Therapist Profile

My Approach to Helping

Based on new discoveries in neurobiology and the science of intimate relationships, my approach will help you and your partner each more fully develop a core set of emotional habits that have been proven to lead to satisfying relationship over 90% of the time. Throughout the process you can expect that I will -understand and care about the things that are most important to you. -expertly guide you (and/or your partner) through the stages needed for healing and change to occur. -provide clear direction and give step-by-step guidance about how to do things differently. -operate on the basis of established scientific evidence about relationships, rather than personal opinion.

More Info About My Practice

Dr. Atkinson is the principle architect of Pragmatic/Experiential Therapy for Couples, an approach that translates new scientific findings about the brain into practical methods for improving relationships. Dr. Atkinson is author of Developing Habits for Relationship Success, and Emotional Intelligence in Couples Therapy: Advances from Neurobiology and the Science of Intimate Relationships. He is Director of Post-Graduate Training at the Couples Research Institute in Geneva, Illinois and holds a senior graduate faculty post at Northern Illinois University. Dr. Atkinsonﾒs pioneering work has been the topic of numerous keynote addresses at professional conferences, dozens of professional journal articles, and has been featured recently in The Oprah Magazine, the Washington Post, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and other outlets. Dr. Atkinson is co-founder of the Couples Clinic, home of an innovative team of therapist/educators who have pioneered new methods for improving relationships. The teamﾒs methods are used widely by marriage counselors and educators across the United States. The teamﾒs methods are scientifically-based, drawing from 1) long term research studies that have identified exactly what successful couples do differently than couples whose marriages eventually fail. 2) studies that examine how emotional attachment occurs in marriage, and why an emotional bond is crucial both to the success of marriages and the well-being of individual partners. 3) new neurological studies which suggest how we can break out of old habits of interacting with others by "reconditioning" our brains for more flexibility. Learn more about Couples Clinic methods, upcoming seminars, and read about the experiences of couples who have participated in treatment the Couples Clinic website, www.thecouplesclinic.com. All couples are welcome, regardless of race, ethnicity, marital status, religious or sexual orientation.