Emily Wofford Hurlin, LISW is a PACT Trained Therapist
Supporting Couples and individuals on their path to secure functioning relationships
WORK WITH Emily
Learn more about Emily’s approach
As a PACT-trained couples therapist, you will notice I do things a little differently. You can expect longer sessions, which means ultimately reducing the amount of time your relationship is in distress. I request you and your spouse look at each other rather than me during the session. I will also support you and your spouse in noticing and naming each other’s body language and micro-expressions to increase connectedness.
Book a Free 30-minute consultation now
Email me to book a free 30-minute Zoom session to learn more about how I work, your goals, and whether or not this would be a good fit.
Work Online or in person
I conduct most of my work online through Zoom however if you are interested in in-person sessions my office is located just north of downtown Iowa City.
Improving your relationship through Secure Functioning
What is secure functioning?
“Secure functioning refers to an interpersonal system based on principles of true mutuality, collaboration, justice, fairness, and sensitivity. It means that you and your partner are in a foxhole together, protecting each other from the outside world… and from each other.” -Stan Tatkin & Tracy Boldemann-Tatkin
Specific Issues
Even secure functioning relationships come across problems and challenges that can be helped through couples therapy. Some common issues are environmental and developmental stressors, life circumstances changing such as financial stress, having children or when children leave home, illness and death.
A little about me.
I work with couples to create a secure functioning relationship where collaboration, cooperation and communication are enhanced. I believe all decisions in the relationship must serve both the individual as well as the couple for mutual harmony.
All too often life can be extremely challenging and throw us curve balls, my hope for all couples is they can begin to see one another as trusted allies, the one who provides shelter from the storm of the world, and the place where they find safety and security.
I work with couples young and old, seeking early relationship or premarital counseling, or more seasoned relationships facing challenges around communication, intimacy, sex, parenting, infertility, betrayal, remarriage, step-parenting, cleaning, finances, retirement, or considering breaking up.
As a trained couples therapist I work with the Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT) developed by Dr. Stan Tatkin. As an avid learner and someone deeply committed to the well-being of my couples I continue to pursue ongoing training directly from Dr. Tatkin and his team of certified clinicians.
There is nothing more rewarding for me than to see couples create increased secure functioning in their relationship with new confidence in their partnership and tools that will change their relationship for a lifetime. Using the PACT framework I work with longer sessions (an intake of 3 hours and 2 hour subsequent sessions). Together we set our relationship goals and track our progress closely.
I earned my Masters in Social Work from the University of Iowa in 2018, and my Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from New York Universities Tisch School of the Arts in 2012. I am licensed in the state of Iowa as a Licensed Independent Social Worker. I am PACT Level 2 trained. I am a licensed clinical social worker. I am required to have completed a two-year graduate program, completed a one-year supervised practicum, as well as practiced for 4000 supervised hours in a mental health setting, and received 110 hours of direct supervision from a licensed independent social worker. Upon completion of these requirements, I passed the licensing exam.