What is The Gottman Method of Couples Therapy?
The Gottman Method of Couples Therapy is based upon 38 years of breakthrough findings on marriage, relationships and parenting through their own “Love Lab” research. John and Julie Gottman are the founders of the Gottman Institute where they currently teach weekend workshops for couples and training workshops for clinicians.
What is different about Gottman Method Couples Therapy is the focus on emotion, building skills for managing conflict, building skills for friendship and creating shared meaning. Historically, the Gottman Method is also most known for identifying “The Four Horsemen” of criticism, defensiveness, contempt and stonewalling. Then eliminating the Four Horsemen with gentle start-ups, taking responsibility, describing your own feelings and needs as well as self-soothing.
Why some couples choose to restore marriage?
Many couples begin the divorce process without understanding the many implications of their decision before making it. Often times the decision to get divorced can be based on emotion and hurt. However, as the divorce process unfolds and it becomes more of a reality some couples begin seeing that divorce often creates additional problems and pain. Additional problems that had formerly not existed. According to Bridget Maher, a policy analyst on marriage and family at the Family Research Council has discovered that divorce leads to many ills including increased depression, anxiety, poor health and even a greater likelihood of suicide.
University of Chicago sociologist Linda Waite’s research shows that unhappily married adults who had divorced were no happier than those who had stayed married. Some of the 13 measures of well-being in this study included self-esteem, personal mastery, depression, and life purpose. Fathers who do not live with their children are more likely to engage in behaviors that compromise their health. Also, divorced mothers are less able to provide the same level of emotional support to their children than married mothers. As a result, it’s important to choose wisely before divorce. Many couples who choose to restore their marriage and go on to live healthier lives relationally, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Troy Westercamp Bio
Troy Westercamp is a Professional Counselor with a M.A. in Mental Health Counseling and an M.A. in Transformational Leadership. Troy has extensive experience counseling in faith-based and clinical environments for over 15 years. Troy has extra training and experience in marriage and family counseling. He is passionate about helping enrich or restore your closest relationships.
He works from a holistic perspective integrating the physical, emotional, mental, relational and spiritual aspects of each of you. His focus is on bringing hope and guidance to you while creating a safe place to process and find solutions to your problems.
888.545.5707 x27