Conflict & communication
When conversations turn into criticism, defensiveness, shutdown or repeated arguments, we slow things down and uncover what each of you is protecting.
Relationship patterns & repair
Same argument.
Different day.
You don't have to keep finding yourselves on opposite sides.
Perhaps every conversation ends in the same place. One of you pursues, the other pulls away. Or you've stopped arguing altogether, but the distance between you keeps growing. Couples therapy can help you understand the pattern and find a different way through it.
Book a free 15-minute video call
01Less blame.
More understanding.
More understanding.
02From distance.
To connection.
To connection.
03Beyond apologies.
Real repair.
Real repair.
When you get stuck
It's rarely just about the thing you're arguing about.
The dishes. The tone of a message. How much time you spend together. You start with something small and suddenly you're both defending yourselves against hurts that feel much bigger.
One partner reaches for reassurance and sounds critical. The other feels criticised and retreats. The retreat feels like rejection, so the pursuit becomes louder. Neither person gets the closeness they were hoping for.
Over time, the pattern can start to feel like the relationship itself. But a pattern is something you can learn to notice, interrupt and change together.
It's not you against each other. It's both of you learning to recognise the cycle.
Understanding the pattern doesn't mean avoiding responsibility. It means finding a way to take responsibility without losing each other in the process.
What we explore together
Making space for repair.
No two relationships get stuck in exactly the same way. We focus on what's happening between you, and what might help the next moment unfold differently.
Emotional distance & intimacy
When you feel more like housemates or colleagues than partners, we explore what has made closeness difficult and how to make room for it again.
Trust & rebuilding
After hurt, disappointment or a breach of trust, repair needs more than a promise. We work towards honesty, accountability and changes you can actually feel.
How I work
Insight matters. What happens next matters more.
I'm Francesca, a systemic couples therapist working with English-speaking, international and expat couples online.
I bring together systemic thinking, emotionally focused work and Relational Life Therapy to help you recognise the moves each of you makes when you feel hurt, unheard or alone.
I'm not a silent observer. I'll help you pause the old cycle, speak with greater honesty and practise different ways of turning toward each other. Both compassion and accountability belong in the room.
Read about my approachEnglish-speaking couples therapy online
You can begin before things reach breaking point.
You don't need to know whether to stay, leave or how to fix everything before we meet. A first conversation can help us understand what's happening and whether working together feels right. Online availability depends on applicable professional requirements in your country.
The details
Introductory video callFree · 15 minutes
Couples therapy€250 · 75 minutes
FormatOnline · In English
Book a free introductory call →A different way forward
Something between you can change.
Not by finding the perfect words every time, but by understanding what happens when connection gets difficult and learning how to come back to each other.
Book a free 15-minute video call →