You don't have to be in crisis to come in, and you don't have to agree on what the problem is before the first session. Some couples come because something is badly wrong. Others come because they can feel a distance growing and want to deal with it early. We meet in person in Casper or online anywhere in Wyoming.
What couples bring to us
Every relationship is different, but a few patterns come up often in our office. Most couples are dealing with more than one of these at once.
- Arguments that loop and never seem to get resolved
- Feeling distant, lonely or unseen by your partner
- Changes in affection or your sex life
- An affair or another breach of trust
- Strain from parenting, work, money or a big move
- Old hurts from earlier in life that keep showing up in the relationship
- Hard decisions about marriage, children or the future
An attachment-focused, emotion-forward approach
Brandon works from Interpersonal Neurobiology, which looks at how our brains and bodies are shaped by our closest relationships. From that view, most couples' fights are not really about the dishes or the schedule. Underneath is an older question: can I count on you, and do I matter to you?
So we slow things down. Instead of refereeing who is right, we help each of you notice the feelings under the anger or the shutting down, such as fear, hurt or loneliness, and say them in a way your partner can actually hear. Mindfulness helps here too, since many people find it easier to stay in a hard conversation once they can notice what is happening in their own body.
Insight matters, but so do practical skills. Alongside the deeper work, we help couples build concrete ways to handle conflict, repair after a bad night, and make room for closeness again.
Where EMDR can fit
Sometimes one partner's reactions are bigger than the moment calls for because they are tied to something older: a parent who left, a past relationship that ended badly, or years of feeling unwanted. In his writing on EMDR, Brandon lists relationship challenges among the issues it can help with.
Brandon is an EMDRIA Approved Consultant and EMDR Certified Clinician, and Kala is trained in EMDR. If older memories are keeping a couple stuck, we'll talk with you both about whether EMDR makes sense and how it would fit with your couples sessions.
What sessions look like
A typical session is 60 minutes, weekly or every other week depending on what you need. In the first meeting we get to know you both, hear each of your views on what brought you in, and answer your questions. From there we put together a plan and check in on it from time to time to make sure the work is helping.
For reading between sessions, Brandon recommends Esther Perel's Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs, and The Power of Showing Up by Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson.
Starting couples therapy in Casper, WY
Call 307-215-1021 or email brandon@openroadtherapy.com for a free phone consultation. Our office at 1300 East A Street, Suite 201 is open Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 5:30pm. Once you schedule, we'll send intake forms to fill out before your first session.
Questions people ask
Do we both have to want to come?
It helps if both of you are willing to try, even if one of you is more unsure than the other. It's common for one partner to make the first call. The free phone consultation is a good time to talk through any hesitation.
Is couples therapy the same as marriage counseling?
At our practice, yes. You don't have to be married to come in. Dating, engaged, married and long-term partners are all welcome.
Does insurance cover couples therapy?
Coverage for couples sessions depends on your plan, so it's worth asking your insurer. We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield (in-network), Cigna, Optumhealth Behavioral Solutions, Meritain, Allied Benefit Systems, Mountain Health CO-OP, United Health Care, Medicaid and others, and we can often bill out of network. Call us and we'll help you sort it out.
Can we do couples therapy online?
Yes, as long as you are both in Wyoming. Online sessions happen by secure video through our Client Portal. Online sessions can help when work schedules or winter roads make the drive into Casper hard.
How long does couples therapy take?
That varies with what you're working on and how long the patterns have been in place. We review your plan together along the way, and you are always free to talk with us about pace and frequency.