A healthy, connected relationship is the greatest source of joy .

INTRODUCTION

HomeColette J. Fehr
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist


Credentials & Education
  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist # MT3095
  • Licensed Mental Health Counselor # MH13740
  • Nationally Certified Counselor
  • Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor
  • EMDR Certified
  • EFT Certified
  • Master of Arts, Mental Health Counseling, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida
  • Certificate in Marriage & Family Therapy, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida
  • Bachelor of Arts, History & English, Cum Laude, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
Professional Training
  • Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)
  • Internal Family Systems (IFS)
  • Developmental Model of Couples Counseling
  • Gottman Method Couples Therapy
  • Encounter Centered Couples Therapy
  • PREPARE/ENRICH Premarital Counseling
  • Discernment Counseling
  • Adult Attachment & Trauma
  • Domestic Violence
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
  • Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Complex Trauma & Dissociation
  • EMDR
  • Feeling State Addiction Therapy

Welcome and thank you for visiting my web site.

I am a licensed psychotherapist who works exclusively with couples at my private practice in Baldwin Park in Orlando, Florida. Helping people find greater joy and connection in their relationships is my lifelong passion.

I'm ICEEFT-certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which is the gold standard in evidenced-based treatment for couples. I'm also EMDRIA-Certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which is used to treat trauma and relational loss. In my practice, I draw from a wide variety of psychodynamic, family systems, and attachment-based theories to develop evidence-based treatment plans customized to the needs of each unique client.

I have experience providing individual, couples and family counseling at a wide variety of settings including the following: a residential center, an intensive outpatient program, a community mental health center, an agency, an addiction treatment facility, and in private practice. I believe treating clients in these vastly different environments has enriched the quality of my work and my perspective on life. I feel honored to have worked with a diverse population of clients from whom I have learned so much, and whom I deeply respect.

I offer an experiential and integrative approach to Couples therapy that draws from attachment theory, neurobiology, and developmental psychology. My work is based on highly-specialized training in multiple methodologies that include: EFT (Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy), the Gottman Method, the Developmental Model, and Encounter Centered Couples Therapy. Contrary to popular belief, most relationship struggles stem from disconnection between partners, rather than from specific problems or arguments.

Couples Therapy involves uncovering and resolving unhelpful patterns, managing differences, and learning to effectively listen and communicate. The most important emphasis is on creating authentic, intimate connection. Couples come to feel emotionally safe and close with one another again, which changes the quality and perceived severity of their problems.

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Feel closer. Have more fun.


Couples Counseling

Do you feel misunderstood or emotionally disconnected from your partner? Are you having the same arguments over and over without getting anywhere? Do you feel lonely in your relationship but discouraged about how to get close again?

Perhaps you’re struggling to find energy for your relationship due to busy schedules, careers, or parenting demands. Maybe you’re going through the painful process of healing from trauma or broken trust, or perhaps you’ve simply grown apart. Sometimes it can feel hopeless. You may have settled into a pattern of quiet resignation, filling your time with distractions, and trying to ignore the fact that neither of you is truly happy.

Whatever your circumstances, couples counseling can help you rebuild a stronger, healthier relationship in which you feel seen, heard and connected.

We all bring echoes of hurts from the past into our love relationship. You may get triggered when your partner unintentionally taps into one of these old wounds. When this happens it’s only natural that you would try to protect yourself, but this self-protection often takes the form of criticism, angry outbursts, shutting down, or other behaviors that trigger old wounds in your partner. These natural defenses obscure the underlying vulnerabilities that are at the core of secure, healthy bonds. When you and your partner trigger and react to one another this way the cycle repeats itself, creating a problematic pattern that can be hard to break and can leave each of you feeling frustrated and alone.

In our sessions, I will help you identify these triggers and learn how to respond differently. You will gain insight into your feelings, wants and desires, and learn how to express them more vulnerably. In turn, you will also learn how to hear your partner’s feelings, wants, and desires and receive them without reacting defensively. Thus, you and your partner will develop the ability to soothe one another rather than inflame, and to share authentically with each other, rather than defend or hide.

By transforming conflicts into opportunities for growth and connection you will build the secure attachment and emotional safety needed for true closeness and intimacy.

I take the responsibility of my role as a couple’s therapist very seriously. You are entrusting me with the inner workings of your most private, valuable relationship. I take great care to respect each person’s perspective and to collaborate on creating positive changes that serve you both. There is no blaming or “taking sides” in my couples therapy process. Instead, we will work together to uncover the patterns of disconnection that are in the way of having the relationship you want. My goal is to help you reconnect with your partner and develop heathy, authentic intimacy.

In my work with couples I utilize Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which is the gold standard in evidenced-based treatment for relationships. I am one of only a few therapists in the Orlando area who is certified by ICEEFT in EFT. The couples therapy process begins with the assessment phase. The first step is an intake session in which I will get an idea of the history of the relationship and where you’re getting stuck, and we will begin formulating your goals for therapy. Following the initial intake, I will meet with each partner separately for one session to obtain a more detailed individual attachment history. From there we will move into the working phase and the three of us will reconvene to finalize goals and begin our collaboration.

Occasionally, throughout the course of therapy, there may be a need for another individual session with you or your partner, but the majority of our work will be done with both of you in session. Couples therapy sessions are typically 50 minutes and are usually weekly or bi-monthly. Often a full course of EFT can be completed in 13 to 20 sessions but the frequency of sessions, as well as the duration of the course of therapy, will be determined by the urgency of the presenting issues and your specific needs.

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Create connection and intimacy. Feel like a team again.


Couples Intensives

What are Couples Intensives?

Couples Intensives are a private, extended therapeutic experience for couples who are motivated to work on their relationship and make progress at an accelerated pace.

Who should attend an Intensive?

Couples who attend intensives may be experiencing distance and disconnection, repetitive conflict or facing a crisis point in their relationship.

Intensives are for married couples, premarital couples, or any couple in which both parties are committed to working on the relationship.

Intensives are ideal for those with busy schedules that make it difficult to attend weekly sessions, for those seeking a jump start to regular couples therapy and for those who are eager to make significant progress quickly. All couples are encouraged to continue with therapy after the intensive, if possible.

Schedule

Intensives are available in structured in one-day and two-day retreat options. The one-day option is ideal for a jump start to therapy.

Intensives are held on Thursdays and Fridays from 9 am to 4:00 pm, with two three-hour blocks of therapy in the morning and afternoon. One-day Intensives are held on Fridays.

You will have a one-hour break for lunch which gives you time to enjoy a variety of charming restaurants in walking distance from my office.

We will take a 15-minute break between each block of therapy in the morning and afternoon.

Cost

One-day Intensive $1,800

Two-Day Intensive $3,600

Out of Town Couples

I will provide suggestions for accommodations, restaurants, and activities for those traveling from out of town. I’ll also provide you with referrals for local therapists in your area so that you can continue your work seamlessly after the intensive.

Please contact me via email for more information on scheduling an intensive.

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Build a foundation to
last a lifetime.


Premarital Counseling

Congratulations! You and your partner have made the decision to commit to one another and become a new family. This relationship is undoubtedly the most valuable and potentially rewarding one you’ll ever have, so, of course, you want it to be healthy, satisfying, and full of love and laughter.

Perhaps your partnership is already rock solid, but no matter how strong the bonds of commitment, over the course of a lifetime every marriage has some trouble spots and goes through growing pains. By identifying areas of potential challenge and working to strengthen these issues now, you and your fiancé will have the best chance possible to build a strong, solid relationship that endures the test of time.

Many couples come from different backgrounds and have different ideas of what relationships and marriage should look like. Discussing differences and expectations beforehand better prepares you and your partner to understand and support one another throughout your marriage.

Premarital counseling can help you improve communication, set realistic expectations, and develop conflict-resolution skills. In premarital counseling, you may examine issues such as:

  • Finances
  • Communication
  • Beliefs and values
  • Roles in marriage
  • Affection and sex
  • Desire to have children
  • Family relationships
  • Decision-making
  • Dealing with anger
  • Time spent together

In our work together, we will use an evidence-based assessment tool called PREPARE/ENRICH. The PREPARE/ENRICH assessment identifies your relational strengths and areas for growth. Each of you will complete a comprehensive online inventory. We will review the results together and discuss any issues that may be on your mind leading up to your marriage. I will provide you with the skills you need to increase mutual understanding and improve your communication.

Premarital Counseling and the PREPARE/ENRICH assessment set the following goals for you as a couple:

  • Explore relationship strength and growth areas     
  • Strengthen couple communication skills, including forgiveness
  • Identify and manage major stressors     
  • Learn conflict-resolution strategies using the specific ten step model  
  • Explore family-of-origin issues using the Couple and Family Map 
  • Discuss financial planning and budgeting
  • Develop personal, couple and family goals
  • Understand and appreciate personality differences

No matter how strong your relationship is, premarital counseling can help you get to know and understand each other even better than you do now. You’ll get a perspective on your partnership that can enrich the depth of your connection. As you walk through life and marriage together, it’s not whether or not you have difficulties but how well you manage them that determines the success of your marriage. Taking the time to explore and develop your couple-ship now will give you the confidence to navigate whatever challenges you may face in the future.

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Getting Started


Rates

Couples Therapy sessions are 50 minutes at a rate of $300, via Telehealth or in person.

Good Faith Estimates

According to the No Surprises Act, as of January 1, 2022 all healthcare providers are required to provide estimates for the costs of your care. The Good Faith Estimate (GFE) shows the cost of items and services that are reasonably expected for your healthcare needs and treatment. This will be provided upon scheduling and/or as requested. This GFE does not include unexpected costs that could arise during treatment.

Insurance

I do not accept any form of insurance. Upon request, I can provide superbills to my clients for possible reimbursement by their insurance provider. Please call your insurance provider to determine your coverage and if you are eligible for reimbursement with an out-of-network (OON) provider.

Cancellation Policy

If you do not attend your scheduled appointment, and you have not notified me at least 24 hours in advance, you will be required to pay the full cost of the session.

Payment

All payments are due at the time of service. Credit card and health savings accounts are accepted.

Client Forms

Once you schedule, client forms will be emailed to you directly to complete in a HIPAA-protected client portal.

FAQs


What can therapy do for me?

There are a variety of benefits that can come from therapy, and they tend to be individualized. Therapists are there to provide support, teach certain skills, and help clients discover new coping strategies for things like anxiety, depression, stress, or even creative blocks. You don’t need to have a ‘major disorder’ to find therapy useful. In fact, if you’re simply looking for personal growth or feel stuck on a particular situation at work, or at home with family or friends, therapy can help you figure out how to move forward. Essentially, a therapist offers a different way of looking at things – perhaps a perspective you haven’t yet considered, which makes it easier to point you in the right direction, and find the solutions you’re looking for in your life.

Of course, therapists can’t just ‘fix’ everything on their own. It’s about using those resources you learn in your everyday life that can really turn things around. Still unsure about what therapy could do for you? Let’s take a look a few examples of some common benefits:

- Grasping a deeper understanding of who you are
- Identifying your goals and dreams
- Obtaining the right skills for bettering your life’s relationships
- Learning resources to put an end to the issues that brought you to therapy
- Managing problem areas in your personal life, like anger, stress, depression, etc.
- Creating new patterns of behavior for yourself
- Changing your problem-solving perspective
- Boosting your self-esteem and confidence

If I feel as though I can handle my issues on my own, is therapy really necessary?

There isn’t a person alive who doesn’t experiences challenges of some kind throughout their life. Some people can simply get through them better than others, and even then, it’s never a bad idea to have additional support and understanding when it comes to the obstacles you’ve encountered. Therapy is ideal for people who understand themselves enough to realize they actually could use some help, instead of denying it. Acknowledging that your life isn’t necessarily where you want it to be is a big thing to admit and taking the steps to change that for the better is something to be incredibly proud of. You’re taking the first step down an incredible path that can lead to long-lasting benefits for the rest of your life, even when challenges come up again.

What makes people go to therapy in the first place? How do I know if it’s the right decision?

Everyone’s reasons for coming to therapy are different, whether they’re going through a big life change, or a specific event like divorce, or just aren’t dealing with stressful situations ideally. Sometimes, the assistance of therapy can not only help with specific situations, but personal issues as well. Depression, anxiety, relationship issues, couples counseling, and even low-self esteem are often common reasons to seek out help. You may start out looking for one thing, and find on your journey that you can gain so much more through learning the right skills, and having the right kind of encouragement.

In terms of making the ‘right decision’ for yourself, of course therapy is a personal decision, but if you take a look at your life, and your desire is to make a change that starts from within, it’s likely that some form of psychotherapy could be a great benefit.

What can I expect from therapy?

Just like the reasons for therapy are different for everyone, most people can expect different experiences. The good news is that therapy is completely individually-focused, which is why everyone can get something different out of it. Generally, your life, your history, and any relevant insights will be important to the specific discussions, but in a very personal and individualized manner. Sometimes therapy can be focused on a specific need, in which case it’s a ‘short term’ solution, while in other cases, many people go to therapy regularly, each week, to simply look for more personal growth.

Again, therapy isn’t meant to be some kind of ‘quick fix’ where you simply sit back and listen. It is a participatory experience. The more you involve yourself in the process, the better results you’re bound to see. It’s a practice in everyday living, in which you take what you learn from the session, and apply it to your life. Therefore, it’s important to be mentally prepared to make those changes in your life, and desire new perspectives on things.

How should one consider medication vs. psychotherapy?

While medication has been proven to help with many different disorders, it has also been proven that time and time again, it simply isn’t enough. Medication often treats the symptoms of a problem without getting to the root of solving it, which is where therapy comes in. The decision to take psychotropic medications or not, is a highly personal one, and your personal wishes will be honored. If in the course of treatment, you decide you might benefit from medications, I will refer you out to an appropriate provider.

How does insurance factor into therapy?

Insurance companies are different – some reimburse for mental health services with out-of-network providers and others do not. I recommend that you call your insurance company to find out what they will reimburse you for an out-of-network provider under your particular plan.

Do the topics in each therapy session remain private?

There is practically nothing more important in therapy than confidentiality. As with any doctor/client agreement, your privacy is of the utmost importance. A good therapist understands the vulnerability and openness that must come from each client in order to really get through, so therapy itself can take a lot of trust, and that needs to be developed over time. Make sure your therapist offers a confidentiality agreement before you begin your sessions, typically called ‘informed consent.’ It is your choice if you’d like to have your therapist share anything significant with your other healthcare providers, but this can only be done with your written consent. Nothing you share in your sessions is to be told to anyone else, with the rare exceptions of suspected abuse of any kind (including child protection), or if the therapist has any reason to believe their client may hurt themselves, or others.

These exceptions are based on legal requirements in the state of Florida.

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Resources

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Please note that I am not currently taking new clients or keeping a waitlist.

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Please note that I am not currently taking new clients or keeping a waitlist.

Colette J. Fehr, MA, LMHC, LMFT, NCC, CCMHC
407 951 3820

Specializing in couples counseling Winter Park

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Address

1555 Lake Baldwin Ln., Suite B,
Orlando, Florida, 32814

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