willingness to engage in new behaviors.

  • How long will therapy take?

    Some couples see improvement within 8–12 sessions; deeper change may take several months.

  • Do you work with same-sex couples?

    Yes—affirmative, inclusive therapy for couples of all orientations and identities.

  • What if my partner refuses therapy?

    Individual sessions can begin and we can develop strategies to encourage participation.

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Contact and scheduling

Call (310) 544-0166 to schedule an initial phone consultation. A 20–30 minute consultation helps determine fit, logistics, and the best approach for your relationship.

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(310) 544-0166

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Closing summary

Couples therapy at Pacific Coast Counseling is a practical, compassionate, and research-informed path to restored connection. Whether you’re facing betrayal, chronic conflict, or fading intimacy, therapy provides the tools and structure to heal and grow together.a