Kayla Crane is a seasoned licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in relationships, mental health, and trauma. With a focus on relational trauma work, including infidelity, Kayla provides transformative strategies and therapeutic techniques to help individuals and couples achieve emotional well-being. Her practice includes talk therapy, couples therapy, relationship coaching, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. Based in Denver, Kayla offers her services through South Denver Therapy and extends her expertise globally through relationship coaching for clients located outside Colorado.

In this captivating episode of The Chris Vos Show, host Chris Vos dives into the complex world of relationships and emotional well-being with licensed therapist Kayla Crane. With a career dedicated to marriage and family therapy, Kayla unpacks the intricacies of relational trauma, the psychological impact of infidelity, and the crucial role of communication in sustaining healthy relationships.

The discussion highlights the importance of addressing unresolved childhood trauma and generational issues that often resurface in adult relationships. Kayla outlines practical therapeutic interventions for relational trauma, such as systematic affair recovery therapy and relational life therapy, which focus on direct, practical approaches rather than conventional methods. Key topics include recognizing when it’s time for therapy, how to deal with unresolved childhood traumas, and the essential nature of empathy and open communication in mending and strengthening relationships.

Childhood Trauma’s Impact: Unresolved childhood trauma plays a significant role in adult relationships and can manifest as disproportionate reactions during conflicts.

Communication is Key: Open and direct communication, even about uncomfortable topics, is essential for relationship health.

Importance of Therapy: Couples are encouraged to seek therapy not only to solve existing problems but also as a preemptive measure to strengthen their bond.

Generational Trauma: Understanding and addressing generational trauma are vital for breaking unhealthy relationship patterns.

Constructive Conflict Resolution: Establishing conflict resolution agreements and taking timeouts can lead to healthier argument dynamics.

“You can take accountability for contributing to your partner’s pain whether you agree or not. If they’re hurting, they’re hurting.”

“A lot of people think when they’re going to therapy, the relationship is probably over, but sometimes the issues are fixable.”

“If you’re having maybe a disproportionate response, that’s a sign you’re responding to something from your past.”

“Relationships can improve significantly with just a few tools and open communication.”

“Generational trauma shows up all the time, especially where trauma wasn’t worked on as commonly as it is today.”