Couples Counseling in Oregon City
Do you love each other but can't seem to stop having the same argument?
I'm Martha Bartlow. I help couples who feel stuck in recurring conflict, disconnected from one another, or unsure how to move forward.
Whether you're dealing with communication problems, infidelity, intimacy concerns, the stress of parenting, or simply feeling like you've become roommates instead of partners, couples counseling can help you understand what's happening and create a different pattern.
$200 per session • Private pay • Oregon City
Maybe you've found yourselves here:
You love each other, but conversations seem to turn into arguments.
You keep having the same fight, even though you've promised each other it won't happen again.
One or both of you feels unheard, criticized, dismissed, or emotionally distant.
Trust has been damaged by infidelity or betrayal.
Having children, becoming parents, or the demands of family life have changed your relationship.
Your relationship has become more about managing life than enjoying each other.
Intimacy has become difficult or disconnected.
You've tried to work things out on your own, but you're not making the progress you hoped for.
You have tried other couples counselors and the fit seemed off or the counselor took one side more than the other.
Or maybe you simply know that something isn't working and you don't want to wait until things get worse.
You don't have to wait until your relationship is falling apart to ask for help.
Couples counseling isn't about taking sides.
My job isn't to decide who's right and who's wrong.
It's to help both of you understand the patterns you're caught in, communicate differently, and figure out what needs to change.
I take a direct, honest, and practical approach to therapy. I won't tell you that every problem can be solved by simply "communicating better." Sometimes couples need to understand what's underneath the conflict before communication can actually improve.
And sometimes, a little humor helps too. I'm direct, honest, and occasionally sarcastic because therapy doesn't have to feel stiff or clinical.
What we can work on together:
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Learn to recognize the patterns that keep turning conversations into arguments and develop healthier ways of responding to each other.
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Work through the complicated aftermath of an affair, including hurt, anger, questions about trust, and uncertainty about what comes next.
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If you've started feeling more like roommates than partners, therapy can help you understand what happened and begin rebuilding connection.
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Explore the emotional and relational issues that can make physical and emotional intimacy difficult.
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Marriage doesn't happen in a vacuum. Children, work, sleep deprivation, pregnancy, postpartum changes, infertility, and the mental load can put enormous pressure on a relationship.
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Build a stronger foundation before marriage by talking openly about communication, expectations, conflict, finances, family, intimacy, and the life you're building together.
My approach to couples therapyI draw from approaches including the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).
These approaches focus on understanding the patterns that develop between partners, not simply identifying which person is causing the problem.
As a therapist, I'm interested in what happens between the two of you:
What happens right before the argument?
How does each person respond?
What are you each needing but struggling to communicate?
And how can you interrupt that cycle?
The goal isn't to create a perfect relationship. It's to help you build a relationship that works better for both of you.
A little about meI'm Martha Bartlow, a Licensed Professional Counselor in Oregon City.
I'm also a mom of four, so I understand firsthand that love does not exist in a vacuum. Relationships happen while you're raising children, working, managing a household, losing sleep, and carrying a mental load you didn't necessarily see coming.
My approach is warm but straightforward. I believe therapy should be a place where you can be honest about what's actually happening, not a place where you have to pretend everything is fine.
My goal is to help you understand your relationship more clearly, make meaningful changes, and leave therapy with skills you can actually use outside the office.
What happens next?