Services offered & Populations Served
Gottman Couples Therapy
Whether you’re struggling to connect with your partner, feeling stuck in recurring arguments, or simply wanting to strengthen an already solid relationship, Gottman Method Couples Therapy offers a structured, research-based path forward.
Founded on over four decades of research by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, this approach is grounded in what makes relationships succeed—or fail. It’s not about assigning blame or dissecting your childhoods (though those things may come up). It’s about learning the skills and tools you need to build a relationship that thrives.
So, what can you expect if you start Gottman Couples Therapy?
1. An In-Depth Assessment Phase
The process starts with a comprehensive look at your relationship:
- Joint Session: You'll meet with your therapist together to share what brings you to therapy and your goals.
- Individual Sessions: Each partner gets a private session to share personal history and perspective.
- Online Relationship Checkup: You'll complete a Gottman-designed questionnaire assessing areas like friendship, intimacy, conflict, trust, and shared meaning.
This phase isn’t just about gathering data—it sets the foundation for a truly personalized therapy plan.
2. A Research-Based Roadmap
After the assessment, your therapist will provide feedback and recommend a plan. Sessions are then tailored to your specific needs, using interventions from the Gottmans’ Sound Relationship House Theory—a model built on the building blocks of healthy relationships.
You’ll work on skills like:
- Managing conflict effectively (not avoiding it!)
- Enhancing fondness and admiration
- Turning toward each other instead of away
- Building shared meaning and life dreams
3. Tools You Can Actually Use
Gottman therapy is hands-on and practical. You’ll learn and practice concrete tools—like how to soften startup in conflict, how to repair in the middle of a fight, and how to listen to understand rather than respond.
Many couples appreciate the structured nature of sessions. You’ll walk away from most meetings with something to try, reflect on, or talk about at home.
4. It’s Not About Being “Perfect”
Every couple has conflict—what matters is how you handle it. Gottman therapy isn’t about eliminating all disagreements or creating a fairy-tale dynamic. It’s about helping you understand each other better and turn toward each other with empathy even when things are hard.
5. Real Change Takes Time
Many couples start to notice small but meaningful shifts after just a few sessions—like reduced tension or feeling more seen by their partner. But deep, lasting change takes time and consistent effort. Your therapist will guide you at a pace that supports growth without overwhelming either partner.
Gottman Couples Therapy offers a hopeful, structured, and compassionate space for couples of all kinds to reconnect, rebuild, and thrive. Whether you’re in crisis or simply want to enrich your connection, it’s never too early—or too late—to invest in your relationship.
Ethical Non-Monogamy & Polyamory
Relationships can be complicated — and when you’re practicing ethical non-monogamy, polyamory, swinging, or navigating an open relationship, those complexities can feel even more intense. I understand these challenges not just as a therapist, but from personal experience navigating these dynamics in my own life. I know how rewarding these relationships can be, as well as how difficult it can feel to communicate, set boundaries, and manage emotions like new relationship energy, compersion, jealousy, and insecurity.
That’s why I’m passionate about creating a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore your relationships openly and honestly. Alongside my personal experience, I’ve completed extensive education and training to better support people in non-monogamous and alternative relationship structures. Whether you’re opening your relationship for the first time, working through communication struggles, creating new relationship agreements, or simply trying to feel more connected to your partners, I’m here to help you find a path forward that works for the unique needs of you and your partners. You deserve relationships that feel secure, fulfilling, and aligned with who you are!
Kink, BDSM, and Power-Exchange Dynamics
Relational therapy that embraces Kink, BDSM, and Power-Exchange dynamics provides a space where clients can explore the full depth of their relational and erotic selves without judgment. These dynamics are not signs of dysfunction or trauma, as they’ve often been mischaracterized in traditional therapy models. Instead, they can be deeply intentional, intimate, and empowering ways of relating that are grounded in consent, self-awareness, and mutual respect.
In this work, we explore the unique ways power, trust, and vulnerability are negotiated in relationships—both within and beyond the structure of scenes or protocols. Therapy becomes a place to unpack meaning, enhance communication, and co-create agreements that align with each partner’s needs, desires, and boundaries. Whether clients are navigating a 24/7 power exchange, exploring sensation play, or working through relational ruptures, the therapeutic space can support them in doing so with care and clarity.
Relational therapy can also help deconstruct shame that’s often internalized from societal stigma, offering clients a more empowered narrative around their identities and practices.