Couples therapy & marriage counseling in Encino
Hello, I'm Dr. Jené Verchick, a licensed clinical psychologist with over 26 years of experience working with couples in Encino and the San Fernando Valley.
If your marriage has turned into a routine — kids, work, logistics, sleep, repeat — and somewhere along the way you stopped being partners and started being project managers of the same household, that's not just a phase. That's a pattern. And it won't fix itself.
The couples I see from Encino are often people who've been holding things together for a long time. From the outside it looks like everything works. On the inside, one or both of you is running on empty.
How I Work With Couples
I take an active role in session. I don't sit quietly while you talk past each other the way you do at home.
When I see the pattern — one of you shutting down, the other filling the silence, the careful dance around the thing you're both avoiding — I stop it. I name what's happening and help you respond to each other differently, right there in the moment.
Most couples in Encino have tried talking it out on their own. That's not what's missing. What's missing is someone who can interrupt the cycle while it's happening and show you a different way through.
What Brings Encino Couples to Therapy
The Valley has its own version of relationship pressure. Demanding careers, long commutes, kids in every activity, extended family nearby with opinions about everything. The patterns I see most often:
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The same argument on repeat — different topic, same dynamic, no resolution
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Feeling like co-parents but not like partners
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One person carrying the emotional weight of the family while the other checks out
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Extended family enmeshment — in-laws, parents, siblings pulling at the marriage from the outside
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A betrayal or secret that's been buried under daily life
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Wanting to fix things before the kids start noticing the tension
Premarital Counseling
I also work with couples before marriage. In Encino, where family expectations run deep and multigenerational dynamics are common, premarital counseling is about more than communication skills. It's about learning to navigate family loyalty, money, boundaries, and cultural expectations as a united front.
26+ Years of Experience
Over two decades of working with couples has taught me that the hardest thing isn't identifying the problem — it's changing what happens between two people when the problem comes up. That's what active therapy does. It's not about insight. It's about practice.
What Clients Say
"We'd been fighting about the same things for ten years. His mother, my career, who does more around the house. Dr. Verchick didn't pick a side. She showed us that the fight wasn't about any of those things — it was about feeling unseen. Once we got that, everything changed."
"We were the couple that never fought. We just stopped talking. Dr. Verchick helped us understand that silence isn't peace — it's avoidance. Learning to actually say what we feel has been uncomfortable and completely necessary."
"Between two kids, two jobs, and my parents living ten minutes away, our marriage was last on the list every single day. Dr. Verchick helped us stop treating our relationship like something that could wait. It couldn't."
Frequently asked questions about couples therapy in Encino
What approach do you use in couples therapy?
I take an active, direct approach. When I see a pattern happening between you, I name it and help you respond differently in real time. I don't waste time with endless circular conversations. We get to the heart of the issues quickly and work on them directly.
Do you work with couples across the San Fernando Valley?
Yes. I work with couples across the San Fernando Valley and Conejo Valley, including Encino, Tarzana, Sherman Oaks, Calabasas, Westlake Village, Woodland Hills, and Agoura Hills. The video format makes it easy to fit therapy around school pickups, work commutes, and family schedules.
What happens in the first session?
I meet with both of you together. I want to hear what brought you in, what has been happening in the relationship, and what you are hoping to change. I also start working with you right away. You will not leave the first session feeling like all we did was fill out paperwork.
How long does couples therapy with you typically take?
It depends on the couple. Some couples see meaningful shifts within a few sessions. Others work with me for several months, especially when there is a betrayal to repair or years of accumulated resentment to undo. I do not use a fixed program.
Can you start with just one partner?
Yes. I am happy to begin with one partner if the other is not yet ready. Often, when one person starts the work, the dynamic at home begins to shift, and the more reluctant partner becomes curious enough to join.
Do you work with same-sex couples and unmarried couples?
Yes. The work is the same regardless of who is in the relationship or whether you are married. What matters is that you are both committed to engaging honestly.
What is the difference between couples therapy and marriage counseling?
Functionally, nothing. Couples therapy and marriage counseling describe the same work. I use both terms because people search for both, but the therapy itself is identical whether you are married, engaged, or in a long-term relationship.
How is couples therapy via video different from in-person?
For most couples, the work is the same. The therapeutic relationship still develops, the patterns still show up in session, and I can still intervene in real time. The practical differences are no commute, more flexibility for evening or weekend sessions, and complete privacy.