Gottman Therapy

What is the Gottman Method of Couple’s Therapy?

The Gottman Method of Couple’s Therapy is based on Dr. John Gottman’s research that began in the 1970’s and continues to this day. The research has focused on over 30,000 couples and what makes relationships succeed or fail. The goals of The Gottman Method are to disarm verbal conflict, increase intimacy, respect, and affection; remove barriers that create stagnancy, and improve empathy and understanding within the relationship.

What Type of Problems are Addressed in The Gottman Method?

• Frequent conflicts and arguments
• Poor Communication
• Being on the verge of separation due to emotional distance
• Sexual difficulties
• Infidelity
• Disagreements over topics such as money, parenting, and allocation of the workload
• Many others

What Would Our First Few Sessions Look Like?

The assessment process in the Gottman Method of Couples Therapy is a crucial initial phase that helps therapists gain a comprehensive understanding of the couple's relationship dynamics and identify areas of concern. This assessment process typically involves several components:

• Before Your First Session: You will be provided with a series of questionnaires designed to gather data about how you perceive your relationship. Each person in the couple will complete these questionnaires on their own. These questionnaires assess topics such as communication patterns, conflict resolution, intimacy, and relationship satisfaction.
• First Session: As a couple you will meet with your therapist. You will get to know your therapist, talk about how The Gottman Method is implemented, discuss the concerns that brought you into therapy, and talk about the history of your relationship.
• Second & Third Session: Your therapist will speak with each partner individually. This will help them to gain more insight into each member and will discuss topics such as personal histories, family backgrounds, and other past experiences that may be impacting the relationship.
• Fourth Session: After gathering and examining all the information your therapist will once again sit down with both parties to provide feedback to the couple. This feedback session is an essential part of the assessment process, as it helps the couple understand their relationship dynamics, strengths, and areas of concern. The therapist may use visual aids and summaries to illustrate their findings. After this session you will begin learning new techniques and skills that will help improve your relationship.

How is The Gottman Method Different from Other Methods?

The Gottman Method is scientifically based on studies completed over 20+ years and studying over 30,000 couples.

Traditional therapy methods focus on resolving a problem that a couple is having. The Gottman Method focuses on teaching a client about different tools, skills, and ways of communicating that teach the couple how to resolve their own concerns.

The Gottman Method also supports clients in teaching about perpetual problems, those problems that cannot be solved. These include topics such as fundamental differences in personalities, lifestyle needs, and issues that you have had for a long time that keep coming back up.

What is Therapy Going to Cost Us?

There is a one-time fee, of $250, to access the assessment questionnaires and to cover the time it takes your therapist to review and compile all the assessment data. This data will be reviewed with you during the feedback session. In addition, you will be provided with a written report outlining the strengths and challenges in your relationship. After the one-time fee, regular insurance or self-pay rates will be applied.

What is a Certified Gottman Therapist?

Certified Gottman Therapists (CGT) have gone through a rigorous and comprehensive training program. This includes three levels of training, 8-12 required supervision sessions, enrollment into the CGT Certification Track, and approval of video tapes showing different techniques in action.  Only after all of this criterion is completed is a therapist allowed to call themselves a Certified Gottman Therapist.

Will Our Therapist be a Certified Gottman Therapist?

Our practice owner, Michelle, is on her way to becoming a Certified Gottman Therapist. She has currently completed all three levels of the training modules and will be enrolling in the certification track during the next enrollment period in February. She has already been engaging in supervision with a Certified Gottman Therapist and will continue to do so until her certification is completed.

What Else Should We Know?

Currently, Michelle has only a few openings for therapy clients. She is reserving these for couples who are interested in The Gottman Method. Since she is currently working towards her certification, she will only be accepting clients who are willing to complete the assessment questionnaires and participate in being videotaped. These videotapes will only be used for supervision and certification purposes. The real names of the clients will be kept confidential. All videos will be stored in a locked location and will be destroyed upon completion of therapy and the certification process unless otherwise agreed upon.