Online Couples Therapy for Addiction, Relapse, and Recovery
When substance use enters a relationship, the impact is never contained to just one person. Even if the drinking or drug use feels manageable to the partner struggling with it, the ripple effects show up in trust, communication, safety, and connection.
Some couples feel like they’re living in two different realities. Others feel like they’re constantly bracing for the next disruption. Many feel alone in their fear, frustration, or confusion.
You don’t have to navigate this without support.
What It Feels Like When Substance Use Shapes the Relationship
You may be experiencing:
• Arguments that start small and escalate fast
• Feeling like you can’t relax because you’re waiting for something to go wrong
• Walking on eggshells around drinking, relapse, or secrecy
• A partner who becomes distant or defensive when the topic comes up
• Nights where promises are made and broken
• Losing the version of the relationship that once felt steady
• Resentment building from carrying too much
• Fear about the future, especially if children are involved
And for the partner struggling with addiction or early recovery, there may be:
• Shame that makes it hard to stay open
• Fear of disappointing the person they love
• A sense of being scrutinized
• Difficulty trusting themselves
• Attempts to change that fall apart under stress
• Frustration at feeling judged or misunderstood
Both sides make sense in their own way.
Both sides are usually hurting more than they know how to say.
Who This Work Is For
• Couples navigating early sobriety
• Partners who want to rebuild trust after years of strain
• Relationships strained by alcohol, cannabis, or other substances
• Couples dealing with secrecy, broken promises, or emotional withdrawal
• High-functioning professionals whose substance use is hidden but present
• Parents trying to stabilize their home for themselves and their children
• Couples considering separation due to substance-related conflict
• Partners who love each other but feel lost in the chaos
You don’t have to be stable, polished, or certain before starting this work.
You just have to be willing.
How I Help
My work focuses on the emotional pattern that substance use creates between partners—not just the behavior itself.
This includes:
Understanding the cycle
We look at how substance use, mistrust, fear, and protection shape a loop that neither of you wants but both get pulled into.
Naming the pain underneath the reactions
Anger often hides fear.
Silence often hides shame.
Clinging often hides helplessness.
Withdrawal often hides overwhelm.
Helping each partner speak honestly without collapsing or exploding
You’ll learn how to talk about substance use without spiraling into blame, panic, or defensiveness.
Restoring emotional safety
Safety doesn’t mean approving of harmful behavior.
Safety means both partners can speak the truth without being dismissed or attacked.
Supporting the partner in recovery
Recovery asks for steadiness, structure, and self-awareness.
Therapy helps regulate shame, rebuild trust, and create accountability in a supportive way.
Supporting the partner who’s been impacted
Your exhaustion, fear, and resentment are real.
You deserve space to feel them without being told to “just be supportive.”
What This Work Is Not
• It is not a replacement for medical detox or higher-level care
• It is not appropriate when use is active and untreated
• It is not a place where one partner gets blamed or shamed
• It is not about forcing someone to change
This is relational work.
It’s about the bond, the safety, and the emotional heartbeat of the relationship.