Couples Therapy & Marriage Counseling in DFW: Repair & Reconnect
Couples therapy at Willow & Stone Counseling is designed for partners navigating the messy realities of modern intimacy. Whether your relationship is at a visible crossroads or simply feels distant and quietly lonely within, this is a place to slow down with intention and begin the process of meaningful repair.
Tailored Therapy For You
From conflict to connection—through curiosity, compassion, and repair.
When a relationship is strained, it’s easy to fall into proving, defending, or shutting down. Partners often find themselves stuck in cycles that leave them feeling lonely, hurt, disoriented, and unsure how to move forward. At Willow & Stone, couples therapy offers a grounded space to slow things down, understand what’s happening beneath the surface, and move toward repair with steadiness and respect.
I specialize in working with couples navigating disconnection, recurring conflict, and trust injuries—including healing after infidelity and betrayal—with an approach that balances warmth, structure, and accountability.
Relationships are not a zero-sum game. The goal here is never to convince, coerce, or extract concessions. It’s to cultivate connection, compassion, and collaboration—so both partners feel seen, valued, and able to move forward with more trust and intimacy.
You may be in the right place if…
You want support that is steady, respectful, and helps you move beyond blame into real understanding and change. Many couples come in caught between pursuing and withdrawing, criticism and defensiveness, silence and escalation. Often, underneath the rupture are unmet needs, unspoken grief, and a longing for closeness that no longer feels accesIBLE.
What I help couples with
- Healing after betrayal (infidelity, secrecy, broken trust, emotional betrayal)
- Recurring conflict that escalates quickly or never truly resolves
- Communication breakdown (shutdown, criticism, defensiveness, stonewalling)
- Emotional disconnection and loss of closeness
- Restoring intimacy—emotionally and physically
- Repair after rupture and learning to feel safe again
- Stress from life transitions (parenthood, work pressure, relocation, major decisions)
How I help
My approach is grounded in the belief that curiosity and compassion are central to thriving relationships. Rather than spending energy trying to prove a point or convince your partner they’re wrong, we practice getting curious about what each of you feels, needs, fears, and protects. Curiosity helps you step out of judgment and into understanding, where both perspectives can be valid even when they differ. From that place, real collaboration becomes possible and repair can begin.
I also bring a trauma-informed, attachment-based lens to couples work. We look at how stress, past experiences, and protective patterns show up between you, and how these cycles can override the very connection you both desire. When betrayal is part of the story, we approach it with care and clarity: gentle accountability, steady pacing, and step-by-step trust rebuilding.
In session, I help slow the conversation, translate the cycle, and keep you out of “winner/loser” dynamics so you can actually be present with your stories. Between sessions, you may receive simple, realistic practices to engage with each other in ways that facilitate collaboration and support connection and repair.
Repair without forced reconciliation
Couples therapy here is not about pushing you to “make it work” at all costs. Sometimes the most loving choice is not to stay the same, but to change the shape of the relationship. Therapy can be a place to decide, carefully and respectfully, whether trust and intimacy can be rebuilt.
If reconciliation isn’t possible or wise, we don’t treat that as failure. We focus on moving forward with integrity: reducing harm, clarifying boundaries, and finding healthier ways to relate during and after a transition. Endings, handled well, can become new beginnings, marked by loving intention, self-respect, and a steadier path forward.
What couples often notice over time
Individual results vary, but couples often report:
- Fewer escalating fights and more productive conversations
- A deeper understanding of each other’s inner worlds—needs, fears, and desires
- More emotional safety and less criticism, defensiveness, or shutdown
- Healthier boundaries and agreements that both partners can trust
- Repair after ruptures, including a path forward after betrayal when both are willing
Note: Therapy is a personal process, and outcomes vary based on many factors, including circumstances, readiness, and commitment to the work.
Next steps
If you’re unsure whether couples therapy is the right step, I offer a free 15-minute consultation, a low-pressure way to ask questions, share what’s happening, and consider next steps.
Investment | Insurance | Location: Straightforward Logistics for Your Care
A Neutral Space for Connection
For couples in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I offer in-person sessions at my offices in Addison and Highland Park. These spaces are designed to serve as "neutral ground"—a place where you can step out of your daily routine and focus entirely on each other without interruption. For partners located elsewhere in Texas or those managing complex schedules, I also provide secure, HIPAA-compliant virtual therapy, allowing you to engage in this meaningful work from the privacy of your own home.
Session Fees & Investment
Relationship work is a specialized form of therapy requiring a distinct level of focus and expertise. My rate for couples therapy is $245 per 50-minute session. I view this not merely as a cost, but as an investment in the foundation of your life together—prioritizing the health of your relationship so it can become a source of strength rather than stress. I do maintain a limited number of sliding scale spots for those facing financial hardship; please feel free to ask about availability during our consultation.
Insurance & Reimbursement
I operate as an out-of-network provider, a choice that ensures our sessions remain private and fully tailored to your specific relationship goals, rather than being dictated by insurance mandates. While I do not bill insurance directly, I am happy to provide a monthly Superbill that you can submit to your provider for potential out-of-network reimbursement. I recommend contacting your insurance carrier to verify your specific benefits for "family or couples counseling" prior to our first session.
My Dallas Office Location:
How do you keep sessions from turning into another fight?
I keep sessions from turning into another fight by providing active structure and slowing down the conversation. unlike an argument at home, I do not let the cycle run on autopilot. We track what is happening in real-time—not just what you are arguing about, but how you are engaging. By interrupting escalation and creating a pause, I help you practice communicating in a way that builds safety rather than defense, ensuring the therapy room remains a place of repair, not re-injury.
Do you take sides between partners?
No, I do not take sides between partners; instead, I view the relationship as my client. My role is to be a neutral advocate for the connection between you. Rather than deciding who is "right" or "wrong," I help you both see the cycle of disconnection you are stuck in and acknowledge the role you each play in maintaining it. This objective perspective allows us to move away from blame and toward understanding the underlying needs driving the conflict.
What if one partner is more motivated than the other?
It is very common for one partner to be more motivated than the other, and we can absolutely start the work from there. Reluctance often comes from fear—fear of being blamed, fear that change isn't possible, or simple exhaustion. Part of our initial work is clarifying what each of you needs to feel safe engaging, what feels possible right now, and how to lower the pressure so that participation feels sustainable for both of you.
How long does couples therapy typically take?
The length of couples therapy varies significantly depending on your specific goals and history. Some couples come for a focused season (8–12 sessions) to stabilize a specific conflict or navigate a life transition. Others choose deeper, longer-term work to reshape decades-old patterns or heal from complex betrayals. We will clarify your goals early on and check in periodically to ensure the work remains intentional and aligned with the vision you have for your relationship.
Can couples therapy help if we are already discussing divorce or separation?
Yes, couples therapy can be a critical space for discernment even if you are considering divorce or separation. We call this "discernment counseling." In these situations, the goal shifts from immediate repair to gaining clarity. We create a steady environment to explore whether the relationship can be revitalized or if the most respectful path forward is to separate with integrity. Regardless of the outcome, therapy helps you navigate this transition with reduced harm and greater understanding.
Meet Gergana Markov, MBA, M.S., LPC
An EMDR-trained clinician and former corporate professional, I specialize in helping high-functioning adults and couples move from "surviving" to "thriving." Let’s find your footing again.
Your Next Chapter Begins Here
Meaningful change is possible, and it starts with a single step. Whether you are looking to heal the past or strengthen your future, I would be honored to walk that path with you.