Couples Therapy (EFT) · Seattle · Statewide WA Telehealth

EFT couples therapy for the cycle that keeps pulling you apart.

Emotionally Focused Therapy works on the negative cycle two partners get stuck in and the bond underneath it, so you can reach for each other instead of bracing against each other. Same-week appointment availability. Most major insurance plans accepted. In person at three Seattle-area offices or by secure video anywhere in Washington.

Request an appointment Call (206) 242-8211

Same-week first appointments Most major insurance plans accepted EFT-trained couples therapists on the team

A couple holding hands together in warm natural light

In short

EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) at Counseling Services for Wellbeing helps Seattle-area couples find the negative cycle that keeps pulling them apart and build a more secure bond underneath it. It is an attachment-based, research-backed approach. We accept most major insurance plans, book same-week appointments and see couples at our Green Lake, Burien and Smokey Point offices or by secure video statewide.

Does this sound familiar?

The same fight, the same place, no matter how it starts.

The conversation starts about something small and somehow you both end up in the same place you always do. One of you pushes for an answer and the other goes quiet. One of you reaches and the other pulls back. You know the steps so well by now that you can feel where it is heading before it gets there, and knowing does nothing to stop it.

Underneath the words is something neither of you is quite saying. One of you is asking, in your own way, do I still matter to you. The other is bracing for criticism and shutting the door so it cannot land. You are not enemies. You are two people who have lost the thread of feeling safe with each other, and the cycle has taken over the space where that used to be.

You do not have a communication problem so much as a disconnection problem. EFT works on the cycle that keeps pulling you apart and the bond underneath it, so reaching for each other stops feeling like a risk.

What we offer

EFT for couples who want the bond back, not just the peace.

The pursue and withdraw loop

One of you reaches harder, the other pulls further back, and the gap widens every time. EFT works on the loop itself, not just the latest argument.

Living more like roommates

The logistics run fine and the closeness has quietly thinned out. You want to find each other again underneath the schedule.

One reaches, one goes quiet

When it gets hard, one of you wants to talk it through and the other shuts down. EFT helps a more guarded partner put words to what is underneath.

Rebuilding trust after a breach

Working through the aftermath of an affair or another rupture, with a careful, paced way of helping the hurt partner be heard.

A life change put you out of sync

A new baby, a move, a loss, a hard year. The stress drove a wedge in and you want to feel like a team again.

LGBTQ+ and non-traditional couples

Same-sex, ethically non-monogamous and other relationships looking for an EFT therapist who works with attachment without assumptions.

You do not need a crisis to start. If you want the closeness back and not just a quieter house, this approach was built for that.

Our approach

How EFT couples therapy works here.

Attachment-led work in three stages, with the same therapist for both partners across your care. The Gottman Method is also available when that is the better fit.

Name the cycle

The first sessions map the negative cycle the two of you get stuck in, the moves and counter-moves that pull you apart. Once you can both see the cycle as the problem, you stop being each other's problem.

Reach underneath it

We slow the loop down and get to the softer feeling under the reaction, the fear or the longing the argument was hiding. Your therapist helps each of you say it, and helps the other actually hear it.

Build a more secure bond

The later work is about reaching for each other in the moments that used to trigger the cycle, so closeness stops feeling like a risk. The relationship you are rebuilding, not just the fights you are ending.

The method

Why EFT?

Emotionally Focused Therapy is an attachment-based couples approach developed by Dr. Sue Johnson and supported by the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy. It treats the recurring fight as a cycle the two of you are caught in rather than a fault in either partner, and it works on the emotion underneath the argument to help you build a more secure bond. It is one of the most-studied couples approaches and is recognized as evidence-based by the American Psychological Association.

The Gottman Method, an assessment-led couples framework, is also available on the team when a couple wants more structured, skills-first work. We match you with the approach and the therapist that fit your relationship.

Attachment

based, working on the bond underneath

Same-week

first appointments

Gottman

also available when it fits better

	Most Seattle couples practices	Online couples platforms	Counseling Services for Wellbeing
First appointment	Often a 4 to 6 week wait	Matched within days	Same-week scheduling
Evening and weekend availability	Limited slots, daytime mostly	Broad evening and weekend windows	Some evening and weekend openings
EFT-trained couples therapist	Often, at a specialist cash rate	Modality often unspecified	EFT-trained therapists on the team
Same therapist for both partners	Yes, same therapist	Therapist rotation common	Same therapist, continuous care
Messaging between sessions	Rarely offered	Built-in app messaging	No 24/7 app messaging
Insurance accepted	Often cash-pay only	Limited carrier coverage for couples	Kaiser, Premera, Regence, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna

First appointment
- Most Seattle couples practicesOften a 4 to 6 week wait
- Online couples platformsMatched within days
- Counseling Services for WellbeingSame-week scheduling
Evening and weekend availability
- Most Seattle couples practicesLimited slots, daytime mostly
- Online couples platformsBroad evening and weekend windows
- Counseling Services for WellbeingSome evening and weekend openings
EFT-trained couples therapist
- Most Seattle couples practicesOften, at a specialist cash rate
- Online couples platformsModality often unspecified
- Counseling Services for WellbeingEFT-trained therapists on the team
Same therapist for both partners
- Most Seattle couples practicesYes, same therapist
- Online couples platformsTherapist rotation common
- Counseling Services for WellbeingSame therapist, continuous care
Messaging between sessions
- Most Seattle couples practicesRarely offered
- Online couples platformsBuilt-in app messaging
- Counseling Services for WellbeingNo 24/7 app messaging
Insurance accepted
- Most Seattle couples practicesOften cash-pay only
- Online couples platformsLimited carrier coverage for couples
- Counseling Services for WellbeingKaiser, Premera, Regence, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna

An online platform can get you a session faster and message you at midnight, and a cash-pay boutique can offer a deep EFT specialist. What you give up either way is continuity that takes your insurance. We match you with an EFT-trained therapist who stays with both of you, gets you in the same week, and bills the carriers you already have.

Insurance & coverage

Most major insurance plans accepted

We will confirm your coverage before your first visit.

The team

Meet some of our EFT-trained therapists.

Trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy and attachment-based couples work. We match you with the therapist whose approach fits your relationship.

Stacy Lanier

MS, LMFT-Associate

EFTIFSCouplesLGBTQ+Attachment

Read bio Book with Stacy

Welcome
Hi, I’m Stacy Lanier (she/they), a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate in Washington and Texas. I specialize in helping individuals, teens, couples, and families work through life’s toughest moments, whether they are dealing with anxiety, trauma, identity exploration, or strained communication.

If you’re reading this, you’ve already taken a powerful step toward healing. I want to honor that courage. Therapy can be a place of transformation, but it doesn’t have to feel cold or clinical. I bring warmth, authenticity, and a deep respect for your story into every session. Whether you’re neurodivergent, working through family transitions, or trying to rewrite the script of how you show up in relationships, I’m here for it, and I’m here for you.

Background
Before I became a therapist, I spent years walking alongside people through grief, change, and growth as a caregiver, parent, advocate, and community leader. Those lived experiences, along with a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Capella University and advanced training in EMDR and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, profoundly inform my work.

I have guided families through trauma recovery, identity shifts, and grief healing. I have created a supportive space for teens grappling with abandonment, for partners feeling trapped in old conflict patterns, and for individuals striving to reclaim their worth after years of self-doubt. My own journey has been shaped by movement across states, systems, and roles, and I understand what it is like to reimagine life in the face of change.

Approach

My therapy style is relational, nonjudgmental, and collaborative. I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all approaches. Therapy with me is tailored specifically for you. I integrate systemic thinking, Narrative Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and various other modalities to help you explore the narratives and patterns that shape your life.

We might map your relationship cycles, externalize a negative self-belief, explore the roles different “parts” play inside you, or practice new communication strategies. You’ll find our sessions filled with metaphor, curiosity, a touch of humor, and an ongoing invitation to be your true self.

My areas of focus include:

LGBTQ+ mental health and identity development.
Parenting and supporting neurodivergent adolescents.
Trauma and complicated grief.
Attachment wounds and relational healing.
Boundaries, self-esteem, and emotional regulation.
Family systems and attachment repair.
Relationship difficulties and communication challenges.

Closing
I believe therapy is a sacred space where insight, courage, and connection come together. If you’re ready to begin your healing journey, or even just curious about what it might involve, I’d love to meet you right where you are.

Healing isn’t about perfection, it’s about connection.
Whether you’re looking to understand yourself more deeply, mend a strained relationship, or start a new chapter in life, I would be honored to walk alongside you.

Leada Taghipour

LMFTA

IFSPolyvagalAnxietyDepressionTeens

Read bio Book with Leada

I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate (LMFTA) in Washington State. I work with adolescents, adults, couples, and families working through life’s challenges – whether that’s relationship stress, anxiety, depression, major transitions, or the quiet feeling that something in life just isn’t working the way it used to. My goal is to offer a warm, collaborative space where you can feel heard, supported, and understood as you explore what’s been weighing on you and begin creating meaningful change.

My Background

My path to becoming a therapist began with a deep curiosity about people and the ways we connect, heal, and grow. I earned my Master’s degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Clinical and Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. My professional experience has included supporting clients across the lifespan – helping teens manage identity and school-related stress, adults move through anxiety and life transitions, and couples improve communication and connection.

My Approach

Therapy with me is collaborative, conversational, and grounded in compassion. My foundation is person-centered therapy, which means I believe you are the expert of your own life. My role is to help you access your inner wisdom, build clarity, and find tools that support you in living with greater authenticity and ease.

I integrate evidence-informed modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS) concepts, mindfulness, and Polyvagal Theory. Together, we’ll explore patterns, strengthen emotional awareness, and develop practical ways to support resilience and connection.

What to Expect

I believe true healing happens when we feel deeply understood. In our work together, I aim to help you feel more grounded and centered, and to guide you toward a greater sense of clarity, confidence, and self-compassion. Whether you’re seeking therapy for yourself, your relationship, or your family, you don’t have to go through it alone. It takes courage to begin, and I’m honored to walk alongside you on your journey toward wellbeing.

+ Meet the full team

Therapists and psychiatric providers across all three offices and by secure video.

Meet the team

A deeper bench than the two here. Tell us about your relationship and we will match you with the right couples therapist.

Where to meet

Three offices or secure video anywhere in Washington.

You and your partner can join from the same room or from two different places, with the same therapist either way.

Green Lake, Seattle

North Seattle, Wallingford, Ravenna, Roosevelt

View office →

Burien

White Center, SeaTac, Normandy Park, South King

View office →

Smokey Point, Arlington

Arlington, Marysville, north Snohomish

View office →

Secure video, statewide

Anywhere in Washington. Same therapist either way.

Online therapy in Washington →

Frequently asked questions

What couples ask before starting EFT.

What is EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) for couples?

EFT is an attachment-based couples approach developed by Dr. Sue Johnson. It works on the negative cycle that two partners get stuck in, the loop where one reaches and the other pulls back, and helps you reach for each other in a way that builds a more secure bond. The focus is the emotion underneath the argument, not just the words on the surface.

How is EFT different from the Gottman Method?

Both are research-based couples approaches and both can help. The Gottman Method is assessment-led and skills-focused, with concrete tools for friendship, conflict and shared meaning. EFT is attachment-led, working on the emotional cycle that keeps two people stuck and the bond underneath it. Many couples benefit from elements of both, and we will match you with the approach and therapist that fits your relationship.

Does EFT work if one of us is more closed off?

It can. EFT is built for the common pattern where one partner reaches and the other withdraws, and a lot of the work is helping a more guarded partner feel safe enough to put words to what is going on inside. Your therapist will go at a pace that works for both of you, so neither partner is pushed to share faster than they are ready to.

Do you take my insurance for EFT couples therapy?

We accept Kaiser, Premera, Regence, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare and Cigna. Coverage for couples therapy can work differently from coverage for individual therapy depending on your plan, so we will confirm exactly what your plan covers before your first session. You will not be left guessing about cost.

How soon can we be seen?

First appointments are available the same week, not weeks out. Much of the Seattle couples market books four to six weeks ahead, so you do not have to sit on a long waitlist to start working on your relationship. Reach out and we will find the first opening that fits both of your schedules.

Do you offer EFT couples therapy online or only in person?

Both. You can meet in person at our Green Lake, Burien or Smokey Point offices, or by secure video anywhere in Washington with online therapy. You and your partner can join from the same room or from two different places, with the same therapist either way.

Can EFT help us rebuild trust after a betrayal?

Many couples come to EFT after a breach of trust such as an affair. EFT has a structured way of working with these attachment injuries, helping the hurt partner be heard and helping both of you understand what happened underneath the event. It is careful, paced work, and your therapist will not rush it.

Take the next step

You do not have to keep ending up in the same place every time.

EFT gives the two of you a way to step out of the cycle and back toward each other, and you can start this week. Counseling Services for Wellbeing accepts most major insurance plans, books first appointments the same week and matches you with an EFT-trained therapist, in person at our Green Lake, Burien and Smokey Point offices or by secure video across Washington.

Call (206) 242-8211 Request an appointment

EFT couples therapy for the cycle that keeps pulling you apart.

The same fight, the same place, no matter how it starts.

EFT for couples who want the bond back, not just the peace.

How EFT couples therapy works here.

Name the cycle

Reach underneath it

Build a more secure bond

Why EFT?

Counseling Services for Wellbeing vs. typical Seattle EFT options.

First appointment

Evening and weekend availability

EFT-trained couples therapist

Same therapist for both partners

Messaging between sessions

Insurance accepted

Most major insurance plans accepted

Meet some of our EFT-trained therapists.

+ Meet the full team

Three offices or secure video anywhere in Washington.

Green Lake, Seattle

Burien

Smokey Point, Arlington

Secure video, statewide

What couples ask before starting EFT.

What is EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) for couples?

How is EFT different from the Gottman Method?

Does EFT work if one of us is more closed off?

Do you take my insurance for EFT couples therapy?

How soon can we be seen?

Do you offer EFT couples therapy online or only in person?

Can EFT help us rebuild trust after a betrayal?

Related care from our team.

You do not have to keep ending up in the same place every time.