Chaela Stewart, LMFT, Connecting Couples Therapy

Products And Services

• Couples Therapy

  Working with couples is my passion. Most couples are in various degrees of emotional pain when I first meet them, but together we find that underneath the rubble of years of a negative cycle, there is still the magic that drew the two of you together. Most of the couples I work with are also parents. I believe that the health of the couple is the most important factor in creating security for children. Many couples struggle to regain intimacy after the birth of their children, feeling consumed with the job of parenting, but not feeling the closeness as a couple that they used to. The first few years after having a child is a crucial time to get back on track as a couple. The trajectory of your relationship at this point can actually determine the course of your future. This is a time ripe with change and your relationship deserves the attention it needs in order to remain the compass of your family. Many couple therapists work from a behavioral approach, addressing the symptoms at a surface level and teaching communication methods that do not reach the core of the problem. I initially provide couples with an in-depth attachment assessment and then work with you from that lens in order to access underlying needs and fears that are unexpressed. When couples first come to me I often see them guarded and easily triggered by their partners. It's not supposed to be that way. Your primary relationship can have the safety it needs in order to bring out the best in one another, instead of bringing out the insecurity, annoyance, criticism, and isolation so many couples find themselves living in. You did not partner up or get married with the idea of staying in an unsatisfied or empty relationship. And it didn't start out that way did it? The good news is that your attachment style CAN change, and once it does, your defenses can strip and your relationship will have the connection and intimacy you are longing for. You can learn to tune-in to the subtle changes in body language and affect of your partner and instead of reacting out of fear, move towards the other in love. Your partner almost always has the ability to meet your needs and truly love you for who you are, they are just out of tune and out of sync. I see couples go from stress and disconnect, to depth and intimacy, from isolation and fear, to connection and security, from avoidance and reactivity, to understanding and empathy. I feel privileged to help couples in their journey and to do this work

• Parenting and Co-Parenting Support

  Healthy, happy parents are the cornerstone of a solid family and secure children. From time to time parents find themselves needing help. When this is the case, it's essential to get the support you need in a timely manner so that you can go back to feeling competent and confident in your parenting and family life. I have worked with children and their families for several years. My experience ranges from leading a new parent support group, to working with "severely emotionally disturbed" and at-risk children and their parents, guardians, and teachers in both the public school and in the residential group home setting. In addition, I have two small children of my own, so I know first-hand how challenging parenting can be, as well as the relational impact that becoming a parent often has on a couple. I work with both intact and non-intact couples in helping them get more on the same page with parenting and with their specific child's needs.

• Small Group Speaker and New Parent Support Groups

  I also have experience in both giving lectures to small groups of couples or parents, as well as leading new parent support groups. If you are interested in either of these services please contact me directly for more information.