If You Keep Having The Same Argument From Different Angles, You’re Not Alone.
Learning to communicate through stressful times and complex topics can be hard. Honestly, most of us were never taught how to communicate well. This is especially true when we feel hurt, rushed, or threatened. So we default to what we know: defensiveness, criticism, shutting down, over-explaining. We’ll slow the cycle down, build actual communication skills, and practice repair so you don’t keep repeating the same fight. When stress or anxiety hits, ingrained patterns take over: one person presses, the other retreats; one talks harder, the other shuts down. If you’re stuck in the same fights, dealing with distance, resentment, or trying to rebuild after a breach of trust, couples counseling helps you slow the cycle down, learn new skills, and repair your relationship.
Couples Conflict Can Show Up As
This May Be For You If
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You tend to escalate fast, or one of you shuts down and goes quiet
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Conflict turns into criticism/defensiveness, or looping “talks” that go nowhere
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Trust has been strained (resentment, secrecy, repeated ruptures)
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You feel more like roommates than partners
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You love each other, but you’re tired and disconnected
How Couples Therapy Works
We may combine attachment work (why you pursue, withdraw, criticize, shut down) with practical communication skills (how to talk so it doesn’t blow up) and repair (how you come back after rupture). We may also use Gottman-informed techniques alongside somatic and coginitve and behavioral interventions to
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Identify your attachment pattern. It's the cycle you default to under stress (pursue/withdraw, critic/defend, fix/shut down) and what each of you is protecting.
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Identify potential trauma responses
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Improve how you start hard conversations (soft start-ups, clear requests, creating fewer “you always/you never” landmines).
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Build repair skills so conflict doesn’t turn into a three-day hangover. You'll learn what to say, what to do, and how to reconnect.
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Practice structured communication (taking breaks, re-engaging, one topic at a time, no-interruption agreements when needed).
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Use somatic tools to lower reactivity so you can stay present enough to actually hear each other.
In Person or Online
Charleston: walk-and-talk sessions where appropriate (outdoors, low-traffic locations)
South Carolina: online counseling/telehealth
I’m based in the Charleston area and work with clients across Charleston County (including Charleston, Mount Pleasant, West Ashley, James Island, Johns Island, Daniel Island, and North Charleston). I also see clients via telehealth anywhere in South Carolina.
What You'll Invest For Services
Individual Therapy Sessions
Counseling | Virtual or in Person
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Length: 50 minutes
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Location: In person as walk & talk or virtual
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Professional fee: $135 per session
Couples Therapy Sessions
Counseling | Virtual or in Person
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Length: 50 minutes
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Location: In person as walk & talk or virtual
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Professional fee: $175 per session
Walk & Talk
Walk-and-talk can be great for couples to talk side by side while moving. But it's not for everyone. We'll start with a virtual assessment so I can understand your goals, dynamics, and whether a walk-and-talk makes sense for you.
Public spaces aren't entirely private. We'll use a specific informed consent process, choose low-traffic routes, and pause or redirect if people are nearby when using walk-and-talk therapy. We'll also have a contingency plan if weather or emergencies prevent us from having a session outdoors.
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Stephanie Dasher, LPC-A (South Carolina) — under the supervision of Dr. Maia Gill, PhD (SC#1202).
Common Questions
01.
Do you see couples in person?
Yes, my in-person format is walk-and-talk. Couples start with a virtual first session, then we choose the best format (virtual ongoing vs. walk-and-talk).​
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03.
Are walk-and-talk sessions confidential?
Sessions are confidential, but they take place in a public space, so privacy can’t be guaranteed as it can in an office. We plan for that and use informed consent so you can choose what feels right.
02.
What if one of us shuts down or gets overwhelmed in conflict?
That’s common. We’ll build an ethical process for pausing and returning. That space will be used to develop/practice regulation skills and to structure conversations so neither person feels they are white-knuckling through them.
04.
Can we do virtual sessions anywhere in South Carolina?
Yes. If you’re physically located in South Carolina during the session, we can meet via secure telehealth.​​