Couples Therapy in Baltimore & Maryland
Relationships can be the source of our deepest connection — and our deepest pain. When something shifts between you and your partner, finding your way back can feel impossible without the right support.
At CICC, our therapists are trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), one of the most evidence-based approaches in couples treatment. Our practice also holds AASECT certification in sex therapy — a combination that is rare among therapy practices in the Baltimore area. Whether your relationship is struggling with communication, intimacy, trust, or all three, our team has the specialized training to help.
We see couples in person at our Pikesville, MD office and via telehealth anywhere in Maryland — including Baltimore, Towson, Owings Mills, Reisterstown, Columbia, and Annapolis.
Our Approach: Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)
Not all couples therapy is the same. At CICC, our primary approach is Emotionally Focused Therapy — one of the most extensively researched methods in couples treatment, with studies showing 70–75% of couples move from distress to recovery and 90% show significant improvement.
EFT works at the level of emotional bonding rather than just communication skills or conflict management. Most couples who come to therapy aren’t simply fighting about money, parenting, or division of labor. Those conflicts are symptoms. Underneath them is almost always a disruption in the felt sense of safety and connection between partners. EFT addresses that root level directly.
Our approach is different from Gottman Method therapy, which focuses primarily on communication skills and conflict management techniques. EFT works at a deeper level — changing how partners feel with each other emotionally, not just how they talk to each other. For couples where disconnection and insecurity are driving the conflict, this distinction matters.
What Brings Couples to CICC
Couples come to us at many different stages — some in acute crisis, others sensing a slow drift they can’t quite name. Our therapists work with a wide range of relationship challenges:
- Communication breakdown — arguments that escalate quickly or shut down entirely
- Infidelity and betrayal — affairs, emotional infidelity, or repeated dishonesty
- Intimacy and sexual disconnection — mismatched desire, avoidance, or loss of physical closeness
- Parenting conflicts and blended family dynamics
- Trust issues and jealousy
- Stress from finances, careers, or major life transitions
- Second marriages and the unique challenges of remarriage
- Feeling like roommates rather than partners
- Considering separation and wanting to make an informed decision
We also work with premarital couples who want to build a strong foundation before marriage, and with couples navigating differences in values, culture, religion, or background. Our therapists are experienced working with couples of all orientations, genders, and relationship structures, including LGBTQ+ couples, interfaith couples, and religiously observant couples.
When Couples Therapy and Sexual Issues Overlap
For many couples, relationship distress and sexual disconnection are deeply intertwined. Conflict erodes intimacy. Intimacy problems generate conflict. CICC is one of the only practices in the Baltimore area where EFT-certified couples therapy and AASECT-certified sex therapy are available in the same practice — which means you never have to choose between addressing your relationship and addressing your sexual relationship. They can be worked on together, by therapists trained in both.
This is particularly valuable for couples dealing with mismatched desire, sexual avoidance, sexual dysfunction, or recovering from infidelity where both emotional and sexual trust have been damage.
Couples Therapy After Infidelity
Infidelity is one of the most painful experiences a relationship can go through — and one of the most common reasons couples reach out to CICC. The decision to try to repair a relationship after betrayal is deeply personal, and there is no single right answer.
What we offer is a structured, evidence-based process for working through what happened, understanding the patterns that contributed to it, and — if both partners choose it — rebuilding trust and connection on firmer ground. EFT is particularly well-suited to infidelity recovery because it addresses the deep injury to the attachment bond, not just surface-level conflict.
We also support couples who are using therapy to separate with clarity and compassion rather than to reconcile. That is a legitimate and often healthy goal, and our therapists can help with that process too.
Second Marriages and Blended Families
Second marriages bring a layer of complexity that standard couples therapy models don’t always address directly. The presence of children from previous relationships, co-parenting dynamics, financial entanglements, and the emotional residue of prior relationship wounds all shape how couples relate to each other.
Our therapists have experience working with remarried couples and blended families navigating these challenges. If you are entering a second marriage or managing the ongoing dynamics of a blended household, specialized support can make a significant difference in building a stable, connected foundation.
What to Expect in Couples Therapy
The first session is an assessment — a chance for your therapist to understand your relationship history, what has brought you in, and what each partner is hoping to get out of the process. Both partners attend together from the start.
From there, EFT follows a structured three-stage process:
- De-escalation — identifying the negative cycles that keep you stuck and reducing the emotional reactivity that makes productive conversation feel impossible
- Restructuring — creating new patterns of emotional openness, responsiveness, and connection between partners
- Consolidation — reinforcing the changes you have made and building the skills to sustain them outside of sessions
A meaningful course of couples therapy typically spans 12–20 sessions, though this varies based on the complexity of what you are working through and your goals as a couple. Some couples continue beyond that to deepen their work. Others reach their goals sooner.
Sessions are 50 minutes and are available in person at our Pikesville, MD office or via telehealth to clients anywhere in Maryland.
Common Questions About Couples Therapy
Couples therapy is a form of talk therapy focused on the relationship itself — not just the individuals within it. Both partners attend together, and the therapist works with the dynamic between you: the interaction patterns, emotional cycles, and communication styles that shape how you experience each other. At CICC, we use Emotionally Focused Therapy, which means our work centers on understanding and shifting the emotional processes that drive disconnection and conflict.
Yes — the terms are interchangeable. Marriage counseling, couples counseling, and relationship therapy all refer to the same type of work. You do not need to be married to attend. We work with dating couples, engaged couples, long-term partners, and married couples at all stages of a relationship.
Look for a licensed therapist — a licensed psychologist, LCSW, LPC, or LCMFT — with specific training in working with couples. General clinical licensure does not by itself qualify a therapist to do effective couples work. Ask about their approach and whether they can explain the evidence behind it. At CICC, our therapists are trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy, and our practice holds EFT certification and AASECT sex therapy certification — credentials that require demonstrated competency well beyond standard licensure.
A meaningful course of EFT-based couples therapy typically involves 12–20 sessions at minimum. Couples with more complex histories or deeper ruptures often work for longer. Progress depends on consistency, both partners' engagement, and the nature of what you are addressing. We discuss realistic expectations in the first session so you have a clear sense of what to plan for.
Yes. We offer telehealth couples therapy to clients anywhere in Maryland. Our Pikesville office also sees couples in person. Telehealth sessions follow the same therapeutic process as in-person sessions — many couples find them easier to fit into busy schedules, and the quality of the work is fully comparable.
Yes. Our therapists work with couples of all genders, orientations, and relationship structures. Our practice is affirming, non-judgmental, and experienced with the specific dynamics and stressors that LGBTQ+ couples, interfaith couples, and religiously observant couples navigate.
Session fees are listed on our team page. CICC is an out-of-network provider — we do not bill insurance directly, but we provide receipts for out-of-network reimbursement submission. Many FSA and HSA accounts also cover therapy. We offer a free 15-minute consultation so you can ask questions before committing to anything.