Couple’s Therapy

Healing your relationship from the inside out

A good relationship can be incredibly healing – a partner that truly understands you and makes you feel emotionally safe and cared for is one of the most wonderful things a person can experience. However, intimate relationships can also be a source of our greatest pain when challenges arise – few things are more poignant and devastating than heartbreak.

If you’re looking for a couples therapist, you’re likely at a crossroads in your relationship and wondering where to go next. You might feel like you’re having the same argument over-and-over again, or find that any, even minor, disagreement ends up in the same place – and wonder how you got there. Or, there might have been a big event recently, such as an affair, a massive argument, or a big life change like having a baby. Or, you might be feeling like the spark has left your relationship and you’re wondering how to get it back.

Underlying most issues, for most couples, is typically an unmet emotional need – sometimes it’s resentment, or sometimes it’s baggage we bring with us from our childhood, life experiences, or previous relationships. As your couples therapist, I’ll help get underneath the issue and find out what’s causing it so that we can heal your relationship from the inside out.

Together, we can work through:

  • Sexual or emotional infidelity  

  • Betrayal trauma 

  • Improving communication 

  • Increasing intimacy 

  • Sexual issues 

  • Family issues such as conflict with your family of origin 

  • Managing dual careers 

  • Ambivalence about having children 

  • Preparing for or adapting to parenthood

  • Child-rearing conflicts

  • Values misalignment 

  • Conflict resolution

  • Relationship disillusionment

“From the cradle to the grave, humans desire a certain someone who will look out for them, notice and value them, soothe their wounds, reassure them in life’s difficult places, and hold them in the dark.”

— Susan M. Johnson, The Practice of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy: Creating Connection

My approach

I am trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which is rooted in attachment theory science. In our work together, we’ll explore your personal biography to determine what created your attachment style – or the way you learned to relate to others. Typically, this involves an exploration of your childhood experiences and other significant personal historical events. Once you understand your attachment instincts, we’ll learn how to relate to them consciously within your relationship and create a deeper connection and understanding between you and your partner.

I am LGBT-affirmative, sex positive, and support all relationship structures. I identify as an ally of the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities.

Getting started

  1. Get in touch to schedule a free 15-minute consultation call to hear a bit more about why you’re seeking therapy and schedule our first appointment. This call can be with one or both partners. If you’re just ready to get going, we can schedule our first appointment on first contact.

  2. My fee is $175/session, which is payable via Ivy Pay, a secure digital payment portal. Payment will be due 24 hours in advance of your session to keep your first appointment. I do not take insurance at this time.

  3. I offer both virtual and in-person sessions. Let me know if you prefer to meet virtually via secure video conference or in-person at my office in Culver City. My availability varies depending on how you’d like to meet.

FAQs

  • My fee is $175/session

  • The initial consultation is a short conversation to see if we are a good fit to work together. This is your opportunity to ask me questions and get a sense of my style of working. If you have any hesitations about working together, let me know and we can talk about it. We’ll also discuss logistics such as the fee and frequency and location of sessions. If we decide that we would like to move forward, we will schedule a consistent time for us to begin our work together. If not, I am happy to offer referrals to others who may be a better fit.

  • In our first session, I’ll hear about what’s bringing you to couples therapy and we’ll identify goals for working together. I’ll ask questions about your relationship and your individual histories. Then, I’ll hold a session with each partner individually so I can get to know each of you better and hear more about your individual goals for therapy. After those sessions, we’ll dive into the work together.

  • It really depends on your specific goals for therapy. You can expect to be in therapy anywhere from a couple months to a few years. Initially, I recommend we meet in weekly sessions to make initial progress, and then I often recommend my couples move to a less regular cadence, such as meeting once or twice monthly to process recurring issues.

  • I do not participate in any health insurance networks or submit insurance claims. However, I am happy to offer you a super bill. A super bill is a summary of services, including a clinical diagnosis, which you can submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement. If your plan provides out-of-network provider coverage, you can get reimbursed for a portion of your service costs – the reimbursement rate depends on your specific plan and provider.

  • My sessions are 50 minutes long

  • I am an Associate Marriage & Family Therapist (Alexandra “Lexi” Berard, AMFT #137342) which means I have a provisional license to practice under supervision. I meet with my clinical supervisor weekly with to discuss my cases. As an AMFT, I have a master’s degree and advanced clinical training, however I am still in the process of completing the 3,000 clinical hours the California Board of Behavioral Sciences requires for full MFT licensure. The benefits to you are that you are able to get a therapist at a lower cost than market rate and you also get the benefit of my supervisor’s experience and insight.