Marriage Counseling Reno, NV

Get your marriage back on track with attachment-based therapy at our center for marriage counseling Reno, NV

Experience Healing Conversations: Small conflicts and hurt feelings that aren't adequately addressed can accumulate, leading to resentment and growing distance. Our marriage counselors in Reno have the expertise to work through these issues with you.
Get Unstuck: Destructive communication patterns or conflict styles become entrenched over time, making it harder to have productive conversations and resolve misunderstandings. This is the essence of the attachment-based, EFT marriage counseling work we do.
Make Your Marriage a Priority: Daily life and responsibilities can become the primary focus, leading to a neglect of the relationship itself. Working with our therapists is a primary way to put your relationship first.

marriage counseling Reno, NV couple walking outdoors, holding hands.

Connection. Healing. Understanding.

Expert Guidance for Married and Engaged Couples

Our therapists do Emotionally Focused Therapy marriage counseling in Reno. We have specialized training in guiding clients through the type of relationship struggles that can be frustrating and exhausting. Ultimately, our goal is to help you rediscover your marriage's rhythm. Furthermore, our therapists are adept at navigating the emotional intricacies of marriage, and committed to helping you reconnect with your spouse.

Additionally, we provide tools for individuals to foster healthy, fulfilling relationships. In essence, this service, which can be thought of as "couples therapy for one," is ideal for those not in a relationship but preparing for future partnerships.

Marriage Counseling Reno: An Attachment Approach

What is Emotionally Focused Marriage Counseling?

Research shows that most distressed married couples wait more than 6-years to get the help they need. One of the reasons couples wait is the worry that a therapist will take sides, be judgmental instead of accepting and ultimately make things worse. This article discusses what happens when marriage counseling misses the mark.

It isn't uncommon to engage in fights with our partners. When we do we often fall into repetitive arguments. These arguments form a recognizable pattern, regardless of the changing topics. Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) marriage counseling in Reno can assist in identifying and understanding this pattern as the result of unmet emotional needs. It helps couples see how to interrupt this cycle and engage in meaningful conversations that connect us. Pre-married and engaged couples particularly stand to gain by recognizing their vulnerabilities to these patterns. They can acquire skills essential for turning towards each other, fostering connections instead of disconnections.

EFT, a method validated by research, interprets couple disagreements as stemming from insecure attachments, which essentially represent a discomfort with vulnerability. This discomfort manifests as difficulty in expressing concerns, fears, and desires. Through EFT, clients learn to acknowledge, embrace, and transform negative emotions and behavioral patterns into positive, bonding interactions. This approach is particularly beneficial for couples trapped in a cycle of conflict leading to mutual distance.

A key objective of EFT is to establish a secure emotional bond with your partner, where you feel comforted by their presence and assured they value your needs. Achieving this bond means moving from reacting based on emotions to making decisions that promote empathetic communication.

Becoming aware of our emotions, regulating them, and converting them into caring interactions enhances our emotional intelligence, fosters understanding, and strengthens the security within our relationships. Contact us and we'll be happy to discuss how attachment-based marriage counseling in Reno can help. It's easy to get started.

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Our Marriage Counseling Reno Team

Cornelius Sheehan, LCSW

Director and Therapist

Counseling with Reno Therapist Cornelius Sheehan, LCSW

About me as a therapist:

For over 20 years, I have worked with couples and individuals, recognizing the critical importance of a secure, connected, and hopeful relationship. Consequently, I specialize in attachment-based, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for marriages, couples, families, and individuals in the Reno area and hold certification as an Emotionally Focused Therapist and Supervisor. Furthermore, I apply EFT in my practice with couples, individuals, and families, valuing its effectiveness, research-based approach and solid theoretical foundation. Several years ago, I established Emotional and Relationship Health Counseling Associates in Reno, NV, and currently serve as its director.

Attachment theory’s empathy, curiosity, and non-judgmental stance align with my natural style. Although I bring expertise in therapy, you are the expert on your life and goals. Thus, I commit to approaching our work together with humility and curiosity.

About me as a person:

I really don’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t intensely curious about people. We are all so complex, with so much happening beneath the surface. This complexity fascinates me, and I feel fortunate that my fascination has led me to a profession I’m passionate about. Moreover, it motivates me to stay current with changes in the field.

My wife Tammy and I live with our fur family. We have three adult children. Born in San Francisco, I have lived in a few different places, but Reno has always been my home base. For years, I’ve had “boots on the ground” involvement with many facets of the mental health care needs of our community. This has provided me a rounded perspective about the particular relationship counseling needs of people in our local community.

photo of Reno Therapist, Cornelius Sheehan, LCSW. Experience, Expertise in relationship therapy

Learn more about therapy in Reno with Cornelius

You can inquire about counseling in Reno with Cornelius Sheehan, LCSW and our team of highly-trained EFT therapists here. Call us at 775-235-2205 and we’ll be happy to discuss how we can help. Sessions with Cornelius range from $185 to $210 for 55-min and $275 for 90-minutes. Two-day weekend intensive sessions are available (call for details).

Cornelius is invested in Reno and Nevada:

Since 1974, I have resided in Reno, deeply committed to this community. I attended Reno High School and UNR. I actively participate in various advisory roles for Reno and the State of Nevada. Additionally, I founded Relationship Health Counseling Associates to enhance services for clients in this area and provide highest quality professional development for therapist interns in Reno.

Cornelius specializes in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT for couples, individuals and families). He supervisors clinical interns and candidates for EFT Certification. He is the Founder / Director of rceft.org, the Reno/Tahoe Community for Emotionally Focused Therapy. You can learn more about EFT at rceft.org and iceeft.com. ICEEFT is the International Center for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy.

Nevada License Number: 5605-C

Dr. Vivek Murthy, US Surgeon General (left) in discussion with Cornelius Sheehan, LCSW about loneliness and public health

I recently had the privilege of meeting and discussing a clinical perspective of mental health in relation to loneliness with Dr. Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States.

home photo of relationship counseling therapist in reno, nv, home photo of Amanda Stewart, LCSW. July, 2024

Helen Going, LCSW

Meet Helen, Relationship Therapist in Reno

Hi, I’m Helen Going, LCSW, therapist in Reno. I am a licensed clinical social worker with advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy. I received a Master of Social Work at UNR. I completed my clinical internship locally. Subsequently, I have worked with a wide variety of clients in a variety of settings in Northern Nevada. As a lifelong learner, I continually grow the skills I bring to my counseling practice. I have extensive lived-experience. So, I have a deep appreciation for the distress that emotional and relationship difficulties can cause. I am dedicated to helping.

Why I Do Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy

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. Additionally, it’s 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 couple and individual therapy works. It is gentle. This way of working 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 far beyond the set of “tips and tricks” that are not good therapy. Instead of saying the right things at the right time, etc., the work I do equips clients to identify and reframe the destructive patterns that underlie their relationship problems.

Why I Do Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy

As an EFT therapist in Reno, I work with individuals as well as couples. While EFT is renowned for its effectiveness in couples therapy, its principles of emotional awareness, expression, and connection are equally transformative for individuals navigating personal challenges.

I’m drawn to individual work because it allows me to delve into the unique experiences and emotional landscapes of each person. Whether someone is grappling with relationship issues, past traumas, anxiety, or depression, EFT provides a framework for understanding the root of these struggles and fostering healing.

In individual therapy, I help clients identify and express their emotions in a safe and supportive space. We explore the underlying needs and attachment patterns that may be contributing to their difficulties. By developing a deeper understanding of themselves and their emotional needs, individuals can begin to make more empowered choices in their relationships and life in general.

I’m passionate about empowering individuals to build healthier, more fulfilling relationships with themselves and others. Whether you’re currently in a relationship or not, individual EFT therapy can provide valuable tools for personal growth, emotional well-being, and creating lasting connections.

Here are answers to some of the most common questions people have about therapy with me.

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. The session rate for therapy with Helen is $165 per 55-minutes.

Nevada License: #10250-C

Hillary Harris, CPC-I is a clinical intern who provides therapy in Reno, NV with Relationship Counseling Associates., Couples Counseling in Reno, NV July, 2024 photo

Hillary Harris, M.A.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling

July, 2024 alternate photo of therapist in Reno, Marisol Villagrana, CSW-I. Relationship counseling in Reno, NV

Marisol Villagrana, LSW
Licensed Social Worker

July, 2024 relationship counseling reno home photo of Tammy Sheehan, client care coordinator for therapy in reno, nv. Administrative Lead for EFT marriage couple counseling reno, nv.

Tammy Sheehan-Franchini

Care Coordinator and Administrative Lead

Welcome to our practice specializing in EFT marriage therapy, family therapy, and individual counseling in Reno! We understand that taking the first step towards therapy can be daunting, which is why we’ve designed our intake process to be as seamless and welcoming as possible. From the moment you reach out to our office, whether by phone or email, our priority is to create a warm, supportive, and confidential environment. We believe that the therapeutic journey truly begins with that initial connection.

I, or a member of our team of caring, non-judgmental and experienced EFT therapists in Reno, NV, will be your first point of contact. We’ll take the time to listen to your needs and concerns, and conduct a brief, non-clinical assessment to ensure that our practice is the right fit for you. We understand that the decision to seek help is a significant one, and we want you to feel confident and comfortable in your choice of therapist.

Once we’ve established a good fit, we’ll guide you through the process of scheduling your first appointment and completing any necessary paperwork. We strive to make the administrative aspects of therapy as smooth as possible, allowing you to focus on the most important part: your therapeutic journey. We believe that our practice in attachment-based EFT marriage, individual, family and couple counseling in Reno offers a powerful path to healing and growth, and we are committed to making that path accessible and supportive for you.

Helping You Start with Therapy in Reno

We don’t want the process to be any more complex than it needs to be. Our practice is “paperless.” What this means is that you’ll complete all of the necessary documentation via our HIPPA compliant online portal. Here are the steps to starting: 1) my team will email each client an invitation to the online portal as soon as we have done a brief preliminary intake. You may also have arranged for a brief consultation with one of our therapists. 2) complete the online forms within 36-hours to hold your appointment. 3) attend your appointment. 4) use the online scheduling feature in the portal to select future appointments. Our team will walk you through anything you find difficult.

Call us at 775-235-2205 to learn more about EFT couple counseling, individual or family therapy, EFT marriage therapy in Reno, and our practice in general. We’ll help get you scheduled for a brief no-cost consultation with one of our therapists.

Marriage Counseling and EFT innovator, the late Dr. Sue Johnson describes warning signs that a marriage is in trouble and what can be done to prevent it from falling apart.