Couples Counseling Therapists in University City, Philadelphia, PA

I look froward to helping you plan for your partnership or marriage instead of your wedding day! I specialize in working with couples who are pondering the idea of a life time partnership and marriage that want to plan for their life that includes skills such as effective communication, conflict resolution, and parenting.

I am a warm, affirming, non-judgmental psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience, and I work with an interactive, humanistic, strengths-based, trauma-informed, HAES-aligned, and transparent, narrative approach. I believe that people have the innate capacity to heal and change. We will work together to develop a deeper understanding of your life goals and perspectives, so that we can custom-tailor techniques to make life most meaningful for you. We will work together toward resolving life challenges by identifying your personal strengths, coping strategies, and by helping you to see things in your life from a different lens.

People of all walks of life often go through tough times ... and I am here to help. I have worked, since 1991, with individuals, couples , and families across outpatient and inpatient settings, in homes and schools, and now through telehealth. I have assisted people with a variety of challenges--whether related to depression, anxiety, stress and trauma, behavioral control, self-esteem, substance use, life transition, and other concerns.

I am a trauma-sensitive, trauma-informed Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist with a specialization in Medical Family Therapy. Client couples can expect to be welcomed into a supportive, non-judgmental, supportive virtual space. The first session will serve as an opportunity to develop a rapport & discuss why you are seeking psychotherapeutic services & collaboratively create a treatment plan to address your presenting concerns.

I believe that everyone has strengths--and that everyone encounters challenges. During difficult times, I can help you find new ways of understanding what's happening, additional resources for support and enhanced coping skills that build on your existing strengths. I work primarily with adults, individually, in couples or as families.

Therapy is a unique and personal experience. Whether this is your first time considering therapy, or you are moving into a new phase of your therapeutic journey, therapy is a safe space for self-exploration, growth, and discovery. I work psychodynamically and relationally, within a multicultural framework. I have worked extensively with young adults, adults, and couples in a wide range of settings. My areas of specialty are anxiety, depression, and other mood concerns; grief, loss, and bereavement; life transitions; relationships and family issues; and disordered eating and body image concerns.

Identifying a need for support and reaching out for help can feel vulnerable. In my practice, I foster a safe and nurturing environment to support your journey of self-exploration and healing. I see myself as a partner in your process. My style is warm and compassionate and I employ an integrative, collaborative and creative approach to therapy. I carefully attend to how our social location in the world and intersecting identities influence individual experience. We will begin by building an authentic relationship and co-creating a direction that fits your individual, therapeutic needs.

Please note: until October 2021, I practiced under the name Valerie R. Wilson, Ph.D. My goal as your therapist is to help you understand yourself better, take better care of yourself, and make healthier choices to enhance your relationships and meet your life goals. I try to understand your problems in the context of your personal life history, your family background, and your cultural identity.

I believe that the work of therapy needs to be done in an atmosphere of safety, intelligence, warmth and humor. Therapy is often hard work because it takes so much commitment for us to look at ourselves objectively and work through challenging issues in our lives. Sometimes we come to therapy because there is a specific situation that we need immediate and/or brief assistance with or for an objective voice of reason. Sometimes we come to therapy because there have been challenges over time that have gotten in our way of getting what we want out of our lives.

I imagine you found yourself here because there is something in your life that is bringing you pain. You do not have to walk through this alone. I honor the courage and vulnerability it takes to ask for help, to heal our wounds, and to embrace the messiness of our internal and external lives. It is my privilege to hold space for meaningful change and healing with my clients, and I am so glad you are here.

My ideal clients are those who are experiencing difficulties with their relationships and are looking for a compassionate person to validate that what they are experiencing is real and legitimate. I enjoy working with clients who have decided that wherever they are is not where they want to be and today is the day to make change. Therapy is not always easy or fast, but it has the power to shift one from hopeless to joyful for those who are willing to do the hard work.

Sziga is a perceptive and nuanced therapist with a refreshingly frank style. For over 25 years, they have been working with individuals, couples , and families to foster personal growth and satisfying relationships. They have a way of making clients feel comfortable, understood, and at ease — like no matter what you say they get it and don’t judge you. And they're funny.

We are living in challenging times. Children and parents need support to get through issues such as divorce, loss of a loved one, illness of a family member, school pressures, adolescent conflict, adult children moving back into the home and bullying. Within the context of family therapy, I work with children ages three through the young adult years. I am a trained play therapist and able to help children and adolescents express their feelings and deep emotions. I am able to work, both individually with family members and in family therapy, to support change and growth for the entire family.

Therapy is an invaluable opportunity for individuals and couples to learn about themselves and the relationships that they want to cultivate. Whether you are thinking about working through a particular issue, hoping to gain clarity and focus in future decisions, or considering a short-term "check-up", I will work with you in a safe, non-judgmental space that cultivates compassion, healing, and growth. I believe in the power of building on each person/couple's strengths and discovering, through a collaborative approach, new ways to adapt and grow.

I have 35 years of experience in the addiction field including 12 years on a drug and alcohol unit in a psychiatric hospital. My work also includes clients dealing with depression and other mood issues. I have expertise working with couples and specialize in couples with addiction as a presenting issue.

Welcome! Congratulations on taking the first step on this adventure. I know finding the right therapist can be hard and a grueling process. For many clients this is the first time they have asked for help. I am passionate about creating a space for clients that is safe, freeing & nonjudgmental. I hope to do this through my multicultural background, interest in the client's perspective and the therapeutic relationship built. I operate from a systems & contextual framework where I believe clients are stuck, not sick. I work with clients to create goals and plans that are collaborative and empowering.

I have experience providing mental health therapy to a variety of populations in therapeutic settings. I have provided therapy to individuals struggling with all types of addiction and addictive/ compulsive behaviors. I have worked extensively with individuals and couples who identify on the GLBTQ spectrum and who were experiencing sexual and gender identity issues. I treated individuals who experienced domestic violence and or sexual trauma. I treated individuals struggling with a variety of sexual health issues and dysfunctions. I have experience providing therapy to people of color who were HIV+, helping them manage issues related to their sexuality, relationships, sexual and gender identity.

I work with individuals and couples struggling with life transitions, depression, anxiety, emotion regulation, trauma, relationship difficulties, and addiction. My approach is collaborative and person-centered, drawing effective interventions from several different therapy approaches. I provide an atmosphere of warmth, insight, and acceptance, in which people feel comfortable sharing and exploring their experiences and developing new skills.

I am committed to working with individuals, couples , and family members to better comprehend their inner lives, enrich their connections with others, and feel more satisfied in their personal relationships as well as in workplace settings. My approach is influenced by my teaching and scholarship for over 25 years in understanding communication processes in relationships. I am licensed as a clinical social worker and a marriage and family therapist, and I am also an AASECT-certified sex therapist.