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William L. Buchanan
About
Couple or Marital therapy could include several different situations:
- You are part of a married couple. This would be considered Marital Therapy.
- You are not married but have a relationship with a “significant other.” This would be Couples Therapy.
- You were once married but are now divorced, and you need to improve your relationship and communication with your ex-spouse for the sake of the children. This is considered to be a type or variation of Couples Therapy; i.e., Post-Divorce Couples Therapy.
- You and/or your partner have a mental health diagnosis or condition that, in Dr. Buchanan's professional opinion, would necessitate Couples or Marital Therapy. For example, marital therapy has been found to be effective for treating depression and Bipolar Disorder (alone or in combination with other treatments such as individual therapy and/or medication).
- You need to improve your relationship with another person but are in a situation different from those listed above.
The common theme to all the above situations is that the Couples or Marital Therapy will be focused on improving a relationship between you and another person. Thus, the relationship itself is the target of treatment. However, for couple therapy to be effective, you must focus on YOUR issues, YOUR contribution to a dysfunction in the relationship, YOUR misinterpretations, and YOUR inappropriate behaviors. “Therapy” that just focuses on the other person is not real therapy at all.
The Serenity Prayer by theologian Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr sums up the goals of therapy very well:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Unless otherwise agreed in advance or in certain circumstances, Dr. Buchanan expects both individuals to attend ALL therapy sessions. He tries very hard to not take sides when working with a couple but will provide direct feedback to promote fairness, openness and consideration of both individuals. Although he may take a side on a particular topic or during a particular session, he will generally do the same thing for both individuals on a fairly routine basis.
Dr. Buchanan knows that you have probably had a great deal of hurt and pain in the relationship, or you wouldn’t be seeking the services of a therapist. Because both of you have been through enough hurt already, he may interrupt you if he thinks you are saying something destructive to the relationship or the therapy process. When you get loud, he may ask that you both take a break. At such times, Dr. Buchanan may teach some self-soothing exercises.
Just as therapy is not effective if someone is drunk on alcohol, therapy cannot succeed if you are “drunk” with anger, rage, jealousy, scorn, disdain, etc. A major goal is for the couple to talk about important issues in a productive manner and not just vent. This means being able to discuss very emotional issues in a calm, well-regulated manner. Dr. Buchanan will be a coach to both of you, helping each of you stay calm and well-regulated with each other.
Dr. Buchanan is well trained is several appraoches to martial and couple therapy including the Gottman method.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Unless otherwise agreed in advance or in certain circumstances, Dr. Buchanan expects both individuals to attend ALL therapy sessions. He tries very hard to not take sides when working with a couple but will provide direct feedback to promote fairness, openness and consideration of both individuals. Although he may take a side on a particular topic or during a particular session, he will generally do the same thing for both individuals on a fairly routine basis.
Dr. Buchanan knows that you have probably had a great deal of hurt and pain in the relationship, or you wouldn’t be seeking the services of a therapist. Because both of you have been through enough hurt already, he may interrupt you if he thinks you are saying something destructive to the relationship or the therapy process. When you get loud, he may ask that you both take a break. At such times, Dr. Buchanan may teach some self-soothing exercises.
Just as therapy is not effective if someone is drunk on alcohol, therapy cannot succeed if you are “drunk” with anger, rage, jealousy, scorn, disdain, etc. A major goal is for the couple to talk about important issues in a productive manner and not just vent. This means being able to discuss very emotional issues in a calm, well-regulated manner. Dr. Buchanan will be a coach to both of you, helping each of you stay calm and well-regulated with each other.
Dr. Buchanan is well trained is several appraoches to martial and couple therapy including the Gottman method.
William L. is also listed in Best Marriage Therapists in Alpharetta
Education:
William L. Buchanan received a bachelor’s degree from the Emory University and completed their PhD from the Georgia State University.Licensing & Certifications:
- Licensed
- License State: Georgia
- License Number: 1251, received 1988
- AAMFT Clinical Fellow & Approved Supervisor, Board Certified in Clinical Psychology (ABPP)
Specialities:
- ADHD
- Adoption
- Anger Management
- Anxiety
- Behavioral Issues
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Codependency Relationships
- Depression
- Developmental Disorders
- Divorce
- Family Conflict
- Learning Disabilities
- Marital and Premarital
Types of Therapy:
- Behavioral Therapy
- Borderline Personality Disorder Therapy
- Christian Counseling
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- Family Therapy
- Imago Relationship Therapy
- Interpersonal Psychotherapy
- Marriage And Family Therapy
- Neuropsychology
Services Provided Via:
- In person
- Internet meeting
Works With:
- Individual
- Couples
- Family
Working With Marriages for:
- 35 Year(s)
Free Phone Consultations?
- Yes
Hourly Fees Range:
- $250+
Language(s) Spoken:
- English
