Couples therapy and marriage counseling · Austin and online
Break the cycle in your relationship.
Stronger together starts here.
Connect to your fullest potential.
You handle most of life well, but in your relationship, the same painful patterns keep repeating: an affair, the same fight, secrets, or the strain of ADHD. Whatever the story, we can work on it together.
Michael Strand, PsyD
Licensed Psychologist in Texas since 2017
Training in EFT · Gottman Level 3 · PSYPACT
Where are the two of you right now?
Couples therapy
You're struggling, and you want to make it work.
Trust has been broken, the fights repeat, or you've drifted apart. We work on what's happening between you, and on what each of you brings to it.
Discernment
You're not sure whether to stay together.
Room to look at what's happened, and to decide what comes next.
Divorce
You've decided to end the marriage, and you want to do it with more peace.
A team approach to divorce, with me as the neutral mental health professional on your team.
What brings couples in
If any of these sound familiar, you're in the right place.
The affair came out.
Whether you stay or go, the weeks after a betrayal need a steady hand. We slow things down, make sense of what happened, and figure out what it will take to repair it.
The argument you've had a hundred times.
You both know how it goes, and neither of you can stop it. We'll look at the pattern underneath, and what each of you is protecting when it starts.
Sexual behavior that's become a secret.
Porn, affairs, or sex you keep promising yourself to stop. The secrecy is often the heavier part. This is work I'm trained for, and we do it without shame.
ADHD inside the relationship.
One of you forgets, the other carries. Resentment builds in both directions. We work on the practical and emotional sides at the same time.
How I work
Three things you'll notice early.
We find the pattern before anyone gets blamed.
Most couples arrive with a case against each other. We set it down and look at what happens between you, step by step.
The methods are built for couples.
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) leads the work, and I'm training in it now. I also have advanced training in Gottman Method couples therapy and in IFS for couples. My approach stays personal to each couple's concerns and goals.
You'll always know where we are.
We agree on what we're working on, we check progress plainly, and we adjust as we go.
I'm Dr. Michael Strand, a licensed psychologist.
Practical, warm, and direct.
I did my doctoral internship at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center and my postdoctoral fellowship at Baylor Scott & White Health. There, I worked with patients and couples facing hard things in their health and at home.
Licensed psychologist in Texas since 2017, and online in most U.S. states through PSYPACT
Supervised psychiatry residents and psychology postdoctoral fellows at Baylor Scott & White Health
Taught psychology at SUNY Buffalo and James Madison University
What clients have said.
I have worked with many therapists in my life, but none have helped me like Dr. Strand. I have been recommending him to everyone I know.
He was very kind and made me feel very comfortable in a situation that was very difficult. This was my first experience with mental health providers, and he not only provided good insight … but also helped me feel heard and validated my concerns.
Dr. Strand is very informative in his field. He is very personable, understandable, and helps me a great deal with my issues. He seems to always know what is going on with me.
Dr. Strand is amazingly wonderful, caring, friendly, and so easy to talk to. He is helping me so much. I feel like his expertise and caring attitude helps so much in my healing.
Why work with me?
A collaborative, skills-based approach, grounded in relationship science.
Doctorate in psychology (PsyD). Licensed in Texas since 2017.
You work with me, from the free call through every session.
Advanced training in the Gottman Method and IFS for couples. Now training in EFT.
Out-of-network benefits? I can give you a superbill to submit.
You can start on your own if your partner isn't ready.
An LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC affirming practice, where all are welcome.
In the office in Austin, or online.
In the office
A quiet room at 2525 Wallingwood Drive in Austin, with nothing to pull your attention from the hour.
Wednesdays and Saturdays
Online
From home, anywhere in Texas, and in most U.S. states through PSYPACT. A private space and a good connection are all you need.
Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays
Some evening and weekend times are available on request.
Three steps, starting with a free call.
A free 15-minute call, with me.
You tell me what's going on. I'll tell you honestly whether I'm the right fit.
A relationship check-up.
An online assessment and one or two individual sessions, so I understand your history and each of your views.
Regular sessions.
For most couples, I usually recommend regular sessions lasting at least three to six months. Then we review progress together.
Fees and insurance
Transparent pricing for your peace of mind.
The same fees for individuals and couples, set by the length of the session. Every session is with me, a licensed psychologist.
$275 50-minute session
$400 90-minute session
Your first visit is a 50-minute session. The free 15-minute call comes before it.
Before you call
Questions people ask first.
From the blog: what to expect when you start couples therapy
Is couples therapy the same as marriage counseling?
Yes. People call the same work couples therapy, marriage counseling, or relationship counseling. It's for partners whether or not you're married.
What if my partner isn't ready to come?
You can start on your own. One-on-one sessions can focus on a relationship, and on the free call we can talk about what fits.
Do you work with LGBTQ+ couples?
Yes. Mine is an LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC affirming practice, and all are welcome.
Start with a call.
Fifteen minutes, free. You tell me what's going on, and we work out together whether this is the right fit.