Eileen Kristina Bates
Eileen Kristina Bates
(she/her)
Frequently rebooked
New clients continue care with this provider
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 seven 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.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
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! 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!
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
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.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
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 work with couples and individuals and have also worked with parent-child relationships.
About Eileen Kristina Bates
I identify as
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VirtualMy 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.