Therapy and wellness have become an integral piece to many people’s life puzzle. Couples specifically are finding that seeking out therapy to work through their relationship issues not only helps resolve those problems but makes their bond even stronger. Dr. Rosana Marzullo-Dove is a licensed clinical psychologist who helps a wide population of people work through a multitude of issues. Furthermore, one of her biggest missions through her practice, Tampa Therapy and Wellness, is to save marriages. She’s worked hard to create a safe space where couples can engage with one another and find solid ground in the love they created.
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Dr. Rosana Marzullo-Dove grew up as a loyal listener. Wherever she went people would confide in her because they knew she would truly hear them and hold their hand through anything.
However, Dr. Marzullo-Dove wouldn’t enter the field of psychology and professionally help others navigate life until she decided to spread even more of her love into the world by adopting two children with her husband. As they both were figuring out the intricacies of having a family and running a busy household, they quickly knew they would do anything for their kids. For Dr. Marzullo-Dove, that meant becoming as educated as possible on things like attachment issues and abandonment. She started to learn everything there was about psychology, and soon realized a fulfilling career path was right in front of her.
Over the span of a decade, she engulfed herself in her education, earning multiple degrees and a doctorate. She received her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the American School of Professional Psychology, her Masters in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University, and her Bachelors in Psychology from the University of Mary Washington.
She also had extensive training in Psychotherapy, Couple’s Therapy, Group Therapy, CBT, DBT, EFT, Behavioral Therapy, Experiential Therapy, and Mindfulness.
Now, Dr. Marzullo-Dove helps a wide population of individuals through her practice, Tampa Therapy and Wellness.
“In my career I always wanted to help others. I initially started by training and practicing in Washington D.C., but my family and I made the decision to move to Tampa where I could start my own practice.
Initially I was a solo therapist in my practice, but eventually made the decision to grow into a group practice, which is how Tampa Therapy and Wellness was born.”
“The mission at Tampa Therapy and Wellness has always been the same: Work Together Towards Wellness. For us, we want to alleviate the weights of life that are bringing our patients down and give them a full functioning life in all aspects.”
“In the past we used something known as GAF, Global Assessment of Functioning, for the technical aspects of monitoring how therapy is helping the patient. With GAF the goal was always to get our patients to about 90% of functioning in a wide range of activities, including their mental wellbeing, professional goals, relationships, etc. We still hold that each client should leave their treatment with high expectations of themselves.
So together as a group our mission was always to talk to one another and utilize our expertise as individuals and a group to collaborate to give all our patients the best care and path to happiness.”
At Tampa Therapy and Wellness, they utilize an integrative approach to psychotherapy.
“We are committed to working with you to fully understand your developmental history, past struggles, unique circumstances of your life, and current challenges; while applying effective therapeutic techniques from theories such as Psychodynamics, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, and EFT-Emotional Freedom Technique, Accelerated Resolution Therapy for trauma, and Emotion-Focused Therapy for Couples.
We offer therapy for individuals and couples struggling with anxiety, depression, low motivation, PTSD, relationship issues, trauma, transitional problems, LGBTQIA+ experiences, and more. Through years of experience, we are confident no problem is too great to overcome,” the team writes.
Tampa Therapy and Wellness helps children, teenagers, young adults, adults, couples, and more. As a system, they are confident in their ability to help any and everyone who walks through their door.
“My main message is that I truly love this profession and the work I do. I love seeing individuals find themselves, release their emotional pains, and reach a deeper connection with new communication tools that help them be in the relationship they always dreamt of. I thrive in understanding each individual’s complexity and background and learn how they are arriving into their relationships.”
Something Dr. Marzullo-Dove has also become known for is her work with couples at any stage of their relationship.
“We have a wide range of professionals that have different specialties at Tampa Therapy and Wellness and one of the sectors I specialize in is working with couples. Working with couples fell into my professional wheelhouse almost accidentally. As I was working through various therapy training, working with couples was initially just a small piece of it, but my interest grew almost immediately.
When I was back in Washington D.C., I first learned about individuals who were coping with infertility issues and child loss and how those hurdles caused them to struggle in their relationships later in life. Later, I decided to specialize in what’s known as ‘Reproductive Psychology.’ This covers individuals dealing with infertility issues, going through the adoption process, pregnancy or child loss, postpartum depression, and more. When you’re working with that specific group of people, working with the couple as a whole instead of just the mother, is almost integral.
As I worked with more and more couples, I learned so much about how people struggle with communication, not just in a relationship, but as an individual. As I continued to train, I knew this was a part of the field I wanted to become fully specialized in, and through that training I was taking on new clients and just sort of became the couples therapist I am today.
I think something that also stands out when we’re talking about couples therapy versus individualized therapy is the fact that there’s a lot of therapists out there who don’t talk about the sexual habits and lives of their clients, which can be a key component to healing in many cases. Working with couples coping with infertility and the emotional impact that causes, discussing sex is essential for me as a professional to truly understand what my patients are going through.”
“Working with both individuals and couples in my practice, I’m able to have a greater understanding of the human mind, and that experience gives me all the tools I need to help my patients. When you go to therapy as an individual, you walk in with the things that you specifically want to work on. Oftentimes new patients withhold a lot of information about their past experiences, traumas, and emotional responses, so our process is initially about creating a safe space together, so they feel comfortable to open up and be completely honest and vulnerable to get on a path of healing,” Dr. Marzullo-Dove explained.
“With couples it’s very different. Each partner knows those more vulnerable parts of not only themselves, but their partner. Typically, within the first two sessions I’ll have one of the partners already opening up into those more emotional internal places that could take months for me to get out of the individual, so the processes are different.”
“Being so well-versed in a multitude of therapies is what gives me the skill and knowledge to help these couples open up and work through their specific issues and/or traumas.”
“I see a wide range of couples at various stages in their relationship. Being in Hyde Park – South Tampa, I see a lot of professional couples, such as medical doctors, lawyers, people in finance, athletes, entrepreneurs, and the international and LGBTQ communities. Typically, younger couples come to therapy before marriage to explore each other’s desires and goals and get help navigating their relationship dynamics. Middle-aged to older couples will typically be (re-) married and come in when one of the partners has reached a sort of burnt-out boiling point and feels like their marriage is over, or when they realize they don’t have the (communication, healing) tools to help with their relationship stressors. Couples of all ages are coming to therapy – I’ve even seen couples in their late teens and 80s. But mostly are couples with children, blended families, or empty-nesters. Lately, we have expanded our VIP/CONCIERGE program for exclusive clients demanding a higher level of discretion.”
Dr. Marzullo-Dove truly wants to save marriages and help individuals grow into themselves and into their relationship. She mentioned an article published in Social Psychology Quarterly that introduces a 10-item scale that measures “burnout” within couples, providing mental health experts and the public with a tool that can help couples address feelings of exhaustion and indifference within their relationships.
According to the researchers, burnout refers to feelings of mental, physical and emotional exhaustion that leads to feelings of disengagement and a lowered sense of accomplishment. It is often the result of over-involvement in emotionally demanding responsibilities.
Although burnout is commonly understood as a work-related experience, studies show that burnout can occur within romantic relationships too. The exhaustion we’re used to feeling after a long and stressful day of work can also be felt when we disconnect or detach from our partner. Even more concerning, these two types of burnout can interact with one another in detrimental ways.
“Burnout in relation to couples refers to when a partner feels overwhelmed and like their needs aren’t being met. There’s a disconnect in their communication to the point where sometimes the partner doesn’t know what to do to satisfy their partner’s needs. That’s really what it boils down to, burnout coincides with a lack of proper communication.”
“When you can’t communicate, you’re left in a place of guessing what your partner’s needs are and there’s then a level of expectation that’s created among the two people that they should already know what the other wants, even though neither are being clear. This leads to a high level of frustration, and with therapy, we want to break down that frustration instead of letting it build up to a point where the couple just ends up giving up,” Dr. Marzullo-Dove stated.
About 42%-45% of all first marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. According to divorce rate statistics published by the Institute for Family Studies, about 42% of first marriages in the U.S. end in divorce.
Studies also show that people in couples therapy are nearly unanimous in their belief that it helps strengthen their relationship. Among respondents who are in couples therapy, 99% say it has had a positive impact on their relationship, and three out of four (76%) say it has a high or very high impact. 83% say it is a priority in their relationship.
In fact, most couples who stopped therapy did so because it worked.
“As the therapist, it’s my job to hold onto the hope for the relationship that the couple may feel like they’re losing. I know that I have the skills to treat them, and the ability to give them the tools they need to improve their relationship and work out their issues, so I’ll hold onto the hope that they may feel lost and give it back to them through the therapy itself.”
“The work you do in couples therapy can also be translated into all the relationships in your life. It gives you the tools you need to learn how to properly communicate your feelings, needs, and boundaries and that’s an essential practice that everyone should feel strong in.
All couples and all individuals grow apart in one way or another. As you grow older with another person, it’s your responsibility to catch the things that are causing a wedge in the relationship and work through them. However, sometimes these things grow slowly without notice, which is why therapy is such an integral tool. Let us help you see where the communication is lacking and find the roots of the problem to then work through them.
It can feel vulnerable to put your relationship in the hands of another person, but our goal is always to help the couple see that there is always room for improvement and success in their relationship as long as they’re willing to work for it. It’s not about blaming one person or pointing out a flaw in either of the individuals like many people believe, it’s about collaboration and communication.
There is always hope and I’ll be the one to hold onto it until they can see it again,” Dr. Marzullo-Dove concluded.
One of the latest endeavors for Dr. Rosana Marzullo-Dove is expanding her Concierge Therapy work – Through high demand, she will this year open a new day dedicated exclusively to VIP clients in South Tampa who prefer doing therapy in a more discreet location, being their home or office.
To learn more about the amazing and life-changing work Dr. Rosana Marzullo-Dove does, along with her team, check out the Tampa Therapy and Wellness website by clicking here!
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
