At Two Lights Therapy Center, we help couples pause harmful cycles long enough to see and examine the painful patterns more clearly. Together, we can create space for change, explore whether repair is possible for your relationship, and make hard conversations feel safer.
THERAPY FOR EMOTIONALLY VOLATILE RELATIONSHIPS IN CHICAGO, IL
Chronic Conflict Couples Therapy
High-conflict relationships often include persistent patterns of reactivity, misunderstandings, and an intensity that feels hard to de-escalate. Beneath the conflict, there’s so often deep care and a shared longing to be understood, yet communication repeatedly breaks down before repair can happen. Over time, partners may find themselves caught in what feels like survival mode, reacting instead of relating. It is so and unsure how things got so painful despite good intentions on both sides. High-conflict couples therapy is active and directive. Sessions are carried out thoughtfully to help couples avoid spiraling into familiar arguments. Sessions are structured, trauma-informed, and paced to keep the work productive and safe. Expect to slow down in this space and to be met with compassion. Couples therapy often seems intimidating, but this is a safe space to reflect and to practice the art of responding rather than reacting.
ENSURING A TRAUMA-INFORMED TREAMENT APPROACH
The Structure That Makes Change Possible:
Clients are encouraged to engage in individual therapeutic work to explore personal patterns & practice regulation outside of couples sessions.
Blame, cruelty, and contempt are not permitted in the treatment space, as they undermine safety and mutual respect in the room.
Sessions pivot to regulation when reactivity takes over. Learning to re-center is part of the work, not a detour from it.
High-conflict patterns form over years; unlearning them requires patience & accountability. Therapy focuses on gradual shifts, not quick fixes.
CONFLICT CYCLE COUPLES THERAPY IN CHICAGO, IL
Holding space for what's so human.
This work is about restoring connection rather than assigning blame. Many clients discover that what initially feels daunting becomes surprisingly relieving and insightful as they begin to understand their attachment trauma, behavioral patterns and nervous system responses. If you’re running out of hope but still believe there’s something worth understanding, therapy can help you find clarity (whether that means repairing the relationship or learning how to let go with peace).​
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Even when things feel out of control, there’s usually a good reason both people have been fighting so hard to be heard. Underneath defensiveness is so often fear of being unseen, of being misunderstood, of being wrong, or of losing someone who once felt like home. This work holds space for that tenderness too. You don’t have to have it all figured out before coming in; you just have to be willing to slow down, get curious, and communicate with compassion.
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Conflict can become connection when met with curiosity & compassion.