Communication can improve. Conflict can feel more manageable. Relationships can become more supportive, collaborative and emotionally connected with the right guidance and structure.

Whether you’re navigating ongoing tension, major life transitions, or simply wanting to strengthen your relationship, relationship counseling can provide a space to better understand each other and move forward together.

Common Reasons Couples Seek Relationship Counseling

Couples often begin counseling when they want support with:

• Communication and recurring disagreements
• Rebuilding trust and emotional connection
• Navigating life transitions or stress
• Parenting and family dynamics
• Premarital preparation
• Feeling more like teammates again
• Creating healthier patterns together

Relationship counseling is not about assigning blame. The goal is to help both partners feel heard, understood, and more connected in the relationship.

A Structured, Research-Based Approach to Couples Therapy: Gottman Method of Relationship Counseling. 

My work with couples is informed by the Gottman Method, an evidence-based approach designed to help partners strengthen communication, improve conflict management, and deepen emotional connection.

Sessions are collaborative, practical, and tailored to the unique dynamics of your relationship.

Together, we focus on:

• Improving communication
• Understanding recurring patterns
• Building emotional awareness
• Strengthening friendship and partnership
• Creating tools for healthier interactions outside of sessions

What to Expect:

For the first few sessions session, we usually meet together and then one solo session each.

In the first few sessions, we'll explore:

• Your relationship history
• Current concerns and goals
• Communication patterns
• Strengths within the relationship
• What each partner hopes to improve

To save time and money, I offer an depth questionnaire that can be filled out at home (the clinician version of the Relationship Checkup).

The following few sessions will focus on communication and conflict strategies and applying them to real life issues that keep coming up in your relationship.

Gottman counseling is different from other kinds of counseling.  I view my role more as a coach, and less as a jury.  I understand that there are two sides to every issue and I do not take a side.  In the sessions, I provide guidance in helping couples use the new tools on real life challenges in the relationship.  My goal is to teach couples to work through things on their own so that they no longer need counseling.

Why me? 

I SPECIALIZE in couples counseling.  Did you know that to be licensed as a "Marriage and Family Therapist" in California, Associates only need 500 of 3000 hours to be direct counseling experience with couples, families or children? That means, that a LMFT might have only had counseling experience with families and children, but NO experience working with couples.  For me, couples work is not just a specialty; it is a focus.  With hundreds of hours of advanced, specialized training, I bring extensive expertise to helping partners navigate complex challenges and rebuild connection.  In addition to Gottman techniques, whenever helpful to a particular couple, I incorporate my knowledge of Attachment, Emotion Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems and Solution Focused Therapy.

If couple is not sure about the future of their relationship and is considering separation, divorce or break-up I can assist with Relationship Discernment Counseling.  This may be a good step before committing to weekly couples counseling.