Posts by Cornelius Sheehan
Should we do premarital counseling?
Your relationship holds wonderful promise for a lifelong responsive connection. Yet, you find yourselves trapped in frequent, seemingly trivial arguments. This trend can be both worrisome and somewhat frightening, casting a shadow over the bright hope that defines you as a couple. But remember, you are not alone. The right premarital counseling can offer a lifeline. Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT) stands as a valuable, short-term investment for your future, and we offer this type of premarital counseling in Reno, NV.
Established by Dr. Sue Johnson, EFT operates firmly on the foundations of attachment theory. This theory suggests that humans naturally seek to establish potent emotional bonds with others. EFT interprets relationship distress as a reaction to perceived threats to these essential connections.
In essence, when couples clash over various issues – whether finances, jealousy, or intimacy – these conflicts often originate from a protest against a perceived disconnect. This happens when we feel our partner is not available or attuned to our fundamental needs for support and closeness, resulting in distress and potentially leading to feelings of anxiety, numbness, or estrangement.
EFT strives to pinpoint and break the negative interaction cycles that prevent true connection. It aids in establishing a fresh cycle of interaction where both partners are seen as available and responsive. This renewed, stable attachment fosters not only effective communication but also cultivates adaptability in problem-solving, even during conflicts. Call us to learn more about EFT premarital counseling in Reno.
Tammy Sheehan-Franchini
Administrative Lead
Welcome to our practice specializing in EFT marriage therapy, family therapy and individual counseling in Reno! We believe the actual “therapeutic engagement” starts the moment you make contact with our office. As a result, we aim to greet you with warmth, care, respect, and confidentiality from your first call or email, right through to the end of therapy. I strive to ensure the administrative aspects of your treatment proceed without a hitch, preserving the integrity of the counseling relationship.
Call us at 775-235-2205 to learn more about our practice. We’ll help get you scheduled for a brief no-cost consultation with one of our therapists.
Helen Going, LCSW
EFT Therapist
I am a licensed clinical social worker and Emotionally Focused Therapist in Reno. I am working towards my certification in Emotionally Focused Therapy. I received a Master of Social Work at UNR and have worked with a wide variety of clients in a variety of settings. I am a lifelong learner who brings a wealth of life experience to my counseling practice.
For me, there is nothing more wonderful than seeing a couple see each other in a brand-new way, with them each understanding the struggles of the other in a way that is manageable and creative. I love empowering people to connect joyfully and effectively with themselves and their loved ones.
Emotionally Focused Therapy, EFT, has been an ideal fit for me. I have had training in several different treatment modalities, but EFT is the model that has become the foundation of my work. It fits what drove me to this work and it is totally in line with my goal of providing a completely safe space for clients to experience themselves and their loved ones in new and different ways. EFT works. It is gentle. It does not assign blame or pathology to partners but rather gets to the root of the disconnections within relationships. The attachment framework of EFT allows people move beyond the “tips and tricks” of saying the right things at the right time, etc. and instead being able to identify and reframe the destructive patterns that underlie their relationship problems.
Call 775-235-2205 and I’ll be happy to touch base with you to further discuss what’s happening for you and how I can be of help.
Counseling Help for Families with Teens
If you are raising a teen child you’re familiar with something like this, “I need to feel understood…I need you to hear me (BUT DON’T EXPECT ME TALK!)” My dear friends, Drs. Paul, and Nancy Aikin have co-developed a beautiful, rich program to help families with teens. It’s called, “Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go.” It features a series of facilitated conversations to help get past parent/caregiver blocks to hearing their kid. This helps teens open up and can sometime be all a family needs. In other cases it’s a great adjunct to family therapy where the goal is counseling for teens.
Paul and Nancy appeared on the “That Relationship Show” podcast recently. You can learn more about family workshops here, www.eftfamilies.com
Perspectives on Depression
This short video introduces varied perspectives on the causes and management of depression, or therapy for depression. Depression can be profoundly painful and should be assessed and treated professionally when symptoms feel unmanageable. There is a synergy between the views in this video but one resonated with my own experience: social factors like isolation, rejection, exclusion, feelings of not measuring up, etc will evoke a depressed mood regardless of what else is happening. This is consistent with an attachment view of emotion regulation where a secure connection enhances our ability to reflect on what we’re experiencing rather than becoming overwhelmed by it. This attachment view is at the core of Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples, Individuals, and Families. #emotionallyfocusedtherapy #drsuejohnson
2020-21 Emotional Wellness Programs for Teams
The Emotional Wellness Program is an education and interactive process program designed to normalize the importance of emotion in strengthening and repairing teammate relationships within an organization.
Notes, links and curated list of YouTube videos will be made available.
Hear EFT Pioneer, Dr. Sue Johnson on creating, protecting, and nourishing relationship
EFT Therapist and Trainer, George Faller, LMFT, 9/11 Remembrance Video
