by Sabrina Walters | Jul 23, 2025 | Connection, Counseling Portland, Couples, couples counseling, couples therapy, Couples Therapy Portland, Intimacy, Marriage, relationship counseling, Relationships
There’s a quiet ache that can settle into long-term relationships: the feeling of coexisting rather than truly connecting. You’re raising kids, building careers, caring for aging parents — and somewhere in all that hustle, the person you once felt closest to...
by Sabrina Walters | Jul 16, 2025 | Communication, Conflict, Connection, Counseling, Counseling Portland, Couples, couples counseling, couples therapy, Couples Therapy Portland, Emotional Regulation, Emotions, Marriage, relationship counseling, Relationships, Therapy Portland
If you read Part 1 of this series, you saw how a simple pause — especially when paired with playful rituals — can help kids regulate big emotions through connection. But pausing isn’t just for little ones. In our adult relationships, it’s just as powerful....
by Sabrina Walters | Jul 9, 2025 | Communication, Connection, Emotional Regulation, Emotions, Parenting
One of the most powerful tools we have as parents and caregivers is simple: the pause. It’s not something most of us were taught growing up. Many of us didn’t have caregivers who paused; we had people who reacted. But choosing to pause — to stop,...
by Sabrina Walters | Jun 27, 2025 | Anxiety, Communication, Connection, Counseling, Counseling Portland, Emotions, Family, Parenting, Therapy Portland
As parents, we so often feel the pressure to be calm, steady, and composed — especially when we’re struggling inside. We want to protect our children from our hard emotions, to shield them from the anxiety, sadness, or overwhelm we carry. But the truth is,...
by Sabrina Walters | Jun 24, 2025 | Communication, Connection, Counseling, Counseling Portland, Couples, couples counseling, couples therapy, Couples Therapy Portland, Depression, Gottman Method, Marriage, Neurofeedback Portland, neurofeedback therapy, relationship counseling, Relationships, Therapy Portland
Three Practical Steps to Reconnect and Realign In Part 1 of this series, we explored what can happen when one partner has gone through a season of personal growth — and the other hasn’t. It’s more common than you might think, especially in long-term...
by Sabrina Walters | Jun 12, 2025 | Communication, Connection, Counseling, Counseling Portland, Couples, couples counseling, couples therapy, Couples Therapy Portland, Depression, Gottman Method, Marriage, Neurofeedback Portland, neurofeedback therapy, relationship counseling, Relationships, Therapy Portland, Transitions
Navigating the Emotional Gap with Curiosity and Compassion It’s a situation I see often in couples counseling: one partner embarks on a journey of personal growth — through therapy, spiritual practice, a career shift, or a big life transition — and the other...
by Sabrina Walters | Jun 3, 2025 | Connection, Couples, Couples Therapy Portland, Family, Gottman Method, Marriage, relationship counseling, Relationships
Summer has a way of getting away from us, doesn’t it? One minute we’re talking about warmer weather, and the next thing we know, school is starting again and the chaos of fall is creeping in. That’s why now is the perfect time to plan — not just for vacations...
by Sabrina Walters | May 29, 2025 | Attachment, Communication, Connection, Counseling, Counseling Portland, Couples, couples counseling, couples therapy, Couples Therapy Portland, Gottman Method, Marriage, Relationships, Therapy Portland
In the first post of this series, we explored the importance of accepting influence in relationships. Now let’s look at how this principle can completely shift the way we experience conflict with our partner. When couples seek out couples counseling,...
by Sabrina Walters | May 15, 2025 | Communication, Conflict, Connection, Counseling, Couples, Couples Therapy Portland, Gottman Method, Marriage, Relationships
In my work with couples, one theme that comes up again and again is the importance of accepting influence from one another. This idea, drawn from the Gottman Institute’s extensive research on what makes relationships thrive, is one of the strongest...
by Sabrina Walters | May 7, 2025 | Communication, Connection, Counseling Portland, Couples, couples counseling, Finances, Financial Focus, Relationships
Spring often brings a sense of renewal — but when you’re facing economic stress, it can also cast a heavy shadow. Groceries cost more, gas strains the budget, and planning a summer getaway might feel out of reach. Still, even in financially uncertain...
by Sabrina Walters | Apr 30, 2025 | Celebrations, Counseling Portland, Couples, Couples Therapy Portland, Family, Health, Neurofeedback Portland, Retreat, Self-Care, Therapy Portland
As the days get longer and the sun starts peeking out more often, many of us find ourselves dreaming of summer. Vacations, weekends at the coast, backyard BBQs — it’s a season that holds so much potential for joy, rest, and reconnection. But here’s the...
by Sabrina Walters | Apr 23, 2025 | Connection, Counseling, Couples, couples counseling, couples therapy, Couples Therapy Portland, EMDR, Marriage, relationship counseling, Relationships, Therapy Portland
I’m back this week with the third and final installment of our series on EMDR. If this form of therapy is new to you, start here. Last week, we explored what EMDR looks like in a session. Today, we’re talking about what it could mean for you and your partner if...
by Sabrina Walters | Apr 16, 2025 | Counseling, Counseling Portland, EMDR, Emotions, Neurofeedback Portland, neurofeedback therapy, Therapy Portland
Last week, we kicked off a three-part series on a form of therapy called EMDR (read more about that here), and you might have some questions. If EMDR sounds a little mysterious, you’re not alone! Many clients come to me curious — and maybe even a bit...
by Sabrina Walters | Apr 10, 2025 | Counseling, Counseling Portland, EMDR, Therapy Portland
If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a painful pattern or reacting to current situations in ways that feel bigger than the moment calls for, you’re not alone. For many people, these patterns are the echoes of past trauma that never got the chance...
by Sabrina Walters | Apr 4, 2025 | Affair Recovery, Attachment, Communication, Connection, Counseling, Counseling Portland, Couples, couples counseling, couples therapy, Couples Therapy Portland, Empathy, Marriage, relationship counseling, Relationships
Recovering from an affair is one of the most challenging journeys a couple can face. Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored the key stages of affair recovery using The Gottman Institute’s Trust Revival Method: Atonement, Attunement, and Attachment. Each step...
by Sabrina Walters | Mar 25, 2025 | Affair Recovery, Attachment, Communication, Couples, couples counseling, couples therapy, Couples Therapy Portland, Intimacy, Relationships
Today, we’re wrapping up a four-part series on affair recovery. We’ve discussed the first two stages of The Gottman’s Trust Revival Method: Atonement and Attunement. The final stage, Attachment, is just as critical as the first two. Let’s jump in. The...
by Sabrina Walters | Mar 20, 2025 | Affair Recovery, Communication, Connection, Counseling, Counseling Portland, Couples, couples counseling, couples therapy, Couples Therapy Portland, relationship counseling, Relationships
Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been tackling a difficult subject: affair recovery. We learned how betrayal shakes the foundation of a relationship, but healing is possible. Last week, we explored what the Gottmans say is the essential starting point for...
by Sabrina Walters | Mar 12, 2025 | Affair Recovery, Communication, Counseling, Counseling Portland, Couples, couples counseling, couples therapy, Couples Therapy Portland, Marriage, relationship counseling, Relationships, Therapy Portland
In my last blog post, we dove into a tough subject: affair recovery. We learned how betrayal shakes the foundation of a relationship, but healing is possible. Today, we’re taking a closer look at what the Gottmans say is the essential starting point for...
by Sabrina Walters | Mar 7, 2025 | Affair Recovery, Attachment, Communication, Conflict, Counseling, Counseling Portland, Couples, couples counseling, couples therapy, Couples Therapy Portland, relationship counseling, Relationships
Infidelity is one of the most painful breaches of trust in a relationship. Whether it’s a physical affair, an emotional connection with someone outside the partnership, or even financial secrecy, betrayal shakes the foundation of what you once believed to be...
by Sabrina Walters | Feb 28, 2025 | Affirmations, Brain research, Counseling, Counseling Portland, Health, Neurofeedback Portland, Self-Care, Therapy Portland
As we look ahead to March, we’re met with contrasting symbols: the ominous Ides of March and the hopeful charm of St. Patrick’s Day. In a time when our nation feels so divided, it’s easy to focus on the gloom. However, shifting our perspective...
