Couples Therapy
With Doug Sweaney Herrick, LMHC
I’m a couple therapist who believes relationships are where our deepest, earliest patterns show up.
Improving relationships changes almost everything else.
Has the color slowly faded between you and now it feels black and white?
Are you fighting about little things but never THE THING?
Does it feel like you’re together, but not truly connected?
Many couples come in feeling stuck in cycles they can’t break. Life changes like kids, jobs, distance, or stress quietly shift the balance. Intimacy fades. Collaboration turns into tension. Over time, partners stop feeling like teammates and start feeling alone, even while sharing a life.
Couples Come to Me For
Loss of intimacy
Walking on eggshells
Feeling like roommates
Arguments on repeat
Major life transitions
Fundamental disagreements
Uncertainty about the future
If you wonder where things went or where they’re headed, therapy can bring clarity.
“The myth that love conquers all is BS.
The best relationships
have been worked on.”
What Couples Therapy With Me Is Like
The relationship itself is the primary client, and my commitment is to help it move where it needs to go.
I focus on understanding what’s underneath the conflict and how your relationship actually functions. Sessions are active, structured, and collaborative. We work in real time, slowing things down and practicing new ways of being together. The goal is not just insight, but lasting change in how you relate, communicate, and repair.
approaches I Use
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Focuses on attachment, nervous system regulation, and collaboration to help couples build durable, secure partnerships.
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Explores how early attachment patterns show up in adult relationships; increases understanding and emotional safety.
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Looks at unconscious patterns and relational history to break long standing cycles.
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Identifies what works and builds on it with the intent of supporting forward momentum.
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Examines how each partner’s family background shapes the relationship to create space for change.
“The best time to start couples therapy
is as soon as you’re thinking about it.”
Get On The Same Team
When couples stop fighting about whose version of reality is right, they can go back to building something that works.
After Couples Therapy, My Clients Report
Renewed intimacy
Joy returns
Disagreements are productive
Shared direction + values
Greater understanding
They’re a team (again)
About
Doug Sweaney Herrick, LMHC
I’m not interested in assigning blame. I am interested in helping couples understand what drives their conflicts and how to show up differently for each other.
My couples work is grounded in the belief that relationships thrive when partners feel secure, understood, and aligned.
Sessions are energetic, collaborative, and honest. We will take the work seriously while allowing room for curiosity and humor. Much of what we explore centers on attachment, identity, and how partners can better take care of each other.
Outside of therapy, I’m a soccer coach who enjoys running, backpacking, and spending time with my corgi, Boris and cat, Misty. I live in Seattle with my spouse and value relationships as living systems that need attention and care.
Availability: I provide in-person appointments in Seattle, and Telehealth sessions for clients in Washington and Florida.
Education, Credentials, & Trainings
M.A. in Counseling Psychology, The Seattle School
Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Washington (LMHC.LH.61424860)
PACT Level One Couples Therapy training
B.A. in Biology, Saint Mary’s College of California
Minor in Theology and Religious Studies
Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy training
Former clinician at Atlantic Street Center
Co-owner—The Whole Athlete
3 Steps To Get Started
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Fill out the contact form. If I am not the right fit, I will help you find someone who is.
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We’ll talk through what’s happening and see if working together feels right.
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We’ll begin mapping your patterns and practicing new ways of being together.