Couples Work
Relational therapy for the living space between you
Who is this for?
You want to build a relationship that’s big enough to hold both of you
You feel stuck in repeating conflicts or painful cycles
You are experiencing distance, loss of trust, or emotional disconnection
You are navigating a major transition (identity, gender, faith, parenting, illness, or life stage)
You want support having conversations that feel too charged to manage alone
Couples do not need to be in crisis to begin therapy. Many come when something important feels strained and worth tending to with care.
Marriage & Partnership Intensive
A comprehensive relationship “tune-up” designed to clarify where your partnership is strong, where it’s strained, and what direction is most life-giving going forward.
Includes two research-based relationship assessments plus five 90-minute sessions
Identifies core conflict patterns, emotional reactivity, and gridlock dynamics
Explores emotional intimacy, attachment patterns, and avoidance cycles
Designed to support growth, redesign, or conscious uncoupling
Ideal for couples seeking clarity rather than ongoing weekly therapy
Gender & Sexuality Intensive
For couples navigating gender transition, sexuality shifts, or identity changes within a committed relationship.
Includes two research-based relationship assessments plus five 90-minute sessions
Assesses the impact of identity evolution on intimacy, desire, and partnership structure
Creates space for honest truth-telling without pressure toward a predetermined outcome
Clarifies what each partner can and cannot authentically offer moving forward
Supports growth-oriented continuation, relational redesign, or conscious uncoupling
Especially helpful when love remains but the relationship form is in question
The Relational Container
In couples therapy, we attend to the relationship as a living space that holds both partners and what unfolds between them. Together, we create a container where intensity can be present without overwhelming the work.
A structure that can hold the heat without melting or shutting down
Support for staying present with difference rather than avoiding or overpowering it
Attention to the relationship as its own living system, not just two individuals
A balance between safety and challenge so real change can emerge
What happens in Couples Therapy?
In ongoing couples therapy, the relationship itself becomes the primary focus. Sessions are shaped to support both partners while also holding the partnership as a dynamic, evolving system.
Exploring repeating patterns and moments of disconnection
Supporting emotional regulation and differentiation under stress
Working with power, responsibility, and mutual influence
Creating space for repair, honesty, and renewed connection
Meet Sophie Murphy
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Arlington Heights, Illinois, with over 20 years of experience working with couples and relational systems.
My approach to couples therapy has been deeply informed by the work of Dr. David Schnarch and Dr. John Gottman. I have completed advanced training through the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago and the Gottman Institute, and have spent decades learning how to create therapeutic containers that can hold each partner as well as the living relationship that exists between them.