Your relationship is worth it.
EFT Couples Therapy in Massachusetts
You might be here because you’re:
Having the same argument over and over
Feeling unappreciated, misunderstood, or unsupported
Not sure how to communicate effectively or resolve conflict productively
Feeling isolated or not a priority to your partner
Struggling with sexual intimacy, desire, affection, or touch
Feeling betrayed, disappointed, or let down by your partner
Not knowing how to repair things after you’ve done or said something you regret
Feeling like you’ve drifted apart or fallen out of love
I want you to know there’s hope.
What is Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples?
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a clinically-proven approach to help couples understand and respond to each other more effectively.
As a Certified EFT Therapist, I will focus on the underlying emotions that drive unhelpful behavior and facilitate transformative bonding moments.
In EFT, you will learn about your communication patterns, how to regulate overwhelming emotions, and become skilled at connecting with each other in deeper, more constructive ways. This type of therapy can help you mend hurts and create a richer, stronger bond.
To learn more, visit my EFT Resources page.
Many couples believe that if only their partner would change, everything would be ok.
But research shows that your actions shape the kind of response you get from your partner.
Relationships are self-reinforcing feedback loops. Therefore, both partners must be equally willing to:
Look at yourself and the ways you might contribute to difficulties in your relationship
View your partner not as damaged, but doing the best they can in light of their history
Slow down and listen to the feelings that lie beneath your partner’s literal words
Consider making changes to your own behavior
Be open and vulnerable in sessions even though it may feel uncomfortable at times
Receive feedback, without dismissing it outright
Go beyond surface-level fixes, and get to the emotions that drive the patterns in your partnership
Couples Therapy
Understand the patterns that cause distress in your relationship. Learn healthier ways to communicate and connect.
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◦ Get unstuck and find more effective ways to communicate your needs
◦ Learn about your relationship patterns and “attachment style”
◦ De-escalate conflict and stop the negative cycle of repetitive arguing
◦ Rekindle or discover new passion and desire for your partner
◦ Manage disagreements before they become painful arguments
◦ Learn how to cope with major life transitions (birth, death, career, aging, illness, loss, retirement, empty nest, etc.)
◦ Address sexual concerns and experience deeper levels of intimacy
◦ Repair hurts related to feeling rejected or not prioritized
◦ Recover from affairs, infidelity, or betrayal
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It may be helpful to learn about Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) prior to getting started. You can visit my EFT Resource page.
However, learning about EFT is not required, as I will teach you about it in our sessions. -
I develop a customized treatment plan for each couple that takes into account your needs, goals, and schedules. I most often meet weekly with my clients for a minimum of 60 minutes. Some couples choose to have extended sessions of 75, 90, or 120 minutes. When couples have achieved many of their goals in therapy, we will reduce the frequency as needed.
I primarily work in a short-term model for couples therapy, however some complex and multi-layered issues lend themselves to a longer treatment.
For some couples, attending a couples workshop or intensive may accelerate their progress towards their goals. Learn more about workshops here and intensives here.
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Regardless of the state of your relationship, couples therapy can be helpful for most people. I offer couples therapy for:
◦ Those in committed relationships who have hit a bump in the road and want a “tune-up”
◦ Premarital counseling to increase communication prior to marriage
◦ Couples in transition trying to navigate overwhelming change — from becoming new parents to empty nesters
◦ Distressed couples trying to regain their footing following an affair, betrayal, illness, loss, or grief
◦ Stuck couples unable to communicate effectively
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EFT couples therapy is not a good fit:
◦ If there is active domestic violence, threats of harm, or fear of violence from either partner’s perspective.
◦ If there is active substance abuse or untreated addiction on the part of either or both partners.
◦ If either partner is actively engaged in an ongoing secret affair that they’re not willing to disclose or end.
◦ If either member of the couple has an untreated major mental health diagnosis and they’re not willing to seek treatment.
◦ If either member of the couple is currently experiencing suicidal or homicidal thoughts or impulses.
◦ If one or both members of the couple are seeking a divorce and have already taken steps to end the marriage (such as retaining a divorce attorney).
I generally recommend that couples in the above situations seek other support before doing couples therapy, as EFT treatment could unintentionally exacerbate any of the above issues.
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Depending on the circumstances, we may meet online or in-person at my office in Beverly, MA.
If meeting virtually, I will send you my personalized secure Zoom link that will be used for all subsequent meetings.
All the administrative functions of my practice are done online through my HIPPA compliant practice management software called Simple Practice. Prior to our first meeting, you will receive an email from Simple Practice with instructions to access your secure client portal. This portal will allow you to input demographic information, electronically sign documents, and securely store payment information.
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I offer self-pay therapy and do not accept insurance.
However, if your insurance plan has out-of-network coverage for behavioral health, they may cover a percentage of my fee.
If you would like to pursue possible reimbursement of my fee, please contact your insurance company to verify details about out-of-network coverage and get clarification about the limitations, deductibles, and reimbursement procedures.
Please note that insurance companies require a psychiatric diagnosis from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, and that behavioral health treatment must be deemed “medically necessary”.
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Payment is expected at the time of service. I accept checks, cash, debit/credit cards, and flexible health spending cards.
The 2024 fees for couples therapy:
◦ 60-minute session is $280
◦ 75-minute session is $350
◦ 90-minute session is $410
◦ 2-hour session is $550
I readjust my fees annually every January to reflect cost of living increases.
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Step One
Phone Consultation
Prior to starting couples therapy, we will speak on the phone to get a brief understanding of your situation, give you a sense of my therapeutic style, and determine if I am a good match. We’ll decide to meet in person or online. You’ll get a secure link to my client portal to complete all needed forms prior to our first meeting.
Step Two
Our First Couples Session
At our initial meeting, I will meet with both of you at the same time to get your perceptions of the relationship’s problems and strengths, get a brief history of key events, and learn about your communication styles.
Step Three
Individual Sessions With Each of You
For our second and third sessions, I will meet with each of you separately to get more in-depth information about your goals and your experiences with love, loss, conflict, and closeness.
Step Four
Our second couples session
For the fourth and subsequent sessions, I will meet with both of you together and we’ll map out your unique communication cycle to help you better understand how you impact each other.
Note: I consider these early sessions as the “consultation phase” of our therapy. If I get a sense during this phase that I will not be able to meet your needs, or that EFT therapy is not the best match for you, I will give you my clinical impressions and recommendations.
How do we get started?
Step One
Phone Consultation
Prior to starting couples therapy, we will speak on the phone to get a brief understanding of your situation, give you a sense of my therapeutic style, and determine if I am a good match. We’ll decide to meet in-person or online. You’ll get a secure link to my client portal to complete all needed forms prior to our first meeting.
Step Two
our first couples session
At our initial meeting, I will meet with both of you at the same time to get your perceptions of the relationship’s problems and strengths, get a brief history of key events, and learn about your communication styles.
Step Three
Individual Sessions with each of you
For our second and third sessions, I will meet with each of you separately to get more in-depth information about your goals and your experiences with love, loss, conflict, and closeness.
Step Four
Our second couples session
For the fourth and subsequent sessions, I will meet with both of you together and we’ll map out your unique communication cycle to help you better understand how you impact each other.
Note: I consider these early sessions as the “consultation phase” of our therapy. If I get a sense during this phase that I will not be able to meet your needs, or that EFT therapy is not the best match for you, I will give you my clinical impressions and recommendations.
Couples Therapy FAQs
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I have had the pleasure and privilege of working with couples of different ages, sexual orientations, genders, races, ethnicities and religious affiliations. Additionally, I have experience working with couples at many different stages in their relationships, including young couples dating, partners who are cohabitating, newly engaged, newly married, mid-life partnerships, empty nesters and couples who have been in committed partnerships for over 50 years.
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Your relationship is of the utmost importance and you deserve to see a highly qualified therapist who has specialized training in working with couples. That is why I continually update and hone my skills as a seasoned couples therapist.
I have undergone rigorous and specialized training to become a certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist and Supervisor. I work with couples to transform their relationships, as well as supervising and teaching other therapists about couples therapy.
In addition, over the last 15+ years, I have attended numerous continuing education seminars on couples therapy through Harvard Medical School, the Society for Sex Therapy and Research, Imago Couples Therapy, and the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy.
I participated in a yearlong post-graduate training program through the Family Institute of Cambridge where I learned cognitive-behavioral strategies to help couples improve their communication skills. I completed a three-year post-graduate fellowship through the Psychoanalytic Center for Families and Couples of New England to have a specialized understanding of the psychodynamic underpinnings about how our past affects our present relationship patterns. Most recently, I completed five years of rigorous clinical training to become a certified EFT Couples Therapist, and then went on to achieve additional certification as an Emotionally Focused Therapy Supervisor. As a certified EFT Supervisor, I teach and mentor other therapists on how to work effectively with couples, hone their clinical skills, and improve outcomes.
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I primarily practice Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) which is an empirically-based therapy designed to help couples accept, express, regulate, and transform emotion.
In addition, I draw upon my training as a psychodynamic clinician and a trauma informed therapists to recognize and process underlying dynamics, barriers to intimacy, and sexual challenges, as well as using my cognitive behavioral training to reinforce positive communication strategies.
Couples Intensive Retreat
An Intensive Retreat is a highly concentrated approach for couples to uncover the root of their problems and learn critical new skills in a condensed timeframe.
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A Couples Intensive Retreat is a highly concentrated approach which helps couples uncover the root of their problems and learn new skills in a condensed timeframe. It consists of 2 consecutive days of targeted couples therapy that draws upon the research-based model of Emotionally Focused Therapy.
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This Intensive Retreat is for couples committed to doing significant work on their relationship over 2 days. For example, it might be the right match if:
◦ You know your relationship needs work, but scheduling weekly therapy sessions is logistically difficult, especially for couples who may live/work in different locations.
◦ You want to “turbo-charge” your current couples therapy by focusing on one particular issue over the course of two days.
◦ There’s been a crisis, such as a death, serious medical diagnosis, or tragedy. You want to address it together as quickly as possible and move towards healing.
◦ You want to plan ahead for a life event with an upcoming deadline (wedding, job change, pregnancy, adoption, empty-nest, retirement) and need help getting on the same page.
◦ You're a therapist or other professional who values or requires anonymity. You’re seeking a highly confidential space in a different location from where you live or work.
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10-12 hours of concentrated attention on your relationship can help you gain traction on difficult issues. Over 2 consecutive days, you’ll get:
◦ A thorough assessment of your relationship and your respective attachment styles from an experienced couples therapist.
◦ A customized treatment that gets right down to the heart of the issues you struggle with most.
◦ Time to learn and practice new ways of communicating that you can use long after your Intensive is over.
◦ A deeper understanding of your own and your partner’s attachment vulnerabilities, so you can stay engaged and not get derailed during difficult conversations.
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It consists of 10-12 hours of focused attention on your relationship over the course of 2 consecutive days. It’s a way to do a deep dive into specific issues that are causing disconnection or pain.
Many couples can make significant progress when they dedicate a concentrated amount of time to their relationship and are willing to try a new way of relating - with an experienced couples therapist to lead the way.
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Some of the possible benefits include being able to:
◦ Understand the unmet attachment needs that drives disconnection in your relationship
◦ Find forgiveness, heal past hurts, and move forward
◦ Create and nurture emotional safety and intimacy
◦ Affirm strengths in your relationship
◦ Improve your communication and have more effective conversations
Before engaging in an Intensive Couples Retreat, it’s important to understand the risks involved. This intensive therapeutic experience may involve revisiting painful aspects of your history and exploring deeply vulnerable parts of your relationship. This may result in you and/or your partner experiencing strong uncomfortable feelings such as anger, sadness, anxiety or fear. In some cases, couples may experience increased distress and change may not be possible. As with all therapies, results cannot be guaranteed.
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Couples Intensives Retreats are not a good fit:
◦ If there is active domestic violence, threats of harm, or fear of violence from either partner’s perspective.
◦ If there is active substance abuse or untreated addiction on the part of either or both partners.
◦ If either partner is actively engaged in an ongoing secret affair that they’re not willing to disclose or end.
◦ If either member of the couple has an untreated major mental health diagnosis and they’re not willing to seek treatment.
◦ If either member of the couple is currently experiencing suicidal or homicidal thoughts or impulses.
◦ If one or both members of the couple are seeking a divorce and have already taken steps to end the marriage (such as retaining a divorce attorney).
We will cover these in your initial consultation session (before scheduling your Intensive). I generally recommend that couples in the above situations seek other support before doing an Intensive Couples Retreat, as this type of treatment may unintentionally exacerbate any of the above issues.
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The cost for your 2-day Intensive Retreat is $4800.
Included in the fee is:
◦ Consultation and recommendations prior to scheduling (90-min via Zoom)
◦ Individual sessions with each partner separately (90-min via Zoom)
◦ 2 days of private intensive couples (approximately 10-12 clinical hours) online or at my office in Massachusetts
◦ Follow-up consultation, with permission, with your couples therapist to communicate progress and coordinate next steps.
DEPOSIT: A deposit of 50% is required to hold your date with the balance due the day prior to your Intensive.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Deposits are non-refundable. Your intensive dates are held exclusively for you. If for any reason you need to change the dates of your Intensive, attempts will be made to reschedule for up to one year, but availability cannot be guaranteed.
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Step One
Zoom Consultation
A 90-minute Zoom consultation is required prior to scheduling your Intensive Couples Retreat. The goal is to understand your needs, assess if an Intensive is right for you, and offer my clinical recommendations. The cost for this consultation is $390 and will be deducted from the cost of the Intensive if you decide to schedule.
Step Two
Scheduling Our Intensive
If it feels like a good match and you’d like to proceed with scheduling your Intensive, we will secure a date for your 2-day retreat. A deposit of 50% of the fee is due to hold this date exclusively for you.
Step Three
Complete Your Intake Forms Online
Each partner will get a secure link to my HIPPA compliant client portal. You will each be sent online questionnaires about your relationship history. I will schedule individual sessions with each partner which will take place via Zoom prior to your Intensive.
Step Four
Individual Sessions
I will meet each partner individually via Zoom (75-90 minutes) to get a sense of your personal history and better understand your particular concerns about your partnership.
Step Five
Intensive 2-day Couples Retreat
We will meet at my office or via Zoom. If meeting online, both partners must be in the same location and in Massachusetts. Each of the 2 days will consist of approximately 5-6 clinical hours of concentrated Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. The agenda and structure of Day 1 and Day 2 of your Intensive varies depending on your particular needs and goals.
Note: As Theresa Bullock Cohen, LICSW is a licensed clinician in the state of Massachusetts, participants of these therapy services must also be physically located in MA at the time of service.
how do we get started with our intensive?
Step One
Zoom Consultation
A 90-minute Zoom consultation is required prior to scheduling your Intensive Couples Retreat. The goal is to understand your needs, assess if an Intensive is right for you, and offer my clinical recommendations. The cost for this consultation is $390 and will be deducted from the cost of the Intensive if you decide to schedule.
Step Two
Scheduling our intensive
If it feels like a good match and you’d like to proceed with scheduling your Intensive, we will secure a date for your 2-day retreat. A deposit of 50% of the fee is due to hold this date exclusively for you.
Step Three
complete your intake forms Online
Each partner will get a secure link to my HIPPA compliant client portal. You will each be sent online questionnaires about your relationship history. I will schedule individual sessions with each partner which will take place via Zoom prior to your Intensive.
Step Four
individual sessions
I will meet each partner individually via Zoom (75-90 minutes) to get a sense of your personal history and better understand your particular concerns about your partnership.
Step Five
Intensive 2-day Couples Retreat
We will meet at my office or via Zoom. If meeting online, both partners must be in the same location and in Massachusetts. Each of the 2 days will consist of approximately 5-6 clinical hours of concentrated Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. The agenda and structure of Day 1 and Day 2 of your Intensive varies depending on your particular needs and goals.
Note: As Theresa Bullock Cohen, LICSW is a licensed clinician in the state of Massachusetts, participants of these therapy services must also be physically located in MA at the time of service.
Hold Me Tight® Couples Workshops
All couples get disconnected at times. This workshop teaches you a reliable road map for reconnection.
Email for upcoming workshop dates with me theresa@bullockcohen.com
For additional Hold Me Tight® Workshops, visit ICEEFT.
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Hold Me Tight® is not couples therapy or group therapy. It’s an educational workshop to enhance your relationship. It is based on the work of Dr. Sue Johnson. This workshop offers structured learning and guided exercises in a relaxed group environment for you to experience a new way of understanding your relationship and connecting with your partner.
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The heart of the workshop revolves around 7 exercises where you will practice private conversations with your partner to create closeness. At times during the weekend, we will assemble as a group and offer the opportunity to discuss your experience. This group sharing is optional and no one is required at any time to share with the group.
In this weekend educational workshop you will:
◦ Hear engaging presentations and watch video clips to learn tools for creating and maintaining a life-long connection.
◦ Privately engage in structured conversations with your partner to help bring you closer together.
◦ Gain a deeper understanding of your own and your partner’s needs so you can stay engaged and not get derailed.
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This educational workshop is not group therapy and there is no requirement for group participation. There is no pressure or expectations for you to interact with other couples.
We understand that many people are very private and don’t feel comfortable sharing in a group. Rest assured that we emphasize a warm and supportive environment, and you will not be asked to share anything personal. Any group processing is at the sole discretion and comfort level of each participant.
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Hold Me Tight Workshop for Couples is ideal for:
◦ Couples who want to improve and enhance their relationships.
◦ Distressed couples who are stuck in conflicts and disconnection.
◦ Couples who are interested in learning experientially about Attachment and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).
We welcome people of all backgrounds, ages, faiths, and sexual orientations.
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This workshop model is not appropriate for couples with active addiction issues, where there is an active affair, or where there is domestic violence or threat of harm.
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The weekend workshop is a $895 investment in your relationship.
Registration is confirmed upon receipt of payment.
Note: This is a 2-day non-residential weekend group workshop based on the work of Dr. Sue Johnson, the creator of Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples and the author of Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love. Hold Me Tight® is a registered trademark to Sue Johnson.
