Couples Therapy
Connected doesn’t mean conflict-free.
You can love each other and still get it wrong.
You can have real hurt between you and still want to repair it.
You can disagree and still be on the same team.
You can have a meaningful relationship and still want to take better care of it.
Couples therapy is not about eliminating conflict.
It is about giving you more ways to understand each other, repair what hurts, and find your way back.
01. 15-minute consultation
Before we schedule your first therapy appointment, we’ll have a complimentary 15-minute call.
You can tell me a little about what you’re looking for, ask questions, and get a feel for whether working together feels right.
You don’t need to tell me your entire life story in 15 minutes. We’re simply starting the conversation.
02. Initial evaluation
90-minutes • $300
Our first session is a comprehensive evaluation of your relationship, what is happening now, and what you hope to change or strengthen through therapy.
We will look at communication and conflict, closeness and distance, recurring relationship cycles, significant experiences that still influence the present, trust, intimacy, friendship, and the strengths already available to you as a couple.
From there, we will begin developing a personalized treatment plan based on the needs and strengths of your relationship.
03. Gottman Relationship Checkup
$150
The Gottman Relationship Checkup is an optional, research-based assessment developed by The Gottman Institute that can give us another layer of insight into your relationship.
You will each complete the confidential assessment independently. It looks at areas such as communication and conflict, friendship and intimacy, trust, shared values and goals, parenting, finances, and individual concerns affecting the relationship.
I review and clinically analyze the results, looking for strengths, differences in perspective, and areas that may benefit from more focused attention. Relevant findings can then be integrated into our treatment plan.
04. Couples Therapy
90 minutes • $300
This protected time allows us to move beyond simply reviewing what happened during the week and into the work itself - slowing down difficult interactions, practicing clearer communication, addressing attachment needs, repairing hurt, rebuilding trust, and strengthening connection.
Depending on your goals, we may focus on changing recurring relational cycles, improving communication and repair, strengthening intimacy and friendship, or learning new ways to respond to one another when emotions run high.
Therapy that looks at the relationship as a whole.
A difficult season is not the whole relationship. Neither is an argument, a betrayal, a period of disconnection, or the one topic you cannot seem to discuss without ending up in the same place.
My mission is to help couples move out of right versus wrong and into understanding what happens between you when things get hard - what each of you is trying to communicate, what gets missed, and what can help you respond to one another differently.
With more than 20 years of experience working with couples, I use a focused, evidenced based and integrative approach to help couples understand and change the cycles affecting their relationship.
We may look at the emotions and attachment needs beneath each partner's reactions, strengthen communication and repair, rebuild trust, and practice new ways of staying connected even when you do not agree.
Meet Linell Berkley, MSW, LCSW
Psychotherapist | EMDRIA Certified Therapist | Certified EME Practitioner
I have spent more than 20 years working with couples, and one thing experience has taught me is that two people can live inside the same relationship and experience it very differently.
Both experiences matter.
My approach is structured, collaborative, and focused on helping us understand both the dynamics affecting your relationship and the deeper emotional needs influencing them.
Depending on what will best support the two of you, treatment may incorporate the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy, attachment-based approaches, and Imago strategies.
The goal is not simply to understand your relationship better. It is to give the two of you more choices inside it.
You don’t need a perfect relationship.
You need a way to come back to each other when things get hard.
To understand what’s really being said. To repair when something hurts. To remember that even in conflict, you’re still on the same team.
There can be another way forward together.
You may be looking for a different kind of support.
Individual Therapy
One-on-one psychotherapy for anxiety, stress, trauma, grief, relationship concerns, insomnia, perfectionism, life transitions, and other experiences affecting how you feel and function.
EMDR Intensive Therapy
Extended, personalized EMDR treatment when a specific experience, concern, or response may benefit from more focused therapeutic time.
EME coaching
My separate, non-clinical coaching services centered around emotion, mind, energy, self-awareness, and intentional change.
What to know before getting started.
Not sure where to start? Reach out with any questions, or if you're ready to dive right in, schedule a free consultation today.
-
Berkley Wellness is a self-pay practice and does not bill insurance. Itemized payment receipts are available for your records. If you plan to pursue possible reimbursement, I recommend checking directly with your insurance provider about its requirements.
-
No. Some couples come because they are trying to repair something painful. Others want help with communication, intimacy, conflict, or a major transition. And some have a strong relationship that matters enough to them to keep strengthening it.
-
Your first session is a comprehensive evaluation of your relationship, current concerns, and what you hope to change or strengthen through therapy.
We will explore:
Communication and conflict patterns, including how needs are expressed and how each partner responds during difficult moments
Attachment patterns, including experiences of closeness, distance, safety, and emotional responsiveness
Recurring relationship cycles that contribute to conflict, withdrawal, resentment, or disconnection
Relationship history and significant experiences that continue to influence the present
Trust, intimacy, friendship, and emotional connection
Relationship strengths and resources that can support change
Treatment priorities and goals for your work together
From there, we will begin developing a personalized treatment plan based on the needs and strengths of your relationship.
-
Yes. I see clients in person at Berkley Wellness in Appleton and through telehealth.
-
The Gottman Relationship Checkup is an optional, research-based assessment developed by The Gottman Institute. Each partner completes it independently, and I clinically review and analyze the results. It can provide additional insight into communication, conflict, friendship, intimacy, trust, shared values and goals, parenting, finances, and individual concerns affecting the relationship.
-
No. The Checkup is optional. I may recommend it when the additional assessment data could help us better understand your relationship or focus our treatment plan. If you choose to complete it, the $150 fee includes the assessment for both partners, my clinical review and analysis, and integration of relevant findings into our work.
-
Couples therapy may be especially helpful for:
Identify and change recurring conflict and relationship cycles
Communicate needs more clearly and respond with greater understanding
Rebuild trust and repair unresolved emotional injuries
Strengthen emotional connection, friendship, and intimacy
Navigate persistent concerns involving parenting, finances, roles, or other sensitive topics
Deepen an already strong relationship or navigate important life transitions