- Helping Couples and Families Reconnect
Couples & Family Counseling in Newport Beach, CA
Sometimes the hardest conversations happen with the people closest to us. A small disagreement turns into another argument. One person withdraws while the other struggles to be heard. Over time, unresolved tension can leave partners and family members feeling disconnected.
I’m Lisa Enneis, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 35 years of clinical experience. I provide couples, marriage, and family counseling in Newport Beach, CA, helping people understand recurring conflicts, improve communication, and strengthen their relationships. Whether you’re navigating emotional distance, trust concerns, parenting disagreements, or family changes, counseling offers a supportive place to explore what’s happening and find a way forward.
- California LMFT #30245
- 35+ Years of Clinical Experience
- In-Person & Telehealth
- Choosing the Right Service
Couples Counseling vs. Family Therapy: Key Differences
Both services focus on relationships, but they address different challenges and involve different participants.
Couples counseling focuses on how partners communicate, manage conflict, and maintain emotional connection. Family therapy explores how family members influence one another and how changing certain interactions can improve relationships at home.
Couples Counseling
- Focuses on the relationship between romantic partners
- Addresses trust, intimacy, communication, and recurring disagreements
- Typically involves two partners
- Helps partners understand their relationship patterns
Family Therapy
- Focuses on relationships among family members
- Addresses parenting conflict, family roles, boundaries, and household stress
- May involve parents, children, teenagers, or other family members
- Helps families understand interactions across the household
If you’re unsure which service fits your situation, we can discuss your concerns and determine an appropriate starting point.
- Couples Counseling
Couples Therapy in Newport Beach for Communication and Trust
Relationships change as partners navigate work, parenting, financial responsibilities, and personal challenges. Sometimes these pressures create patterns that become difficult to change without support.
Through couples counseling in Newport Beach, I help partners recognize what happens during disagreements and understand the emotions beneath their reactions.
Repeated Arguments and Communication Problems
Many couples argue about different subjects but repeat the same underlying pattern. One person raises a concern, the other feels criticized, and the conversation turns defensive or ends in silence. Counseling helps identify these cycles and practice more constructive responses.
Trust Issues and Relationship Repair
Broken promises, secrecy, infidelity, or unresolved disappointment can weaken trust. Relationship counseling provides space to discuss hurt, understand its impact, and explore what accountability and rebuilding trust would require.
Emotional Distance and Intimacy
Some partners begin to feel more like roommates than a couple. Conversations revolve around responsibilities, while affection and meaningful connection receive less attention. Counseling helps partners discuss unmet emotional needs and explore ways to reconnect.
Marriage Counseling During Life Transitions
Parenthood, career changes, financial pressure, and other transitions can affect relationship expectations. Marriage counseling offers an opportunity to discuss these changes, clarify priorities, and work toward shared understanding.
Premarital Counseling: Preparing for Marriage Together
Premarital counseling gives couples an opportunity to discuss expectations before marriage. Conversations may explore financial priorities, communication styles, approaches to conflict, and family-of-origin patterns. The goal is to understand differences early and build a stronger foundation for shared decisions.
- Family Therapy
Family Counseling in Newport Beach for Parenting Challenges
Families face difficulties when communication breaks down, expectations differ, or major changes disrupt familiar routines. Family therapy in Newport Beach helps family members understand these challenges without placing responsibility for every problem on one person.
Parenting Disagreements and Household Tension
Different approaches to discipline, routines, and responsibilities can create tension between caregivers and confusion for children. Counseling helps parents discuss expectations, establish boundaries, and develop more consistent responses.
Parent-Child and Parent-Teen Relationships
Children and teenagers don’t always express emotional distress directly. Withdrawal, irritability, or repeated arguments may reflect concerns that are difficult to communicate. Family counseling creates opportunities for better understanding and healthier conversations.
For individual age-specific support, explore my Child Therapy and Adolescent Therapy services.
Divorce, Co-Parenting, and Blended Families
Divorce, separation, remarriage, and changes in household responsibilities can affect relationships and expectations. Counseling helps families discuss these adjustments, establish clearer roles, and support respectful co-parenting communication when appropriate.
For partners considering separation, counseling may also provide space to clarify concerns and discuss decisions about the relationship.
ADHD, Anxiety, and Developmental Challenges
Attention difficulties, anxiety, and sensory processing concerns can influence family routines, communication, and emotional reactions. When appropriate, I help families understand these patterns and explore practical support. Learn more about my ADHD Therapy and autism and sensory processing services.
- Gottman-Informed Approach
My Approach to Couples Therapy and Marriage Counseling
I don’t approach relationship counseling as an opportunity to decide who is right or wrong. My goal is to understand the interaction patterns contributing to difficulties and help clients communicate more constructively. My couples work draws on the Gottman Method, alongside individualized counseling and practical relationship guidance.
Depending on your needs, we may explore:
Soft Start-Ups
Beginning difficult conversations without immediate criticism or blame.
Repair Attempts
Recognizing opportunities to reduce tension during disagreements.
Emotional Bids
Noticing and responding to everyday attempts at connection.
Active Listening
Understanding another person’s perspective before reacting defensively.
Shared Meaning
Exploring values, priorities, and experiences that strengthen partnership.
For families, I also consider household roles, boundaries, parenting expectations, and the ways family members respond to one another. Different relationships require different goals, and counseling should reflect the circumstances of the people involved.
- Signs It May Help
When to Consider Couples Therapy or Marriage Counseling
You don’t have to wait until a relationship reaches a breaking point.
Important: Joint couples counseling may not be appropriate when there is abuse, coercive control, intimidation, or fear of retaliation. Safety concerns should be discussed privately with a qualified professional before arranging joint sessions. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Counseling May Be Worth Considering When:
- The same arguments happen repeatedly without resolution.
- Conversations frequently end in defensiveness, criticism, or silence.
- Trust has been damaged, and partners are unsure how to address it.
- Parenting disagreements create tension throughout the household.
- Children or teenagers are affected by ongoing family conflict.
- Emotional distance has become a regular part of the relationship.
- A major life transition has changed family roles or expectations.
- What to Expect
What to Expect During Couples Therapy or Marriage Counseling
Starting counseling can feel uncomfortable, especially when difficult conversations have been avoided for a long time. I provide a structured setting where concerns can be discussed with guidance and respect.
The process generally includes:
Understanding Your Concerns
We discuss relationship history, current challenges, and each person’s perspective.
Recognizing Patterns That Affect Your Relationship
We explore how disagreements begin, escalate, or remain unresolved.
Setting Meaningful Goals for Your Relationship
Goals may involve communication, trust, boundaries, parenting, or emotional connection.
Practicing Healthier Communication Responses
Sessions provide opportunities to examine reactions and develop practical communication strategies.
Reviewing Progress
We discuss what is improving and where additional support is needed.
Session structure and participation depend on the concerns, treatment goals, and clinical circumstances.
- Experienced Relationship and Family Support
Why Choose Lisa Enneis for Couples Therapy
I’m Lisa Enneis, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist serving individuals, couples, and families in Newport Beach, California. With more than 35 years of clinical experience, I understand that relationship difficulties often involve emotional concerns, communication habits, and patterns developed over time.
Clinical experience supporting emotional and relationship concerns.
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, License #30245.
Gottman-Informed Couples Therapy Techniques
Communication tools addressing conflict, listening, repair, and emotional connection.
Individualized Family Counseling Support
Guidance shaped around your relationships, circumstances, and goals.
- Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Couples & Family Counseling
The terms are often used interchangeably. Couples counseling can help married and unmarried partners address communication difficulties, trust concerns, intimacy, and relationship conflict.
Counseling provides space to discuss hurt, understand its impact, and explore whether rebuilding trust is possible. Progress depends on the circumstances and both partners’ participation.
My role is to understand the relationship dynamics and help each person communicate more constructively, not to declare one partner the winner. Harmful behavior and safety concerns still require appropriate accountability.
Not necessarily. Family counseling may involve different family members depending on the concerns, treatment goals, consent requirements, and clinical circumstances.
Individual counseling may still help you explore your concerns, boundaries, communication patterns, and choices. Contact me to discuss an appropriate starting point.
There is no fixed number of sessions. Duration depends on the challenges involved, treatment goals, participation, and progress.
Yes. Telehealth appointments are available. Whether online sessions are appropriate depends on participants’ needs, privacy, safety, consent requirements, and appointment availability.
- Take the Next Step
Healthier Relationships Begin With Better Conversations
You may care deeply about your partner or family and still feel unsure how to change what’s happening between you.
Counseling offers an opportunity to understand difficult patterns, communicate more clearly, and explore meaningful changes in your relationships.
Whether you’re facing repeated arguments, emotional distance, parenting stress, or family transitions, we can begin by discussing what matters most to you.