Why couples therapy?
Couples rarely come to me because of a single conflict, but rather because the same argument keeps recurring or because there’s been a lull in their relationship. Both are signs that their emotional connection has become unstable. This is exactly where my work comes in, whether in acute crises or with couples who want to consciously strengthen their relationship.
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT)
I practice Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) as developed by Dr. Sue Johnson. It is based on attachment research and assumes that the need for a secure emotional connection with a close partner is biologically ingrained in us. When this bond becomes insecure, it often leads to a relationship crisis that causes both partners significant distress. EFT is one of the most thoroughly researched approaches in couples therapy.
In everyday life, this manifests as a recurring pattern: one person seeks closeness and becomes demanding or angry in the process, while the other withdraws to avoid making things worse. The more one side pushes, the further the other pulls away, and in the end, both feel alone. This pattern is the real problem, not the partner’s personality. This means it’s not you against your partner, but both of you against the pattern.
What does couples therapy look like?
Couples sessions usually take place as 100-minute double sessions, either at my practice in Munich’s Maxvorstadt neighborhood or online via video consultation. Depending on your needs, couples therapy or couples coaching may involve a varying number of sessions, combining double sessions as a couple with individual sessions. A typical therapy process based on Emotion-Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) looks like this:
Getting to Know Each Other and Assessment. We begin with two joint sessions, followed by a 50-minute individual session with each of you. These sessions focus on your shared history, the pattern you’re stuck in, and the moments when you’re able to connect well with each other. I also use questionnaires to supplement this process. At the end of this phase, we’ll work together to determine whether couples therapy is the right choice for you and what your goals are.
Phase 1: Stabilization. We slow down the arguments and make visible the cycle in which you’re both trapped. This alone takes the edge off many conflicts.
Phase 2: Realigning the Bond. Now it becomes possible to do what had no place in the old pattern: to reveal what lies beneath the anger or withdrawal, and to experience that the other person can respond to it. From these moments, a secure bond is reestablished.
Phase 3: Consolidation. We apply what we’ve achieved to old points of contention and everyday life so that you can find your way back to each other even without guidance when things get difficult.
When is couples therapy the right format?
The prerequisite is that both partners feel safe during our sessions together. If that is not the case, another approach is the right choice for now, and I’d be happy to help you find the appropriate resource. Issues such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder do not preclude couples therapy. Emotional isolation often even exacerbates such issues, so the two can coexist effectively.
Openness is essential
Couples therapy can only be effective if both partners are honest. If there is something your partner doesn’t know, I’ll help you address it in a safe setting before we continue working together.
Quality assurance
In couples therapy as well, I regularly assess the progress of the therapy for diagnostic purposes and evaluate whether the goals have been achieved at the end of treatment. Through supervision and intervision with fellow professionals, I reflect on the content and process of my work as needed. In this way, the quality of your treatment is reviewed and ensured on multiple levels.
What my clients say about me:
Appointments for couples therapy in my practice in Munich
Please note: couples therapy is not covered by statutory or private health insurance, as it does not constitute treatment of an illness in the insurers‘ sense. It is therefore offered on a self-pay basis. I am happy to tell you my fees on request.
In addition to face-to-face appointments in my practice in Munich Maxvorstadt, I also offer online appointments, which you can attend from the comfort of your own home using your smartphone, laptop, or tablet. To arrange an initial consultation, please contact me via email and I will get back to you directly.
hallo at praxisleibrecht dot de
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Please note: My practice operates on an appointment-only basis. Therefore, if you cancel less than 72 hours in advance or fail to show up, you will be charged a portion of the fee. Health insurance companies generally do not reimburse this cancellation fee.
Your way to the practice in Munich
You can find me at Theresienstraße 148, 80333 in Munich’s Maxvorstadt district, right next to the “Theresienstraße” U2 subway stop—just a 3‑minute walk away. The practice is located on the premises of Studio 148 Ausatmen.Einatmen.
