Specialized Therapy for
Women and Couples
I help women and couples who feel lonely and disconnected reconnect with themselves and with each other
I don’t approach couples therapy as a set of communication tricks.
I use evidence-based methods, including the Gottman Method, while naming the cultural and relational patterns that shape modern relationships.
Together, we make sense of what’s been shaping your relationship and move toward deeper, more honest connection.
Who I Work With
Women One-on-One
If you’re anything like the women I work with, you’re thoughtful, capable, and reliable. You’ve built a life that looks perfect from the outside, but inside you feel lonely, unseen, and disconnected. Sometimes it’s from your partner, family, or friends, and sometimes it’s from yourself.
You’re the anchor for everyone around you. You remember, you carry so much, you care deeply. Yet lately, you feel empty, anxious, and stretched so thin it’s hard to remember who you are anymore.
You’re in a relationship that feels uncertain. The partnership feels one-sided and the love you worked so hard to sustain now hurts more than it comforts you. Maybe you’re healing from betrayal, redefining boundaries, or trying to find the courage to leave something that no longer fits the woman you are becoming.
You’ve done everything right. You’ve held it all together. But lately, the very strengths that once carried you (composure, empathy, self-sufficiency) feel like they’re pulling you away from your own needs, your partner, and even your closest relationships.
Couples
You might still love each other even if that love feels complicated. Or maybe that love has faded, and you’re here because you’re not sure what’s next.
You know your love doesn’t feel the way it used to. Conversations that once flowed now turn into arguments or silence. You pass each other in the kitchen and feel the weight of everything that’s gone unsaid.
You’ve tried to fix it. You’ve had the long talks, read the books, and made endless promises to do better. Yet somehow you end up right back in the same place of being hurt, guarded, and unsure how to speak to each other without it turning into an argument.
Maybe there’s been broken trust, years of drifting apart, or the exhaustion of keeping the peace for everyone while feeling alone in the relationship. You wonder if it’s even possible for things to feel easy again, or if you’ve simply grown too far apart.
This is the space where you stop feeling like opponents and start finding your way back to each other, or, with care, bring the relationship to a thoughtful close.
Hi! I’m Cara, therapist and founder of Novara Intimacy
Many women and couples come to my therapy room appearing capable and functional on the outside while feeling exhausted, unseen, and lonely on the inside.
In therapy, we explore how family history, cultural expectations, and the pace of modern life shape how clients relate to themselves and to one another.
I believe many relationship struggles are not the result of personal failure, but of ongoing stress, misalignment, emotional labor, and power imbalances that are often unspoken. Much of my work involves helping people name these dynamics so they can better understand what has been shaping their relationship over time.
Together, we will look at what has been happening, identify the patterns influencing your relationship, and work toward building connection in ways that feel more honest, mutual, and sustainable.
If you want to feel more connected in your life and relationships, I would love to meet you.
Upcoming Experiences
Galentine’s Retreat 2026
This retreat is an invitation to slow down and reconnect with your body, your inner world, and the women around you. It’s a space to come take care of yourself and be cared for by community.
Together, we’ll move, nourish, and reflect in ways that feel grounding, supportive, and restorative.
Where
Vive Yoga., 231 N Main St. Suite 2, Edwardsvile IL
When
February 15, 2026 9:30AM - 12:00 PM
What’s Included
Yoga Session (Vive Yoga)
Nutrition Session (Katie Watts Nutrition)
Mind & Mood Session (Novara Intimacy & Wilson Standard Wellness)
Snack (Source Juicery)
Take Home Lunch (Fit Flavors)
The Things Your Heart Craves,
Made Possible Through Our Work Together
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Intimacy
To feel safe enough to be seen as your full self
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Relationships
That feel steady, reciprocal, and real
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Clarity
About relationships stay, go, or renegotiate
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Boundaries
That you can live with and uphold
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Calm
So your thoughts stop snowballing at 2am
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Parenting
from connection vs reactivity
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Trust
After secrets, betrayals, or boundary violations
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Repair
That holds, not just “sorry/it’s fine”
How Therapy Feels Here
Personal
This is not a large practice. It’s a private, high-value experience designed entirely around you. From our very first conversation, you work directly with me in a space that feels thoughtful, and calm. Every detail of the process is intentional, so you never feel rushed or unseen. By keeping my caseload small and selective, I’m able to offer care that is steady, responsive, and truly transformative.
Convenient
Therapy should feel accessible, not stressful. We can meet in person in downtown Edwardsville or from the comfort of your home anywhere in Illinois through secure telehealth. Online scheduling and digital paperwork make it easy to start and stay connected, so you can focus on what really matters.
Authentic
Therapy here is about genuine connection. Our conversations are real, open, and rooted in trust. You’ll find a space where you can show up fully as yourself and be met with honesty and care.
Research Based
The work we do together is grounded in evidence-based methods and 20 + years of clinical experience. Each session draws on proven approaches tailored to your goals, helping you create meaningful change that lasts far beyond our time together.
My Specialties
Therapy for Women
Couples Counseling
Lets get started
1 Book a call Use my online scheduler to find a time that fits your schedule. If you’re reaching out for couples therapy, either partner or both are welcome to join the call.
2 We’ll chat We'll have a FREE 15-minute chat to see if we're a good fit for each other.
3 Schedule your first session If we're a match, I’ll book your session and send you onboarding info.
Schedule a complimentary 15 minute phone consultation