The Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy
Overcoming relationship challenges with PACT
Are you and your partner struggling with recurring conflicts, emotional distance, or a lack of trust?
The Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT) offers a powerful way to transform your relationship by working with the way your brain, body, and attachment history shape your interactions.
What is PACT?
PACT is an innovative, research-based approach to couple therapy developed by Dr. Stan Tatkin. It integrates the latest findings from neuroscience, attachment theory, and the biology of human arousal to help couples build a secure-functioning relationship—one based on mutual support, trust, and lasting love.
How PACT works
Unlike traditional talk therapy, PACT focuses on moment-to-moment shifts in emotions, body language, and nervous system responses. By observing these patterns in real-time, we help you and your partner understand your automatic reactions and develop new ways to respond to each other with greater compassion, clarity, and connection.
Through guided exercises and deep, interactive sessions, you will learn to:
- Recognize and shift unconscious relationship patterns that create disconnection.
- Understand how your attachment history influences your reactions in conflict.
- Use neuroscience-based techniques to regulate emotions and foster deeper intimacy.
- Strengthen trust and security by becoming your partner’s safe harbor.
- Communicate more effectively without falling into destructive cycles.
How does PACT compare to other couples therapy approaches?
PACT stands out because it works in the moment, using real-time interactions to uncover and shift unconscious patterns.
Many traditional approaches rely heavily on conversation alone, while PACT integrates neuroscience, attachment theory, and arousal regulation to help couples achieve lasting change. It’s also engaging—some couples even find the process fun as they learn new ways to connect and support each other.
Individual or couples therapy: Which is right for me?
If your primary concern is your relationship, it’s important to consider the dynamics of a two-person system. While individual therapy can be valuable, working on your relationship without your partner present is a bit like trying to clap with one hand. PACT helps you both navigate challenges together for deeper, lasting change.
What will we talk about in therapy?
PACT is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Our conversations will center around your unique needs and challenges. Rather than simply revisiting arguments, we look beneath the surface to uncover the attitudes, assumptions, and personal histories influencing your relationship dynamics.
You’ll gain insight, develop new communication tools, and ultimately feel safer and closer to each other.
What relationship issues can PACT help with?
PACT is highly effective for couples facing challenges such as:
- Recurring conflicts about parenting, finances, or household responsibilities
- Trust issues and healing from infidelity
- Emotional or physical intimacy concerns
- Differences in communication styles
- Challenges with blended families or in-laws
- Understanding the impact of past experiences on your current relationship
Why are PACT sessions longer than traditional therapy?
PACT sessions typically last between 90 minutes and 2-3 hours—and for good reason. Longer sessions allow us to dive deep, address core issues, and create meaningful breakthroughs.With this approach, couples often need fewer sessions overall while making faster, more lasting progress.
Will we just end up fighting more in therapy?
While therapy can bring up difficult emotions, the goal of PACT is not to rehash old arguments but to uncover the underlying patterns and triggers that fuel them. You’ll learn how to navigate conflicts more effectively—sometimes even with humor! I’ll guide you in developing skills to fight smarter, not harder.
What if other therapies haven’t helped us?
Even if you’ve tried couples therapy before, PACT offers a unique, neuroscience-based perspective that helps couples quickly get to the root of their struggles.While no therapy can guarantee results, PACT provides concrete tools to help you and your partner understand your challenges and work through them in a healthier, more connected way.
What’s a PACT session like?
PACT therapy is highly interactive and experiential. Sessions often involve rolling chairs, eye contact exercises, and body language awareness to help you and your partner attune to each other in real time. In my Boulder office, the space is designed to support this immersive experience, allowing you to engage in a way that feels both structured and dynamic.
Ready to transform your relationship?
If you and your partner are ready to create a stronger, more secure bond, PACT can provide the tools to get there. As a therapist trained in this powerful method, I guide couples through experiential sessions that foster real, lasting change.
Take the next step toward a relationship that feels safe, connected, and deeply fulfilling.