Dr. Gina Austin
Psychologist

You will have more clarity and trust within yourself and increased understanding about how you respond to your partner and vice-versa. You will learn how to slow down your responses to meet each other in the moment. You will gradually learn how your past impacts your present and how to break through obstacles to feeling close. You will learn about interrupting your cycle and making choices to connect.

Premarital couples therapy is usually 4-6 sessions; non-distressed couples who are looking for improved communication is generally 4-8 sessions; distressed couples may be 8-20+ sessions; and distressed couples with one or both presenting with traumatic stress can be 12-24+ sessions. Couples report progress with initial sessions, and as we work with the couple's cycle, the focus is to produce the most lasting change with the mid-later sessions.

It is preferable to meet every week for the first few sessions for optimal benefit and then every 2-3 weeks thereafter. Private pay sessions are $220 for 50 minutes. I also accept most insurance plans.

On-line or in person. We can meet on line through telehealth for those needing that out of necessity or convenience. We can meet in person at my office located at Tyson Place, 2607 Kingston Pike, Suite, 250, Knoxville, TN 37919.

A thorough assessment can help address reasons for ambivalence in the relationship and may require more individual sessions initially for the couple's increased comfort level. A significant amount of couples rightly seek couples therapy for clarification about staying together or not and having a shared understanding about making that decision.

At times, it is advised that one address individual issues prior to couples therapy. I will thoroughly discuss with you in that case and if needed, make an appropriate referral for you.

Clients say I am a blend of straight-forward tough love and deep caring. I want you to get the results you are coming for. I will not ask you to do anything I have not asked myself to do already. I also respect the teachings of Drs. John and Julie Gottman (Gottman Method) and Dr. Sue Johnson (EFIT, EFCT, EFFT) and encourage clients to trust in the process because it works! I spent time, money, and effort to become certified in Gottman Method, EFCT, and EFIT in order to bring the best to our work together.