Couples Therapy in Boca Raton
You have put so much into this relationship. When you first met your partner, you fell in love and pictured the best possible life together. You are still trying. But sometimes trying on your own is not enough.
I am Emily Jurich, founder of Attached Counseling. I am trained in Emotionally Focused couples therapy and I am also a trauma therapist. I integrate these two approaches to help couples find their way back to each other and build a relationship beyond what they thought was possible. That change does not stay between the two of you. It shows up in your home, with your children, and across your whole family.
In-person in Boca Raton on request
Online in Florida & Texas
ABOUT EMILY
Why I Love This Work
So many couples do not believe recovery is possible once things get hard. In our culture it can feel easier to walk away from something that was once good than to figure out how to repair it. Many of us also never saw what a healthy marriage actually looks like. Past generations often stayed together out of financial necessity or personal instability, not because they knew how to keep love alive. The expectation of staying together is still there, but the roadmap for doing it well usually is not.
Whether you are considering divorce or separation, or you are simply at your wit's end, wanting this relationship but no longer sure how to fight for it, this is where I come in. I work with couples who love each other, care about each other, and respect each other, but lost their relationship somewhere along the way. I have watched couples who were sure it was too late turn things around, and that is what keeps me in this work.
Needing professional help is not a failure.
MY APPROACH
Couples Therapy That Is Not Meant to Last Forever
01
My goal is not for you to see a couples therapist every week indefinitely. It is to help you and your partner learn to unravel your cycle of disconnection on your own and build a positive cycle in its place.
02
I draw on Gottman research on what healthy relationships do. I use EFT so you actually experience what it feels like to connect and understand each other in session. Once you have felt that in the room, you know authentically how to find it again at home.
03
This is how couples build longevity, sustainability, and real transformation. It changes each of you individually, it changes your family, and it shapes what gets passed down to the next generation. Helping people regain confidence in their ability to keep their love alive is the part of this work I love most.
IS THIS YOU?
Most people who reach out to me are not asking whether they love their partner. They know they do. What they are asking is whether love is enough, and whether they have anything left to keep trying with.
You Love Them. You Are Also Exhausted.
Maybe it sounds like this:
“ You have stopped bringing things up at all because you already know how it will end
“ Something happened, an affair, a betrayal, a loss, and you have never really recovered as a couple
“ One of you is pushing for closeness and the other is pulling away, and both of you are tired
“ You bring something up gently and it turns into the same fight you had last month, just with a different topic
“ You feel more like roommates or co-parents than partners
“ Infertility or IVF has taken over your life and you are grieving in separate rooms
“ You have quietly started imagining what life would look like apart
6 YEARS
AVERAGE WAIT BEFORE COUPLES SEEK HELP
None of these mean you failed. They mean you are human and you are hurting. Research from the Gottman Institute suggests couples wait an average of six years after problems start before they seek help. By then, the hurt has had a long time to settle in. Reaching out now, even if you are not sure what you want yet, is not giving up. It is the opposite.
EMOTION FOCUSED THERAPY
The foundation of my work is Emotionally Focused Therapy, or EFT, developed by Dr. Sue Johnson and grounded in decades of attachment research. EFT starts from a simple idea that I have watched hold true over and over in my office: underneath almost every repeated argument is a question about connection. Are you there for me? Do I matter to you? Can I count on you when it counts?
When those questions feel unanswered, people protect themselves. One partner gets louder and more critical. The other shuts down and goes quiet. Each one is reacting to the other, and the pattern keeps feeding itself. EFT calls this the negative cycle. In our sessions, we are going to find yours, name it, and slow it down until you can both see it clearly. Once you can see it, the fight stops being about who is wrong and starts being about what you are both caught in together.
How I Work With Boca Raton Couples
70 to 73%
of couples recover from relationship distress
About 90%
show significant improvement
2 years
later, couples kept their gains
The research behind EFT is strong. A meta-analysis found that 70 to 73% of couples recover from relationship distress and about 90% show significant improvement (Johnson et al., 1999). A two-year follow-up study also found that couples kept their gains well after therapy ended (Wiebe et al., 2017). This is not about a quick fix. It is about changing how the two of you reach for each other.
When the Hurt Is Bigger Than an Argument: EMDR in Couples Therapy
Some couples come to me carrying more than a communication problem. They are carrying something that happened to them, together or to one of them, that left a mark on the relationship. When that is the case, talking alone does not always reach it.
For couples dealing with shared trauma, I bring EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) into our work alongside EFT. EMDR is an evidence-based approach for processing painful memories, and it is recommended by the World Health Organization for trauma. In couples work, I use it to help a partner process what is keeping them stuck, so the two of you can do the repair work in EFT without that pain hijacking every conversation.
01
Infidelity and Betrayal
Sometimes the infidelity happened years ago, early in the relationship, and you are only now finding a couples therapist. Old betrayals can crack the foundation in ways that keep showing up long after. After an affair, the betrayed partner often feels like their mind will not let them rest. The images, the questions at 2 a.m., the constant scanning for signs it is happening again. The partner who had the affair often feels stuck between deep guilt and not knowing how to help. EMDR can help soften the intensity of those intrusive memories, and EFT gives you a structured path to rebuild trust together. You can read more about my approach on my affair and infidelity recovery page.
02
Infertility and IVF
Infertility is a trauma that many couples do not even recognize as trauma. It is one of the most isolating experiences a couple can go through, and it rarely gets talked about with the weight it deserves. Research has found that women going through infertility report levels of anxiety and depression comparable to those facing cancer or heart disease (Domar et al., 1993). Partners often grieve differently, one wanting to talk about it constantly and the other needing to put it away to keep functioning. Each failed cycle, each appointment, each negative test can quietly pull you apart right when you need each other most. This includes LGBTQ+ couples who want to build a family but face biological barriers to conceiving together, a grief that is often overlooked. Our work makes room for both of your experiences so the grief brings you closer instead of becoming another thing you fight about.
03
Grief and Loss
Losing a parent, a pregnancy, a child, or a future you had planned together changes a relationship. Sometimes couples come in because they are not grieving "the same way" and it is starting to feel like a rejection. EMDR helps with the parts of loss that feel stuck, and EFT helps you find your way back to each other inside of it.
UNSURE WHETHER TO STAY OR GO
Couples Therapy for Partners Considering Divorce
1 in 4
divorcing parents reported some interest in reconciliation
Not every couple who calls me is sure they want to stay together. Sometimes one partner is leaning out and the other is desperate to make it work. Sometimes both of you are just tired and unsure.
If that is you, you are not alone. One study of divorcing parents found that about one in four individuals reported some interest in reconciliation (Doherty et al., 2011). Ambivalence is common, and it deserves space.
I work with couples who are considering divorce and want to slow down before making a decision that big. Our work in this situation is not about talking anyone into staying. It is about getting clear. We look honestly at the cycle you are in, what has been tried, and what each of you actually wants. Some couples realize they want to commit fully to repairing the relationship. Others gain the clarity to move forward differently with more understanding and less blame. Either way, you will not be making the decision from the middle of the fight. Learn more about couples therapy for couples navigating divorce and separation here.
To be clear, if there is active abuse or you do not feel safe in your relationship, couples therapy is not the right starting place, and I will help you find the right support.
WHY COUPLES CHOOSE EMILY
What Makes This Work Different
I do not take sides.
I am not listening for who is right. I am listening for the pattern that is hurting both of you.
There are a lot of couples therapists in Boca Raton. Here is what I hope you will notice about working with me:
I can work with trauma inside the relationship.
Combining EFT and EMDR means we do not have to work around the hardest things. We can work through them.
I am LGBTQIA+ affirming.
Couples of every identity and relationship structure are welcome here. If that is important to you, you can learn more on my LGBT couples therapy page.
I specialize in couples.
My training is centered on attachment and couples work, not couples therapy as a side offering.
WHERE WE MEET
Online and In-Person Couples Therapy in Boca Raton
Sessions are offered online for couples anywhere in Florida, which for a lot of Boca couples is honestly a relief. No driving down Glades Road or Federal Highway after work, no coordinating two schedules around a commute, no sitting in a waiting room feeling exposed. You log in from wherever you feel comfortable, and the work feels just as real.
ONLINE ACROSS FLORIDA
IN-PERSON IN BOCA RATON
For couples who prefer to be in the room together, in-person sessions in Boca Raton are available on request. If that is something you are interested in, just mention it during your free consultation and we will talk through whether it is the right fit for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes, in-person sessions in Boca Raton are available on request. Most of my work happens online across Florida, and many couples find online sessions just as effective and far more convenient. If being in the room together matters to you, bring it up during your consultation and we will talk about what makes sense for you.
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This is really common, and it does not mean the relationship is hopeless. Often the hesitant partner is worried about being blamed or ganged up on. I make it a priority for both partners to feel understood from the very first session. If your partner is not ready yet, a consultation call can be a low-pressure way for them to get a feel for how I work.
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Yes. Affair recovery is one of the most common reasons couples come to see me. Healing takes time and it is not a straight line, but many couples rebuild trust and even report a more honest relationship than they had before. My approach combines EFT with EMDR when the betrayed partner is struggling with intrusive images or hypervigilance.
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Yes. Infertility and IVF put enormous pressure on a relationship, emotionally, physically, and financially. I help couples understand how each partner is coping, why they may be grieving differently, and how to turn toward each other instead of away during treatment and after.
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You do not have to be sure to start. I work with couples who are considering divorce and want clarity before making a decision. Our goal is not to force a particular outcome. It is to help you both understand what is happening so you can decide from a clearer place.
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It depends on what you are bringing in and how long the pattern has been in place. EFT is typically a structured, short-term approach, and many couples see real change within a few months of consistent sessions. When there is trauma involved, like infidelity or pregnancy loss, the work may take longer, and that is okay.
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I am a private pay practice, and I can provide a superbill if you would like to seek out-of-network reimbursement from your insurance. This also means your care stays between us, without a diagnosis on file with your insurance company.
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The best couples therapist for you is the one who is the right fit for your relationship, not the one with the most reviews. Look for someone with specialized couples training, like Emotionally Focused Therapy, rather than a therapist who sees couples occasionally. Ask whether they have experience with what you are actually facing, whether that is infidelity, infertility, grief, or considering divorce. And pay attention to how you both feel on the consultation call. A good couples therapist stays neutral and makes each partner feel understood, not judged. That is why I offer a free consultation, so you can get a feel for how I work before committing.
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Yes, I am a female couples therapist serving Boca Raton and all of Florida. Some couples look specifically for a woman therapist, often because one partner feels more comfortable opening up, or because they want a perspective that feels balanced in the room. Whatever your reason, it matters that both of you feel safe with the person guiding your sessions. During your consultation, I encourage both partners to share what feels important to them in a therapist.
FREE CONSULTATION
You Do Not Have to Figure This Out Alone
If you are feeling torn between how much you love your partner and how tired you are of hurting, I want you to know that what you are feeling makes sense. And there is a way through it that does not require either of you to be perfect. It just requires both of you to be willing to look at what is happening between you.
If that sounds like what you are looking for, I would love to connect. You can schedule a free consultation and we will talk about what is going on and whether we are a good fit.
