Gottman Method Couples Therapy
A Compassionate, Structured Approach to Strengthening Your Relationship
Relationships don’t fall apart overnight. They erode slowly – through patterns of miscommunication, unresolved hurt, disconnection, or feeling more like roommates than partners. Many couples come to therapy feeling stuck, overwhelmed by conflict, or unsure how to get back to the closeness they once shared.
Gottman Method Couples Therapy offers a clear, research-based path forward. My role is to help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface of your interactions, teach practical tools to support healthier communication, and guide you in rebuilding friendship, intimacy, and emotional connection. Whether you’re looking to repair ongoing conflict, deepen your bond, or gain clarity about your relationship’s future, this structured method helps you move toward the relationship you want to create together.
If you need a grounded, evidence-based approach to relationship counseling, the Gottman Method provides a framework that is both compassionate and effective.
What the Gottman Method Helps You Strengthen
Using the Gottman Method, we focus on:
Deepening friendship and emotional intimacy
Improving communication and conflict management
Learning to dialogue productively about gridlocked (perpetual) issues
Repairing past hurts
Reviving shared dreams and meaning
Appreciating each partner’s strengths and gently navigating vulnerabilities
If you and your partner are committed to working on your relationship, this method provides skills that help you feel more connected, supported, and understood.
Most couples accomplish about six months of progress in 12 - 18 hours of structured sessions, though some relationships may need additional time. If you’re feeling uncertain about the future of your relationship, I also offer relationship discernment counseling.
What to Expect Working Together
My goal is to help you feel supported, understood, and equipped with tools that truly make a difference. Throughout our work:
You will have space for both shared and individual perspectives
You will learn skills to use between sessions
We will regularly check in on your progress and satisfaction
You will always be encouraged to ask questions and share concerns
Your therapy experience is a collaborative process designed to meet your unique needs and goals.
Phases of Gottman Method Couples Therapy
Gottman Method Couples Therapy consists of five parts:
Assessment
Treatment
Out of Therapy
Termination
Outcome Evaluation
Assessment
The first three hours focus on understanding your relationship from multiple angles. You’ll begin with an in-depth at-home questionnaire to save time and cost during sessions. Here is a PDF download with more information about the Gottman Connect Relationship Checkup.
Next, I will meet with each of you individually to learn more about your personal histories and to give you the space to share thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. In the final assessment session, I will provide treatment recommendations and collaborate with you to define clear goals for therapy.
Treatment
Most sessions involve working together as a couple, though individual sessions may be recommended when helpful. You may also receive exercises to practice between sessions.
During treatment, we focus on repairing past hurts, rebuilding friendship, staying positive during conflict, and reconnecting with shared hopes for the future. Therapy length varies based on your needs and goals.
We will check in regularly to evaluate progress, and you are always encouraged to bring up any questions or concerns throughout the process.
Termination
As therapy progresses, we begin phasing sessions out so you can apply your new relationship skills with more independence. While you may end therapy at any time, a final closing session is recommended to summarize progress, identify remaining work, and mark the transition out of treatment.
Outcome Evaluation
Following treatment, the Gottman Method recommends four follow-up sessions at six months, 12 months, 18 months, and two years. These check-ins significantly reduce the chance of returning to unhelpful patterns and offer an opportunity to refine skills if needed.
Ongoing evaluation also helps ensure the therapy you received remains effective and continues to support your long-term relational health.
Gottman Research Background
The Gottman Method is grounded in decades of research and observation involving thousands of couples. Since the 1970s, John and Julie Gottman have identified nine core characteristics that predict relationship success or difficulty. Their findings can predict with 96% accuracy which newlyweds are at higher risk for divorce if no changes are made.
The power of this method lies in its ability to translate research into clear, actionable interventions. These tools can help you strengthen friendship and intimacy, dialogue constructively about ongoing challenges, and build a relationship that feels resilient and connected.
You can also read my blog post explaining the Gottman Method in more depth, or explore current research findings and training opportunities on the Gottman Institute’s website.