COUPLES
Helping couples create pathways toward greater understanding and connection in any stage of their relationship.
Close connection, like air, food, and water, is essential to our being. However, overcoming the difficulties that arise when two individuals come together romantically is rarely simple.
Couples will struggle to communicate and problem-solve successfully until every school curriculum teaches the skills needed for a successful partnership, even while dealing with the disharmony and distress that so often characterizes a couple's landscape.
At Holly Ashley & Associates we assist couples from all areas of life establish stronger, healthier relationships. Emotional distance and detachment, conflict and communication, parenting concerns, sex and intimacy, adultery, financial stress, work-life balance, religion and value differences, and so much more are all addressed by our team of experienced therapists.
When couples decide to end their relationships or divorce, we have the knowledge and experience to help them navigate the complex uncoupling process while avoiding conflict and maximizing mutual respect and understanding.
From premarital counseling to mid-life issues to facing the empty nest or planning for retirement, our knowledge and experience can help couples at every point of their lives. Our passion is relationships, and we can assist you in making the most of yours.
Premarital Counseling
Being in love is only the first step. Your relationship is at such a pivotal point! Even though you and your partner are thrilled and peaceful, now is the ideal moment to work on the communication and conflict resolution skills needed to be a successful pair. Our goal is to help you go down the aisle with confidence, knowing that you are ready for the emotional demands of married life.
Our services are offered by qualified therapists and are designed to address past trauma issues, family of origin issues, mental health issues, communication, financial management, spiritual compatibility, and past sexual soul ties to provide you with a strong foundation. In addition, we assess the relationship strengths and weaknesses and develop strategies to address the problem areas before you get married. We believe that this process will be an invaluable investment to you and your partner.
Premarital topics include the following:
Assessing your relationship dynamics (strengths & growth areas), family of origin, and issues unique to your relationship.
Interpretation and discussion of the premarital assessment.
Communication and conflict resolution skills.
Money, parenting, extended family, or other unique conflict areas.
Sexual intimacy
Commitment and spiritual intimacy
Couples are encouraged to participate in no less than six premarital counseling sessions with us to get ready for their marital journey appropriately.
Christian Premarital Counseling
Christian premarital counseling option is available and is based on unchanging biblical principles. These principles are the final authority in matters pertaining to the life issues that couples face. The Bible provides clear instructions for marriage that, when understood, honored, and applied, will help your relationship be what God designed it to be. We encourage marital education and support good godly counsel prior to getting married because marriage is a holy covenant that should not be rushed into. These services are provided by Christian therapists.
Interracial Couples Counseling/Bi-Racial/Bi-Cultural
The well-known Loving v. Virginia case resulted in a historic Supreme Court ruling that legalized interracial marriage in the United States and set a precedent for future interracial marriages. Interracial marriage, despite its progress, can still pose cultural hurdles. However, these challenges can be overcome with counseling, education, and understanding.
Married life poses its own set of difficulties. Because keeping an emotional connection might be difficult when there are marital troubles, it's critical to lay a foundation for intimacy in the partnership. Understanding a spouse's cultural background can help interracial couples navigate matrimonial challenges.
Despite best efforts, couples who cannot resolve these challenges can substantially benefit from counseling. A therapist can focus on a specific issue while maintaining a realistic perspective. As a result, the best strategies for dealing with racial and cultural issues are discovered.
Dating Counseling
Do you feel that your life would be significantly better if you could find the right person to spend it with? Are you frustrated that you seem to be experiencing the same patterns in your relationships over and over, but you are unsure how to change them? Do you constantly compare everyone you date to your ex and can’t seem to have an open mind that will allow for a new relationship? Does dating terrify you, and figuring out how to go about it leaves you paralyzed?
Everyone deserves to find love and connection to enrich their life, and we understand that occasionally you may need some additional support to figure it out. Our therapists work with you to improve your self-esteem, discover what qualities in a partner will offer you fulfillment, and provide you with strategies to handle your dating anxiety. We will walk you through the process and assist you in identifying any missteps you may have made in the past.
Often, we operate from a maladaptive approach that only becomes clear when a professional therapist points out the patterns in our relationships. Even with best intentions, friends and relatives are frequently biased in their dating advice. Therapy works because we approach it objectively to assist you in becoming your best self while looking for the right companion.
Break-up & Divorce Counseling
Ending a relationship is tough. Considering the how-to and the what-ifs are emotionally and physically exhausting. What if you didn’t get a say in ending the relationship? Your partner decided for you, and you are left to pick up the pieces. Now you have to go through your day with a resemblance of normalcy, yet just getting out of bed is overwhelming. You ask yourself so many questions, and you don’t know where to start. Will the kids be okay? Can I do this on my own? How am I going to tell friends and family? How are we going to do this financially?
Ending a relationship is a significant life transition. Although you may want it to be over as quickly as possible, some important decisions must have to be made that will affect your (and your children's) future. Your objective is not simply to survive the end of the relationship; instead, you want to go through each step feeling knowledgeable and empowered to make the best choices that will favorably impact your future and ensure your healing and recovery. You can then embrace your new life with confidence and see the beautiful future awaiting you.
Navigating the end of a relationship requires strength, clarity, organization, self-care, and support. You are not alone in this process. A counselor is a partner that walks the path with you and keeps you focused and motivated. We tailor our guidance and support to meet your specific needs.
