Therapy | Communication Skills
Saying what you mean, hearing what they say
Healthy communication isn't just about talking; it's about connection. We help you break patterns of defensiveness and misunderstanding to build deeper relationships.
Washington State residents
Why conversations get stuck
Do you feel like you are having the same argument over and over? Or maybe you shut down to avoid conflict altogether?
Communication often breaks down not because we don't care, but because we are triggered, defensive, or lacking a shared language for our emotional needs.
How we work with communication
We look at *how* you say things, not just *what* you say. We use frameworks from Gottman and Nonviolent Communication (NVC) to transform conflict into closeness.
The Soft Start-Up
How a conversation starts predicts how it ends 96% of the time. We teach "soft start-ups": complaining without blaming (e.g., "I feel worried when..." vs. "You always...").
- Styles: Identifying Passive, Aggressive, Passive-Aggressive, and Assertive styles
- Listening: Active listening to understand, not just to reply
- Repair: How to recover when things go wrong
- Needs: Identifying what is underneath the complaint
Who this is for
This is helpful if you are:
- Walking on eggshells in your relationships
- Feeling unheard or misunderstood
- Struggling to ask for what you need
- Avoiding difficult conversations until you explode
Next step
Bridge the gap
You don't have to stay disconnected. Let's learn the language of connection.