Relationships can face many challenges that feel overwhelming. Our counseling services focus on helping couples understand and overcome these obstacles.

Some common problems we help with include:

Communication Problems


Disagreements are alienating you from each other.

Conflicts are becoming a โ€œyou vs. me,โ€ whether itโ€™s about in-laws, kids, friends, work, or finances.

Communication is poor and frustrating.

Youโ€™re unsure how to get through to your partner, which leads to frustration and misunderstandings.

Negative Couple Dynamics


Unhealthy coping mechanisms.

In moments of conflict, one or both partners may struggle to respond in healthy ways.

Feeling stuck in destructive patterns with your partner.

The cycle of fighting, making up, and falling back into conflict seems never-ending.

Dwindling Intimacy


Emotional intimacy is gone or deeply diminished.

You feel disconnected and alone in the relationship, even when things appear fine on the surface.

You notice you and your partner are having less physical intimacy.

Concerns about avoiding a โ€œdead bedroomโ€ are becoming more prevalent.

Broken Trust and Safety


A traumatic experience is changing the way you connect with each other.

Trauma has created an emotional distance that makes reconnecting difficult.

You or your partnerโ€™s trust is broken.

Betrayal has deeply hurt your relationship, leaving one partner uncertain of how to trust again and the other unsure of how to rebuild it.

Numerous emotional benefits that can transform your relationship.

Clients who participate in our couples counseling leave with:

  • stronger conflict resolution skills
  • a deeper emotional bond
  • a healthier relationship dynamic that promotes long-term harmony and fulfillment

Through EFT techniques, couples work to rebuild emotional security and restore lost bonds. This process encourages healing and lays the groundwork for a more trusting, fulfilling relationship.

Strengthen Communication and Understanding with Your Partner

In couples therapy, partners learn strategies to express their feelings and needs clearly. It reduces misunderstandings and conflicts while deepening their understanding of each other.

Couples therapy equips partners with practical tools for resolving conflicts constructively. By learning healthier approaches to handling disagreements, couples can experience lasting harmony and reduced relationship tension.

For couples dealing with trauma, therapy offers a supportive space to work through emotional barriers together. By healing as a unit, couples strengthen their bond and emerge more resilient.

Unresolved issues can lead to a relationshipโ€™s breakdown. By tackling these root causes, therapy helps prevent divorce and fosters a renewed sense of connection.

Couples therapy provides the opportunity to create a healthier foundation for your relationship. Therapy allows couples to move forward with confidence and trust.

Therapy helps couples improve their emotional responsiveness and physical intimacy, creating a more satisfying relationship.

In couples therapy, partners learn essential tools for maintaining long-term commitment and connection. These strategies help couples navigate tough times while staying emotionally connected.

Hear from Couples and Individuals Who Found Healing with Us

What people are saying

โ€œAs a fellow therapist, I can say that I truly admire Emilyโ€™s approach with her clients. Sheโ€™s incredibly gifted at using her training in EFT to work with couples as well as those with trauma backgrounds. Sheโ€™s also uniquely skilled at balancing validation and encouraging her clients towards challenging growth. I cannot recommend her enough!โ€

โ€“ Sarah Bussey

โ€œSpokane Counseling Hub is the go-to place for couples therapy, individual therapy and trauma therapy in Washington state!! It is owned by Jennine Estes, who is a well known author, speaker, trainer, mentor and therapist. I am a LMFT who has referred many clients here, and I know they are in good hands. They also offer telehealth, so if you are not located in Spokane, you can still get amazing quality care here anywhere in Washington state!! If you are in need of relationship therapy, couples therapy, individual counseling, personal growth, attachment counseling โ€“ this is your place!!โ€

โ€“ Jackie Wielick

Expertise, Experience, and Empathy

Spokane Couples Counselor Emily Gilmartin

Emily deTar Gilmartin

Meet Emily deTar Gilmartin

Emily deTar Gilmartin is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate with a Masterโ€™s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Gonzaga University. With 15 years of experience counseling individuals and couples in five different countries, Emily brings a unique perspective to her couples therapy work at Spokane Counseling Hub. Throughout her career, she has observed a common, universal longing in peopleโ€”the deep desire to trust and connect in their relationships.

Emily is incredibly skilled at helping couples rebuild that trust and emotional bond. Through her expertise in EFT, she guides them toward lasting change. If youโ€™re looking for compassionate support from someone who truly understands the complexities of relationships, Emily is here to help you navigate the journey.

Jennine Estes Powell owner of Spokane Counseling Hub

Jennine Estes

Meet Jennine Estes Powell

Jennine Estes Powell, LMFT, is not only the owner and supervisor of Spokane Counseling Hub but also a nationally recognized leader in couples and relationship counseling. Co-author of the acclaimed book Help for High-Conflict Couples, Jennine is certified in EFT and trained in EMDR, making her highly qualified to support couples dealing with trauma, conflict, and disconnection.

Beyond her private practice, Jennine mentors and supervises Associate Marriage and Family Therapists, helping shape the next generation of therapists. Her extensive experience and dedication to couples therapy make her invaluable for couples seeking real, sustainable growth in their relationships.

you can expect a supportive, structured approach to foster healing and growth.

Treatment typically consists of 8 to 20 weekly sessions, depending on your unique needs.

Hereโ€™s an overview of what you can expect throughout the process.

Key Steps in Couples Therapy:

  • Taking note of relationship history and observing interaction patterns:
    Your therapist will start by understanding your relationship dynamics and how you interact with each other.
  • Identifying the most pressing issues: 
    Together, you and your partner will pinpoint the fundamental problems affecting your relationship.
  • Uncovering unspoken fears and insecurities: 
    The therapist will help reveal the underlying fears contributing to negative interaction patterns.
  • De-escalating emotional reactivity and distress: 
    Initial sessions focus on reducing tension and calming heightened emotions to create a safe space for communication.
  • Recognizing and responding to emotional needs: 
    Couples learn how to better understand and meet each otherโ€™s emotional needs.
  • Restoring a deep emotional bond: 
    In the second stage, therapy aims to rebuild a secure emotional connection between partners.
  • Creating security and vulnerability: 
    The goal is to help partners feel safe enough to share their vulnerabilities and support each other.
  • Reframing negative behaviors: 
    The therapist actively works to reframe behaviors like anger or withdrawal as efforts to seek connection rather than seeing them as harmful actions.
  • Consolidating progress with new solutions: 
    Final sessions focus on resolving lingering issues and implementing healthier ways to handle future conflicts.
  • Practicing connection during difficult times: 
    Couples learn how to stay connected and comfort each other, even during challenging situations.

Throughout the journey, our couples therapy in Spokane is designed to help you and your partner develop lasting tools for a healthier, more connected relationship.