Eileen Kristina Bates
As a marriage and family therapist, I'm committed to helping individuals, couples, and families learn how to increase confidence, improve communication, and deepen intimacy in their most significant relationships. I have a B.S. in Psychology and an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy with over nine years of experience working with clients from a variety of backgrounds, orientations, and cultures. I believe that life is about relationships first and everything else is just details, so whether I'm working with you as an individual or part of a couple or family, my hope is to help you create healthy and fulfilling relationships with yourself and with others.
First session
The first session can be intimidating if you're not accustomed to therapy, but don't worry! We start by reviewing basic procedures and expectations, then I get to know you by asking about your background, your interests, your support system, and your history. Be prepared to talk about yourself a bit! This helps me get to know you as a person apart from your problems, and also helps guide us into the solutions that will be most suitable for you. If you're coming as a couple, I will get to know you as individuals and as a couple and then we'll get into what brings you to therapy. After the goals for therapy have been clearly defined we'll figure out how to start taking steps to get there. Your session will feel the most productive if you come with clear concerns and goals. After that, we'll get to work!
Strengths
Regardless of the issue you come to therapy for, I begin with a strengths-based approach. I see you as a person first, not just your problems, and meet you where you are without judgement or criticism. While I may be an expert in the process of therapy, you are the expert of your life, so I will work with you to help you identify and reach your goals based on what is most important to you. While I want you to feel comfortable talking with me, I don't want therapy to always be a comfortable experience. I will challenge you when necessary while maintaining a supportive environment.
Ideal clients
My ideal clients are ones who are ready to commit to making positive changes in their lives, who don't mind being introspective, and have a clear idea of what they want to accomplish in therapy. I work with people experiencing relationship conflict and distress and enjoy working with my clients to learn healthy communication techniques. I see couples and individuals and have also worked with parent-child relationships.
Treatment methods
Couples Counseling
I work with couples to improve communication, reduce conflict, and increase intimacy through actionable, solution-focused goals. I also offer premarital and marital counseling as a PREPARE/ENRICH certified facilitator for engaged, dating, and married couples.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I assist couples and individuals examine and address errors in their thinking that lead to unhelpful emotions and destructive behaviors.
Gottman method
The Gottman method informs much of my work with couples, focusing on clear communication that avoids defensiveness, criticism, and stonewalling and reduces feelings of contempt by increasing fondness and admiration for their partners.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), I help couples identify the patterns driving conflict and reconnect on a deeper emotional level. Together, we work to strengthen trust, improve communication, and create a more secure, fulfilling relationship.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
I use Solution-Focused Therapy to help clients identify strengths, build on what is already working, and create practical steps toward their goals. Rather than spending all of our time analyzing problems, we focus on solutions, progress, and meaningful change.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
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Serves
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Licensed in
- FloridaLicense MT4651