Couples Therapy in Salt Lake City

You’re not broken, just stuck in a cycle. Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy can give you a proven and effective way out.

Peterson Family Therapy provides Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) to couples in Salt Lake City, Utah.

If you’re already searching for couples therapy near you in Salt Lake City, you’re probably already aware of a pattern. Someone pushes to talk, and the other shuts it down, and then later you’re fighting about the laundry (when you both know it’s not about the laundry at all).

Here at Peterson we specialize in EFT, which is a research backed approach to therapy that can actually move 70 to 75 percent of couples to full recovery, with about 90 percent of them showing significant improvement. EFT won’t teach you a script to handle problems, but rather it changes the entire cycle beneath them.

The Cycle, Not the Argument

The fight about laundry was never really about the laundry. It’s a cycle- one partner pursues, while the other withrdraws. And the withdrawal makes the pursuing partner push even harder. Ed puts it like this:

“Sometimes we fight about the silliest things that seem small, but these negative cycles can drive major disconnection. We’re not actually fighting about dishes or money. We’re fighting because the cycle itself has taken over.”

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy targets the cycle directly, instead of just working through the surface argument.

Pursue Withdraw Cycle in Couples Therapy Salt Lake City

Signs It Might Be Time for Couples Therapy

Many couples wait until it feels like a crisis. But we find that getting help earlier is almost always easier.

If any of the following sounds familiar to you, it’s time to consider couples therapy:

  • Circular conflicts. You have the same arguments without resolution.
  • Emotionally distant. Feel like roommates instead of partners.
  • Broken trust. Trying to recover from a betrayal or infidelity.
  • Life transition. Feeling like your connection is out of balance (new baby, new job or a loss)

How Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy Works

How EFT Transforms Relationships

Unlike other types of counseling that only teach communication skills, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy actually reshapes your emotional bond. Throughout the process you’ll:

  • De-escalate conflicts. Look at the pattern as the enemy (not each other).
  • Restore security. Begin to feel understood and accepted again.
  • Deepen intimacy. Assess the needs that lie underneath the arguments.
  • Heal betrayal. Learn how to rebuild the trust when it was broken.

What To Expect From Couples Therapy

  • Initial Consultation

    We’ll meet with you to understand your specific challenges and goals. This is your opportunity to ask questions and determine if our approach is right for you.

  • Assessment

    We’ll work to understand your relationship dynamics, history, patterns, and what brought you to therapy.

  • Customized Treatment Plan

    We’ll create a plan using primarily Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy techniques, with other evidence-based approaches incorporated when appropriate.

  • Active Therapy

    We’ll guide you through the EFT process to identify and break negative cycles, access deeper emotions, and create new patterns of connection.

  • Maintenance & Check-ins

    We’ll help you maintain progress with periodic sessions to ensure lasting change.

Meet Your Couples Therapists

Ed Peterson

Ed Peterson, LCSW, MBA

Certified EFT Therapist & Supervisor

Ed has over 20 years of experience and holds ICEEFT’s highest level of certification, one of the few therapists in Utah to do so. He helps couples identify the negative cycles that leave them feeling stuck or alone.

“In two decades of practice, I’ve found that most couples aren’t ‘broken’—they are simply caught in a cycle of fear. My goal is to help you stop fighting the pattern and start reaching for each other again.”

Ed

Candace Peterson

Candace Peterson, LCSW

Advanced EFT Practitioner

Candace brings 20+ years of experience, advanced training in EFT, and five years of trauma work at the VA. She creates a safe, deeply empathetic space for partners to take emotional risks.

“I believe the answers to your relationship’s healing already live within you. My role is to provide the safety and guidance you need to express your deepest needs and rediscover the authentic connection you deserve.”

Candace

What Clients Say

“My wife and I have been using Ed for the last four years, both separately and jointly. Ed has helped us through all sorts of seasons of life as well as a good mental health check up on a frequent basis.”

– Paul S.

“I am so grateful for Ed and the work we’ve done together in therapy. He helped me better understand my emotions, recognize patterns that were keeping me stuck, and communicate more effectively in my relationships.”

– Sarah S.

“Ed was recommended to me by a friend and he has been great! I have done couples and individual therapy with him. He taught me a lot about internal family systems which has been very helpful in my growth. He is accommodating and responsive to my needs!”

– Alexa A.

Inclusive Couples Counseling In Salt Lake City For Every Relationship

Inclusive-Couples-Therapy

We believe every person deserves a secure and loving bond. We provide specialized couples therapy in Salt Lake City that honors your unique history, faith, or identity. Our practice offers a non-judgmental, affirming space for all, including:

  • Diverse Faith Backgrounds: Support for couples navigating faith transitions or differing religious values.
  • LGBTQIA+ Affirming: Expert care for all gender identities and sexual orientations.
  • Varied Relationship Structures: Compassionate guidance for monogamous, polyamorous, and open relationships.
  • Life Stages: Helping partners from new commitments to long-term marriages in midlife transitions.

Serving Salt Lake City & Beyond

Our office is located at 4505 Wasatch Blvd, #260 in Salt Lake City. We work with couples throughout the Salt Lake Valley, including:

Salt Lake City • South Jordan • West Jordan • Murray • Sandy • Draper • Cottonwood Heights • Holladay • Millcreek • Sugarhouse • And surrounding areas

Whether you’re in downtown Salt Lake City or anywhere in the Salt Lake Valley, we’re here to help your relationship thrive.

Take The First Step Toward Healing With Expert Couples Therapy In Salt Lake City, UT

Your relationship deserves the best chance at connection. Whether you’re in crisis or simply want to strengthen your bond, the first step is a conversation.

Call us today: (801) 809-7990 or fill out the form below to schedule your consultation.

This form is HIPAA-Compliant

Frequently Asked Questions

Most couples see significant improvement within 8-20 sessions. However, every relationship is unique, and the timeline varies based on your specific challenges and goals. During your initial consultation, we can discuss realistic timelines for your situation.

It’s ideal when both partners are equally committed, but it’s common for one partner to be more hesitant initially. Many reluctant partners become engaged in the process once they experience the non-blaming, emotionally safe environment of EFT. The key is creating enough safety that both people can be honest and vulnerable.

This is actually quite common. Many couples come to therapy uncertain whether they want to stay together. EFT can help you gain clarity either way—either by reconnecting and rebuilding, or by developing closure and understanding if separation is the right choice.

It’s never too late to try. Many couples come to us as a “last resort” and find that EFT helps them reconnect in ways they didn’t think possible. Others gain clarity and closure, whatever the outcome. Either way, EFT can help.

We provide detailed fee information during your initial consultation. We’re committed to making therapy accessible and can discuss options based on your situation.

We’re currently an out-of-network provider but can provide documentation for insurance reimbursement if your plan covers out-of-network mental health services. We also accept HSA and FSA payments.

Your first session will be an introduction where we get to know you, understand what brought you to therapy, and start developing treatment goals. We’ll talk about your challenges and what you hope to achieve. Most people leave feeling heard and hopeful about the journey ahead.

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