Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT)

PACT therapy, or Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy, is a form of relationship therapy that focuses on understanding and addressing the underlying attachment and neurobiological patterns in couples. We dig deep into your attachment styles and incorporate somatic and cutting edge neuroscience into couples work.

I have extensive training in PACT (was trained in Level I + II) and am part of an ongoing case consultation group to further hone my skills and craft. PACT is very comprehensive and pays a lot of attention to attachment styles, emotional regulation, and brain science. Given that I've been trained in PACT, Gottman, and EFT, I methodically use the best parts of each modality based on what my couples are bringing and am struggling with.

In PACT, we assume no malintent and focus on nurturing each partner’s protective strategies. We’ll observe how you interact during stressful moments and uncover how these protective strategies impact your relationship. You’ll learn how to respond to your partner with empathy and deeper understanding, rather than defensiveness. This process creates a stronger, more secure bond, helping you navigate challenges with greater emotional awareness, building lasting intimacy and connection.

Level I trained with Stan Tatkin at PACT Institute 2023

PACT stands for Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy and it has been developed by Stan Tatkin, PsyD. Its goal is to integrate mind-body functioning and give couples the tools to create a safe, “secure-functioning” relationships. PACT has been developed thanks to exciting, cutting-edge research in three areas: Neuroscience, Attachment Theory & Human Arousal.

The PACT model focuses on attachment theory and promotes secure functioning in couples.

A PACT couple session may differ somewhat from what clinicians and couples experience in other forms of couple therapy. A PACT therapist’s focus on moment-to-moment shifts in a client’s face, body, and voice, and each partner’s active involvement in paying close attention to these as a couple. A PACT therapist creates experiences similar to those troubling a relationship and helps the couple work through them in real time during the session. PACT sessions often exceed the 50-minute hour

Developed by Dr. Stan Tatkin, PACT is a fusion of attachment theory, developmental neuroscience, and arousal regulation. PACT has a reputation for effectively treating the most challenging couples. Your experience during a PACT session may differ somewhat from what you would experience in other forms of couple therapy. Contact me to learn more.

I am a level 2 trained PACT therapist and am registered for Level 3 final training beginning in July 2022

PACT has been proven to be very effective in restoring relationships and help couples overcome many challenges in their relationships. PACT draws from a variety of frameworks but is rooted in the belief that all of us can develop secure functioning relationships with our partners.

PACT is all about secure functioning, which means that no matter what the stressors, a couple is committed to transparency, collaboration, justice, quick repair, and protecting one another in public AND in private. Humans are wired for self-interest, and creating safety means putting the relationship first, turning toward your partner instead of insisting on being right, and being honest with yourself and your partner about what you need to stay grounded. Then doing it.

I am a PACT level 1 trained couples therapist. PACT is a psycho-biological approach to couples therapy that combines understanding neurology, attachment systems, and arousal to get to the process underlying communication difficulties.

Couple therapy, more specifically is a special kind of psychotherapy Dr. Teresa Hunt where partners learn to listen and understand each other in a totally new way, a safe non-reactive way that calms down negative cycles and promotes empathy and understanding. It allows the couple to act as a “team” to resolve concerns.

Entrenamiento en PACT- un método para trabajar con parejas con complicaciones

This approach helps clients understand theirs and their partner's personal history and how that impacts their ability to experience secure attachment and thus foster a healthy relationship based upon shared principles, shared vision, and shared governance in the relationship.

PACT looks at what’s really happening in your brain and your emotions when you fight. If you were in a couples therapy session and you were stuck, your therapist might slow you down (we all know how sped up and out of control it can get when you’re in conflict) and help point out what’s happening with your body and your emotions.