Same Sex Couples

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Couples Counseling for Gays & Lesbians

Same Sex Couples Counseling in Maryland
The issues and problems that gay and lesbian couples face in Maryland are much the same as those of all couples anywhere. Like all couples, they seek to establish a committed, caring, intimate and self-fulfilling relationship. Just like their heterosexual counterparts, they must negotiate and manage issues around roles and responsibilities, money, intimacy, negotiating everyday conflict, child-rearing and extended family relationships.

Couples counseling can achieve relationship breakthroughs regardless of sexual orientation, race, religious background, financial/social standing or education. In fact, these top relational problems for couples appear just as often in homosexual as heterosexual couples. But gay and lesbian couples may face additional problems that other couples do not have to deal with:

• Dealing with broad social and cultural resistance to same sex couples
• Gay and lesbian legal prohibitions against their marrying
• Pressures of coming out as a couple to family and friends
• Lack of family support as a couple who is openly gay
• Extra pressures when determining where children may fit in with same sex parents

Part of the exercises that all couples do when following the Imago method of marriage counseling is the examination of their respective childhoods. Exploring the Imago concept of childhood wounding can be especially effective for gay clients who may have experienced being “different” from everyone else around them when they were growing up.

Imago Relationship therapy offers a safe place to explore good reasons for gay and lesbian couples to stay together, without the interference of homophobia or other societal judgments. In fact, studies have shown that straight couples may have something to learn from homosexual couples in the way they handle their conflicts.  

My experience and training as a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Rockville, Maryland has helped me guide gay and lesbian couples through conflicts that they face. Please call me at 301-272-1320 so that we can talk about your current situation and how I may be able to help you both.
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