You don’t need to be in crisis to be in couples therapy—it’s never too early to start laying the foundation for a strong partnership!  


Whether you’re preparing for marriage, navigating a difficult season in your relationship, or simply want to avoid the relationship turning stale, couples therapy can help you understand each other more deeply, lay the foundation for a stronger partnership, and build the life you want for the years ahead. 

Book a free consult

Falling in love comes naturally. Keeping the love alive takes intention.

“Never stop dating your spouse” is a common saying for a reason! 


Your relationship deserves dedication long after “I do”. A healthy marriage isn’t something you build once and then put on autopilot. 


You change. Your partner changes. You’ll encounter countless transitions from careers, children, finances, and more that can change the way you experience one another. 


Sustaining and growing your relationship requires focus, the right tools, and truly understanding each other’s upbringing, traumas, and triggers. As an experienced couples counselor, I’ll guide you through the questions you should be asking, so you can find the answers you need in order to build the relationship you desire. Answers to questions such as…

  • Have you met your relationship potential? 
  • How can you both be vulnerable and safe in your romantic relationship? 
  • Do you really understand your partner? 

When you truly know each other—and how to know each other—your relationship is set to flourish for a lifetime. 


Couples therapy can help you build the relationship you’re truly desiring by learning how to communicate more openly, work through conflict more constructively, understand each other’s needs, and continue choosing one another with intention. 

Your relationship doesn’t have to wait for a crisis to get better.

Your relationship doesn’t have to be “bad enough” for couples counseling. If you’re looking to foster a stronger connection to each other, that’s enough reason to begin. 

Keeping a relationship alive is easier than resurrecting a stale one…and a lot more fun!

Couples Therapy Addresses Topics Such As…

  • Communication Issues
  • Financial Disagreements
  • Infidelity
  • Trust and Intimacy Issues
  • Major Transitions 
  • Premarital Counseling
  • Parenting transitions
  • Busy professional couples
  • Feelings of disconnection and staleness

You bring your histories into your relationship.

In our sessions, we’ll examine the Family of Origin Issues—the emotional, psychological, and behavioral patterns that develop in response to the environment you were raised in. Patterns that develop as a result of factors such as: 

  • Communication: Was it rooted in openness, silence, or yelling? 
  • Affection: How did caregivers express affection? 
  • Conflict: Was conflict avoided or approached aggressively? 
  • Familial roles
  • Family trauma or instability

One of the most powerful aspects of couples therapy is learning to see a difficult interaction as the reaction to how you were raised, rather than a problem one person is causing. 

Once you identify and understand those patterns, you can gain a deeper insight into each other’s day-to-day reactions. And once you understand what is happening underneath those reactions, you can practice responding differently, understand how to show up better for each other, and establish clearer boundaries and communication. 

Meet Dianne—

Smiling portrait of Dianne Arnett, Austin Couples Therapist

Austin Couples Therapist

I don’t believe a successful marriage means staying in the honeymoon phase. I believe it means creating a partnership that can evolve through a lifetime and still feel exciting. 


As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I love working with couples through all the seasons of a relationship—from newly engaged couples figuring out what forever looks like, longtime partners who want to reconnect after difficult seasons, and those navigating life’s transitions. (I love working with couples so much that I’m ordained to perform marriages!) 


After decades of working with couples, I’ve learned that there’s almost always more going on underneath the problem than what’s happening on the surface.

 

I bring a practical approach to couples counseling, with plenty of curiosity, compassion, and a little humor along the way. I help couples understand the patterns they bring into their relationship, learn to see each other differently, and develop tools they can actually practice in real life. 


One thing I know is that a great relationship isn’t meant to look the same throughout the years. It’s meant to honor how your lives evolve as time goes on, and continue to choose each other along the way. 

Learn More about me

Premarital Counseling

Plan for your marriage, not just your wedding.

You’ve committed to spending your life together—a truly exciting next chapter for your relationship! As you dive into the logistics of planning your wedding, it’s important not to overlook the practical logistics of your life together. 


Premarital counseling is beneficial for every soon-to-be-married couple—whether it’s a first or subsequent marriage for either partner—allowing you to proactively broach challenging conversations with the guidance of an experienced, unbiased expert. 

Premarital Counseling sessions address topics such as:

  • Finances
  • Leisure time
  • Family expectations and obligations 
  • Work/life balance
  • Faith
  • Fitness 
  • Intimacy
  • Having children

Our sessions will navigate these conversations, while also developing a powerful toolkit for thoughtful conflict resolution and intentional communication. Together, we’ll help address any lingering doubts about your relationship in a supportive environment, and identify potential challenges before they come up unexpectedly. 

Learn the playbook of a fun, healthy, and growing partnership for life.

A long-term relationship doesn’t have to look exactly the way it was when you first fell in love. It can become deeper, more honest, resilient, playful, and connected. Couples therapy will give you the insights and strategies you need to keep growing into the life you want together.

Book a free 30-min consult