The Wedding Therapist
Therapy, support, and Consulting for your wedding Planning process
(Like a doula…but for your wedding)
“Wasn’t this supposed to be fun?”
The pressure of planning the “best day of your life” can heighten stress, amplify anxiety, and cause relational problems with the most important people in your life. What we hope would be a joyful, creative process can quickly become a chore and a source of dread.
It doesn’t have to be this way!
As a licensed therapist, I can help you navigate issues ranging from financial stress and family disagreements to self-judgment and misunderstandings with vendors. I believe this experience is an opportunity for growth and learning! During this process we can work to gain a deeper understanding of yourself, your partnership, your relationships, and find tools to manage the stress and anxiety that is expected to arise during this time.
Services
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One-on-one therapy to help you develop skills to cope with any concerns that arise during this time, including stress, anxiety, fatigue, communication issues, indecision, and body image issues.
Working with a therapist while planning your wedding is a proactive way to get to know yourself better and grow.
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Learn to work with your partner as a team during this exciting yet stressful time. During therapy, you will get to know each other in a deeper way by expressing your needs and wants—not just for your wedding but for your future life together.
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Family and friends are an important part of your big day. Working with them in therapy can help you nurture these relationships and repair broken bonds.
Therapy with friends and family focuses on strengthening communication skills, exploring relationship dynamics, and understanding the roles we play within a system.
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Working with vendors and service providers can be challenging and intimidating. I am here to help you strategize, build communication skills, and even serve as a mediator if needed.
How would therapy help you as you plan your wedding?
The wedding industry is highly focused on physical appearance and the idea of a perfectly executed event. I believe there is a need for people to prioritize their wellbeing, relationships, and how they feel inside as they prepare for the big day.
The concept of Bridezilla is an unfortunate, very gendered, invention in wedding culture. It passes on the blame of a stressful event with unrealistic expectations to the person planning it. This term can induce shame or embarrassment for a normal stress reaction to an abnormal situation. Therapy or counseling during this time can be a helpful tool to learn coping mechanisms to manage stress induced from expectations.
I work with people of all cultures, genders, sexual orientation, family formations, and desired wedding styles. I am here to help you understand what YOU want, value, and need for this important day by sorting through the pressures placed on us by the wedding industry, family members, and even our own subconscious beliefs.
No issue is too big. (Or too small.)
Common issues include:
Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, or confused
Self-judgment
Relational issues with partners, friends, or family
Financial stress
Indecision
Body image issues
Expectation management
Cultural differences
Understanding and communicating needs effectively
Organization and time management
Misunderstandings with vendors or service providers
Post-wedding feelings
Wedding Therapy can help you:
Understand and express what you want
Gain tools for navigating stress and when feeling overwhelmed
Learn communication skills
Understand limits and set boundaries
Practice self-care
Learn to manage expectations
Understand when and how compromise can be helpful
Manage financial stress
Clarify and put values into practice
Repair relationships
Learn time management and organizational skills
All photographs courtesy of Rosehip Social Florist