At Cycles Couples Counseling our passion is relationships. We are dedicated to helping you improve y
10/22/2025
When arguments spiral past reason, going to sleep might just be the most effective step for conflict resolution. Contrary to popular advice, our relationship specialists believe you should go to bed angry. Check out our blog to learn more about how to de-escalate arguments and regulate your nervous system for more productive conversations with your partner.
Contrary to popular advice, couples therapists know that partners who go to bed angry have more effective conflict resolution in the morning.
10/17/2025
We all crave closeness—but not everyone knows how to ask for it. For some, s*x becomes the language they use when talking about feelings feels challenging.
In times of conflict, some partners use s*x to feel close. For some, physical connection feels safer than emotional intimacy.
09/26/2025
You don't have to wait until things are dire to decide to start couples therapy. Check out our latest post to learn more about the benefits of early intervention!
You don't have to wait until things are dire. You should do couples therapy proactively, as an investment in your future.
09/11/2025
Are you panicked that you're attracted to your therapist? There's no need to be embarrassed! This is more common than you'd think. A therapeutic relationship is unique in it's one way focus on meeting your needs and making you priority. In fact, this attraction may not be a hindrance to your counseling goals. It can be an opportunity for you to deepen your understanding of your relational system, if you're open to examining it. Check out our blog to learn more!
Don't panic if you find yourself attracted to your therapist. That's a common response to this unique and warm, one-way caring relationship.
08/12/2025
Have you ever said something truly awful to your partner—something you didn’t mean, or didn’t mean quite like that—and then immediately regretted it? Maybe you watched their face fall, or they stormed out of the room, and you were left thinking, Why did I say that? And wishing you could take it back?
Check out our latest blog to learn more about how to express your hurt in a way that doesn't cause more hurt in your relationship.
Ever found yourself in an argument saying the worst things to the person you love most and wishing you could take it back?
08/05/2025
Cycles Couples Counseling is thrilled to introduce you to a new EFT Couples Therapist on our team, Joanna Alpern!!
Transform your partnership through Joanna Alpern Therapy. Schedule a session now!
08/01/2025
Ever feel like your partner always shuts down during tough talks? It might not be indifference—it could be emotional overload or deep-rooted shame. Discover the reason behind the silence and how empathy can transform your connection. Check out our latest couples therapy blog today!
It can be frustrating when your partner freezes when you're upset, but there's more to the shut down than meets the eye.
07/03/2025
Today marks Max DeFrain's two year anniversary at Cycles Couples Counseling! If you know Max, you know he is thoughtful, earnest and incredibly patient. Max is a Certified in both EFIT & EFCT and has been continuing to hone a niche for himself working with betrayal injuries and neurodiverse clients. We are so grateful to have someone with his calm demeanor and incredible skills on our team. Max, we are lucky to get to work with you and so are your clients. Thank you for all your hard work these past years! Cheers!
06/12/2025
If you're always initiating and feeling like your partner never wants to have s*x, you might be stuck in a chasing dynamic. We understand it feels rejecting to always have to set the mood and pressuring to always have to respond. Couples Therapy can help you reset the dynamics and make s*x more accessible.
If you're always initiating and feeling your partner never wants to have s*x you might be stuck in a chasing dynamic. S*x therapy can help!
06/05/2025
Most of us were taught all about the risks involved with s*x, but very little was taught about the pleasure that comes along with it. Learning how to turn your partner on can feel daunting. Identifying brakes and accelerators can put you back in the driver's seat to arousal. Check out our latest blog to learn how to decrease anxieties and increase pleasure in your s*x life!
Learning how to turn your partner on can feel daunting. Identifying brakes and accelerators can put you back in the driver's seat to arousal.
06/04/2025
Today marks Allyson Greenwood 's one year anniversary at Cycles Couples Counseling. Allyson is a thoughtful, caring and genuinely kind therapist. If you have worked with her, you know how dedicated she is to helping her couples. She actively seeks out supervision and resources for each client's unique set of needs and her humble approach to learning allows her to practice and seamlessly integrate her new insight into her work. Her drive to create an understanding and safe space for her couples is so apparent. This will be a big year for Allyson as she works to complete her licensure hours and prepares to be dual licensed LMFT/LPCC. Allyson, we are so excited to see you progress in your career and we are thrilled to be able to celebrate your achievements. Congratulations!!
05/17/2025
Certified EFT Supervisor, Haleigh Butler, is pleased to announce that Sarah Howeth, LMFT is now a Certified EFT Therapist. Haleigh had the pleasure of supervising Sarah’s work for the past two years and she can say without a doubt, she deserves this title. Sarah works hard to hone her EFT skills and progress her clients to more bonded relationships. Her attunement, dedication and compassion make her an asset to the Portland EFT community. She has been a joy to supervise.
In additional review of her certification clips, Certified EFT Supervisor Nancy Brittain stated, “Sarah’s pacing and attunement were excellent, as she stays at the leading edge of the couple’s experience, helping to organize and deepen their experience….she does a beautiful job of helping her client to stay in the emotional experience and take a big risk in making reaches for his partner, heightening and protecting the vulnerability, and helping the couple to have a bonding event.”
In evaluation of her Stage II Certification Clip, EFT Trainer, Rachel Thomas said, “what a beautiful Step 7 she did and how I appreciated this special corrective experience this man had. She did a great job with RISSSC, attunement/presence and small bite size reflections to keep him in the present emotion. She did a great job using attachment language and really spelling out the need and his being able to ask for that and creating space for her response.”
Sarah uses her unique skills to work with couples, individuals and facilitate group therapy at her private practice, Radical Relating Therapy. If you’d like to offer Sarah congratulations, please back channel her at Sarah@radicalrelatingtherapy.com
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4370 Tujunga Avenue Suite 110 Los Angeles, CA 91602
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Practice Owner: Haleigh Scherma, MS, NCC, CCMHC, LPCC
Haleigh is a Certified EFT Therapist who works with couples in West LA and the surrounding area. She is also supervises many of the therapists in this area in her role as a Certified EFT Supervisor. She continues to stay active with the community in her position as a board member for the Los Angeles Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy.
As a whole, Haleigh thrives working with big emotions and difficult topics. Growing up as an only child with parents in a very turbulent marriage, she got comfortable with reactivity. She uses this unique tolerance to her advantage and prefers to work with couples struggling with trauma, anger and s*xual issues. There's nothing too big or scary to tackle.
She grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where, after college, she worked as a social worker providing in-home community psychiatric support treatment for inner city children and families. There, she realized there are some big systemic roadblocks on both micro and macro levels for children. She found it most effective to work in these systems as much as possible rather than with each person individually. It was here she found her passion for couples and relational work.
From there, she pursued a masters program from one of the nations leading graduate counseling schools, The University of North Carolina Greensboro, and specialized in couples and family counseling. After interning at HIV/AIDS group treatment center, she solidified her desire for working with couples and families with s*xual and intimacy issues.
She then participated in a yearlong private practice s*x therapy internship and hasn't left the field since! She moved to Denver, CO and was part of an incredible all Emotionally Focused Therapist group practice, Thrive Couples & Family Services, for three years before she started her own practice, Cycles Couples Counseling.
Helping families by working with couples is her passion! However, when she's not at the office, she enjoys hiking with her pup, binging on a Netflix series with her partner and eating anything and everything chocolate.
While she does understand how some delicate topics need gentle care, the majority of the time you will find her approach tends to be a little more direct. She uses humor to try to relate with those in front of her. She isn't very fluffy or sugar coated. With Haleigh you'll feel at ease, like you have an authentic connection.
Haleigh particularly enjoys and excels at working with clients struggling with s*xuality issues or those who present themselves as "tough cookies" and have more gruff demeanors.
To learn more about Haleigh and Cycles Couples Counseling click here.
