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A Golden, CO couples therapist on how to recognize your negative cycle in EFT — and a free workbook (PDF) for couples ready to work on it together.

Free five-piece couples counseling handout series from Dr. John O'Malley, PhD, an EFT-informed adaptation of John Gottman and Nan Silver's love map exercises from The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. Designed for couples and couples counselors. Includes printable PDFs, day-by-day directions, and the EFT lens that makes the work feel safer.

Let’s be honest. Relationships are hard. You know it, I know it, and your partner probably knows it too. Sometimes, despite all the love and commitment, things get stuck. Communication breaks down. Resentments build. You start wondering if things will ever get better. That’s where marriage counseling steps in—not as a last resort, but as a powerful tool to reconnect, heal, and grow together. If you’re in Golden, Colorado, and feeling this way, you’re not alone. I want to shar

When the a couples cycle starts, a way to use the ACT Choice Point.

Communication is the heartbeat of any relationship. Without it, even the strongest bonds can start to fray. If you’ve ever felt stuck, frustrated, or misunderstood by your partner, you’re not alone. The good news? Communication skills can be learned, practiced, and improved. Today, I want to walk you through practical ways to deepen your connection and truly understand each other better. Why Improving Couple Communication Matters Have you ever noticed how a simple misundersta

By Dr. John O'Malley, PhD, LPC, NCC · Couples Therapist, Golden, CO Published May 2026 · 5 min read Feel free to ship reading the blog and just download the handout. It helps you PAUSE. How to Pause When Communication Isn't Working: The PAUSE Framework for Couples You've had this same fight before. Maybe a dozen times. Maybe a hundred. And I get it, you blame each other, thinking that if they just did this, we would not be in the mess. Maybe one of you wants to talk it out, a

Most couples don't keep having the same fight because they're broken. They're stuck in a cycle they can't see from inside. Here's a free worksheet to help you see it.

By Dr. John O'Malley, PhD, LPC | O'Malley Counseling | Couples Therapy in Golden, Colorado The first time I heard Drs. John and Julie Gottman say that 69% of problems in long-term relationships never get fully resolved, I sat with it for a little bit. Like really, sixty-nine percent. Never resolved. WOW! If you're a couple in the middle of the same fight you've been having for three years, that number probably feels like a relief and a punch in the gut at the same time. Relie

By Dr. John O'Malley, PhD, LPC, NCC | Couples Therapist in Golden, Colorado If you've sat across from me in my Golden, Colorado office, you've heard me say it: "If you can name it, you can tame it." You've also heard me say something stranger: "We have to get the squirrel out of the house." The couples I work with always laugh the first time. Then, three weeks later, one of them says it back to me in session, and I know the work is taking root. So let me explain. What is the

Answer to the question: Does Couples Therapy Actually Work? And Is It Worth the Cost?