Couple’s Counseling & Marriage Therapy Services

As a psychologist specializing in relationships, I’ve seen hundreds of families hurt by the breakup of marriages. Fortunately, there are terrific marriage counselors that help couples unlearn the behaviors destroying the relationship and replace them with those that sustain happy marriages. I have had the pleasure of seeing many couples, who were on the brink of divorce, utilize couple’s therapy to find happiness again within their marriage. –- Dr. Tina Lepage, Founder, Lepage Associates

  • Premarital Counseling
  • Couples Therapy for All Concerns
  • Discernment Counseling
  • Improving Communication
  • Increasing Understanding & Empathy
  • Conflict Management
  • Effective Problem Resolution
  • Balancing Individual Needs with Couple Needs
  • Increasing Sexual And Emotional Intimacy
  • Moving Past an Affair
  • Balancing Marriage & Extended Family
  • Coping with Work Stress at Home
  • Work-Life Balance
  • Parenting Problems
  • Differences in Parenting Styles
  • The Empty Nest
  • Miscarriage & Infertility
  • Agreeing on Major Life Decisions
  • Transition into Retirement

Couple’s Therapists

DurhamRaleighChapel HillTelehealthAdministration

Durham Office Clinicians

David Moreau

David Moreau enjoys working with couples in a safe, non-judgmental environment that allows them to identify issues causing disconnection and distress in their relationship. Communication difficulties, intimacy challenges, infidelity and broken trust, parenting differences, and an inability to resolve conflicts are some of the common relationship challenges that couples experience. Mr. Moreau incorporates several therapeutic approaches in his work including Client-Centered, Humanistic, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Psychoeducation, depending on the couple’s presenting issues. Mr. Moreau believes that couples experience the most effective change when there is a therapeutic alliance of mutual trust and respect between the therapist and the couple. Mr. Moreau considers it an honor to journey with couples as they courageously seek to improve their relationship and flourish in their life together.

HOPE VENETTA, LCMHCA

Ms. Hope Venetta enjoys working with couples and provides them with a safe, non-judgmental environment that allows them to identify issues causing distress in their relationship. Those issues may range from communication difficulties to life transition issues to infidelity. Broken trust, parenting differences, and an inability to resolve conflicts are also common difficulties that cause unhappiness and heartache. Ms. Veneta incorporates several therapeutic approaches in her work including Client-Centered, Humanistic, Cognitive-Behavioral, Behavior Management, and Psychoeducation, depending on the couple’s presenting issues. It is her belief that the most effective change happens when there is a therapeutic alliance of mutual trust and respect between the therapist and clients. One of Ms. Venetta’s special interests is premarital counseling. She is certified as a SYMBIS Facilitator (Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts). 

Dr. Ellie Gottstein

For Dr. Ellie Gottstein, effective couples counseling begins with exploring individual and shared histories and working together to identify shared goals to work towards together. Dr. Gottstein believes exploring difficult feelings and sitting with discomfort are challenging but necessary tools to use in order to work through longstanding relational patterns. Being open to growth through learning new ways of relating are vital for this process. She strives to be neutral while being empathetic and authentic with both parties in the dyad. Dr. Gottstein welcomes couples of all ethnicities, cultures, genders, and sexual orientations. Working towards shared goals is a challenge that Dr. Gottstein hopes to guide her couples through whatever comes their way including parenting, infidelity, grief, life transitions, and/or mental health concerns.

ELIZABETH SCHREIBER, PSY.D.

Dr. Elizabeth Schreiber utilizes evidence-based approaches in her work with couples, primarily informed by Emotion-Focused Therapy. She works to identify negative patterns in relationships that are affecting the couple’s connection. Dr. Schreiber strives to create an environment where couples feel safe to share their difficulties, and works to promote an environment where couples can reflect on themselves, learn about each other, and explore patterns in their relationships. Treatment will consist of exploring core issues within the relationship and working with couples to gain a better understanding of those issues while focusing on truly listening to and hearing one another. Dr. Schreiber strives to remain neutral while continuing to be empathetic and genuine.

MEREDITH BURGER, LCSWA

Ms. Meredith Burger enjoys working with couples to help them improve their relationship by strengthening their connection and understanding of each other, and evolving to healthier interactions. Beginning couples therapy can be a difficult process and often couples have found themselves in great pain and hopelessness before they do. Other couples may be seeking support in their relationship in hopes of preventing or addressing problems before they become barriers. For any seeking help, Ms. Burger’s aim is to provide a safe, welcoming, and neutral environment for these courageous couples to reflect on themselves, explore patterns in their relationship, and identify specific issues causing distress. These issues can range from communication difficulties, broken trust, destructive conflict, and life transition challenges. Through the development of shared treatment goals and mutual understanding, Ms. Burger believes in each couple’s power to reconcile differences, rebuild trust, and strengthen their relationship.

RAE ANN HAMILTON, LPA

Rae Ann Hamilton enjoys working with couples and provides them with a safe, non-judgmental environment that allows them to identify issues causing distress in their relationship. Those issues may range from communication difficulties to life transition issues to infidelity.

ERICA PRITZKER, PSY.D.

Couples may enter therapy to work through a crisis, adjust problematic dynamics, or deepen connection and intimacy. Whatever the circumstances, Dr. Pritzker aims to meet couples where they are and foster a non-judgmental environment conducive to growth. She believes couples have the potential to benefit from therapy at any stage of a relationship or phase of life. Dr. Pritzker welcomes couples of all ethnicities, cultures, genders, and sexual orientations. She recognizes each relationship is comprised of individuals with personal histories, traits, needs, and desires. At the same time, every couple is a unique dynamic with its own challenges and opportunities. Working effectively with couples means both honoring the parts and strengthening the whole. In her work with couples, Dr. Pritzker is especially attuned to communication patterns in the relationship. Other important topics in couple’s therapy may include parenting, family dynamics, infidelity, grief, substance use, life decision and transitions, work, and individual mental health concerns.

COLLEEN HAMILTON, PSY.D.

Dr. Colleen Hamilton enjoys premarital therapy, and for married couples an early intervention, “preventive medicine” approach when experiencing difficulties. She encourages couples to come in early in their relationship to help develop excellent couple’s communication and interaction skills. This also helps couples identify possible topics that may become problematic, and allows these concerns to be addressed sooner rather than later. When problems do occur, she encourages couples to come in as soon as they realize the problem is not alleviating quickly; research has shown that people who get help for problems early on are more successful and therapy takes less time. If individual issues such as depression, stress/anxiety, anger management, high emotionality, or trauma are impacting the relationship, Dr. Hamilton can take a combined individual and couple’s sessions approach to address these concerns. As a child psychologist as well, if child/teen issues are impacting the couple’s relationship, she can help guide and coach the parents to effectively address the child-related issues and alleviate the stress on the couple.

LINDSEY OHLER, PSY.D.

Dr. Lindsey Ohler is actively involved in assisting couples thoroughly assess and understand the root of their difficulties. She creates a safe environment where both partners comfortably share the struggles of their relationship and disclose their perceptions of one another.

TINA LEPAGE, PSY.D.

Couples counseling/marriage therapy has been a primary specialty area for Dr. Lepage, and remains one of her favorite things to do. She has received specialized training from renowned psychologists to include: being part of an exclusive, personalized 9-hour 10-person training with Dr. Albert Ellis, a 2-day training with sex therapist Dr. Barry McCarthy, and a 2-day training with Drs. John & Julie Gottman.

Raleigh Office Clinicians

HEIDI LECOUNT, LCMHCA, NCC

As a therapist, Heidi helps couples to identify their challenges and goals for therapy as the first step in the process. She views couples therapy as a collaborative journey and fosters that through mutual respect, while guiding conversations so that each individual is heard. Using person-centered and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) modalities, each person begins to better understand themselves, their role within the relationship, and how their spouse/significant other operates, while they work together developing healthy relationship skills. Heidi enjoys working with couples who present to therapy to address communication skills and coping strategies, and assists them to identify risks as well as protective factors within the relationship.

MELISSA HUEMMER, LCSW

Throughout her career, Melissa has worked with couples in crisis and transitions, and has experience managing relationship challenges that can arise between spouses, significant others, or partners. Melissa understands that at times relationships can be uncertain, even very upsetting, and couples may benefit from professional intervention. By focusing on the partners’ strengths, Melissa encourages clients to seek common ground and explore solutions for each couple and individual to be living in a healthy manner. To accomplish this goal, she utilizes psychoeducation about relationship stress and positive communication skill-building. By teaching mindfulness and positive coping skills along with other strategic interventions, Melissa assists couples in healing and even strengthening their relationship. Relationships can be defined in many different ways and Melissa explores with an open mind how the couple has chosen to define their commitment to the partnership. Couples are encouraged to identify their own needs and take responsibility for communicating that to their partner, and being receptive to hearing what their partner is seeking. Being open and willing to try new forms of communication is a way to restore the positive aspects of your relationship.

CHERYL COHEN, LCSW

Ms. Cheryl Cohen is an interactive couples therapist who strives to bring forth strengths in the relationship and help minimize/improve the deficits. She is empathic, genuine and intuitive in nature. Cheryl will start by getting an in-depth assessment from the couple and each person individually, to have the most comprehensive information to work with when addressing the couple’s concerns. Healthy couples are a product of healthy individuals.

ALEXANDRA MAESTRE, PSY.D.

Dr. Alexandra Maestre aims to create a warm, non-judgmental, and empathic environment for couples. At the onset of treatment, she focuses on exploring with the couple the struggles that led them to seek therapy, while also highlighting the couple’s past successes and strengths that have helped them overcome obstacles. Dr. Maestre encourages each person to share their perception of the relationship and what they wish to achieve through therapy. In addition, she places great emphasis on communication and developing empathy for one another to reduce struggles, reconcile differences, and strengthen the relationship.

Chapel Hill Office Clinicians

STEPHEN MESSER, PH.D.

Relationships are difficult. This simple truth lies at the foundation of Dr. Messer’s interest and commitment to helping couples move forward.

KEVIN METZ, PSY.D.

Dr. Kevin Metz has a genuine and profound interest in working with couples. His work includes improving and strengthening communication skills before entering into marriage and helping couples work through and take control of deep-seated patterns of behavior and communication styles that cause conflict after years of marriage or partnership.

Telehealth Online Office Clinicians

Couple Teletherapy

All Therapists Listed Above Are Providing Teletherapy Services For Clients, All Telemedication Services Are Online, And Many Psychological Evaluations Can Be Done Using Telehealth As Well.

INDIVIDUALS: ENHANCING RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH SELF-ENHANCEMENT

  • Self-Exploration & Self-Improvement
  • Setting Goals for Personal Growth
  • Developing & Maintaining Healthy Friendships
  • Understanding Oneself in Relationships
  • Building Self-Esteem
  • Motivation & Confidence

Time-Limited Personal Growth Groups

  • General Issues
  • Creating Joy Building Self-Esteem
  • Effective Communication
  • Women’s Issues
  • Solution-Based Living
  • Building Resilience

YOUNG ADULTS & COLLEGE STUDENTS

  • Intimate Relationships
  • Making Decisions About Sex
  • Balancing Autonomy & Parents
  • Long Distance Relationships
  • Couples Therapy

Time-Limited Relationship Enhancement Group for Couples

  • Men & Women Sharing

Time-Limited Parenting Groups

  • Parenting Teenagers
  • Overcoming Parenting Dilemmas (deals with all ages, birth-18)

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