Marriage Counselor Reviews

Read the experience of 250+ couples offering marriage counseling reviews of their experiences with an intensive couples therapy retreat. They spent the time, invested their resources, and got practical, tangible change. Each couples therapy review describes how they became friends and lovers once again.

REAL CLIENTS.  REAL RELATIONSHIP CHANGE.  

Before we called Couples Therapy, our relationship had become strained. We would bicker over the littlest things and often ignore the big issues completely. Every conversation threatened to turn into a confrontation. We were hoping to improve our communication with each other and rekindle our marriage. Our biggest worry was that it wouldn't work, or worse yet it might send us even further down a dark spiral. After our three day intensive session with Dr. K., it was like we had a new marriage. A huge weight had been lifted off our shoulders. We were happy to spend time with one another again. And we couldn't keep our hands off of each other!   We had tried couples therapy before, but without success. Kathy McMahon had a great way of talking to one of us in a w ay that we could both hear. Even though she was giving us some pretty harsh feedback at times, it always felt like she had our best interests at heart.

The worst thing, by far, was the drive to Cummington. (Dr. K is now in Boston!)

I would enthusiastically recommend Couples Therapy to anyone who is going through a rough patch in their relationship or is just looking for a tuneup. We felt close to each other again. Although we still have a long way to go, we learned to communicate better.

We both left recommitted to our relationship like never before. Thank you, Dr. K. We hope to check back in again with you soon.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

I want to thank Couples Therapy Incand Dr. De Villiers for such an amazing experience. I felt like years of progress were made in such a small space of time. In my life, it will always be remembered as a positive experience no matter where my marriage ends up.     

Dr. Evelyn De Villiers

What hesitation did you have about starting couples therapy with us?

Not knowing what to expect and discussing openly topics which are private.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples therapy Inc.?

Open conversation, closer physically, and developing trust.

Marissa Mundey, she seemed to understand us and our situation and adjust to it. I enjoyed her guidance and understanding.

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

We were disconnected and felt isolated. We've both done individual therapy. I attended his as a collateral at times, but it didn't help.

I'm an LMFT [Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist] and my husband is a psychologist PhD as well. I know that Gottman has the most developed and research driven approach to marriage anywhere. We couldn't afford the Gottmans themselves otherwise we would have done that.

We are both therapists, so we were concerned about the skill level of Dr. Wolfe before beginning.

Dr. Scott Wolfe was respectful and responsive to the fact that we are also therapists and know a lot about therapy but were struggling in our own marriage. He did a great job of letting us drive the priorities and direction of our sessions. I would definitely recommend Dr. Wolfe, especially for couples who are both motivated to be there.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples therapy Inc.?

  1. Allowed us neutral ground and a framework to process what has occurred in the past three years even though we technically know how to do it. We just needed the help.
  2. Understanding what my partner's experience has been.
  3. Ability to express what has happened for me.
  4. Skills to use in our own practices!

I'm really glad we did the intensive. I like feeling that my spouse is the person I'm most connected to. I haven't felt that way for at least two years.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

It definitely works if you come prepared to do the work.

Online Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

After an affair, there were many things that were not addressed, unanswered and caused lots of issues of distrust and anger. Calling Couples Therapy Inc. was a final effort to make it work.

Angela was amazing, she asked all the questions that I was wanting to ask but did not know how. She watched us argue and gave us feedback on how to communicate and repair. 

We now have a new outlook on our lives and marriage. We have been given a platform where we can talk openly and frequently on many levels, daily stressors, state of the union and date nights. We are implementing them and feel that we are able to be an even better couple than ever. 

I have already recommended Couples therapy and will continue to be your biggest referral to anyone that I know can benefit from it. It was a lifesaver, that should speak for itself. 

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was strained with the weight of resentment towards each other and we were each considering that relief would come in the form of divorce. The core issue was that I felt I wasn't heard or understood and as a result wasn't motivated to be intimate with my husband, which was his chief complaint.

We tried couples therapy with a psychotherapist and it was unsuccessful.

The idea that an intense retreat, in which we could delve deep into our issues with guidance from an experienced therapist (in both couples and sex therapy), could provide us with the desperate relief our relationship needed? I just wasn't sure how effective it would be and whether it would help resolve our issues.

I liked how the administration and coordination of the therapy was handled. It was very organized, professional, and communication via email kept us informed from beginning to end. We were particularly impressed with Daniel. It was really our phone conversation with him that diminished our doubts about whether to move forward with the therapy because he was knowledgeable, articulate, and friendly. He made us feel comfortable.

Angela Voegele was an excellent therapist. She was a good listener, showed empathy and support for each of us as individuals and as a couple (meaning she didn't favor one person over the other, but instead validated each of our feelings and helped the other to understand them), and she has a wonderful demeanor, which strikes a great balance between being warm and open, but also firm and direct when necessary.

Angela's approach is effective, and the therapy can be life-changing if one is receptive to it and puts in the work. I was hoping for some sort of a transformative experience and I got that.

Couples Therapy Inc. provided us with a cleansing of our issues. Although the work was draining, in the end, we were rewarded. I felt heard, understood, and emotionally healed afterward. It was as if a re-start button was pushed and we could begin again as a couple. Our hope was renewed.

It planted several seeds in me that I can now reference in my mind to help me have a new perspective on a recurring situation, and create a shift not only in the dynamic between my husband and me but in the relationship I have with myself.

It provided relief from the heavy weight of anger, hurt, and resentment my husband and I were carrying; we felt lighter afterward.

It gave us hope that we could succeed as a couple.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

The therapy is hard work and pricey, but it's absolutely worth your time and money. Like anything in life that's of high quality and true great value, it comes at a cost.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our hesitation about starting couples therapy with Couples Therapy Inc. was primarily the cost. And that we would invest all the time and money in the therapy and it wouldn’t “work”.

I feel like our work with Couples Therapy Inc. turned us around. I think we have understanding, tools, etc we didn’t have before. I think we can move forward positively.

Dr. Gorman was very professional. That was good.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

The scientific and intensive approach to therapy made us chose this program. Therapy in general made me nervous. Just the fear of the unknown. 

Nancy was extremely prepared and very open, warm, and understanding. She made us feel like what we were going through wasn’t out of the ordinary and could be fixed if we put the work in. She is amazing at her job.

I couldn’t have asked for a better therapist. Nancy really cares and is so focused on helping. Therapy is scary at first because you never know what will come out or the outcome. She made us feel very safe and she really really helped us.

The intensive weekend allowed us to focus on our relationship without the kids. Therapy was a safe place where we got to understand how our past traumas have affected our relationship.  Better communication tools which allow us to become closer and resolve conflicts.

We have been able to start over in our relationship and we have a better understanding of our issues.

It is worth every penny.

Dr. Nancy Garcia-Ruffin

We had a great experience! Tim Donovan was very prepared through using the The BIG BIG Book so we could hit the ground running on day one.  

Couples Retreat - Timothy Donovan

We were looking to improve on conflict resolution and to improve our communication skills on subjects where there is disagreement.

Marisa was very professional, very approachable and disarming. We immediately felt at ease and comfortable talking to her. I really can't think of a criticism of her.

What changes resulted in your marriage from the work you did?

It was a powerful weekend - that we both enjoyed. We both came away with a fresh perspective on each other. We have a deeper understanding of why each of us reacts the way we do on certain issues. I believe we will have a stronger relationship due to the weekend and be better at resolving conflicts without anger. We were very pleased.

We left with: 1) better perspective on each other's positions and why we are like we are on certain topics 2) better communication techniques on areas of disagreement. 3) we learned how damaging anger can be and how to avoid it.

For us - it was exactly what we needed. it was an intense, weekend, but very very helpful. I thought the time allowed was great - the one on one sessions were very good and beneficial. Marisa was really good - we identified with her. She is very affirming, warm and sincere. the whole weekend exceeded our expectations.

Absolutely would recommend.

 

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

We needed the help and were hesitant to face the unknown and bring up the past which has been long forgotten.

We appreciate Dr Wolfe’s help and professionalism.

This was intense but rewarding. We have more open communication, transparency, and trust.

Online Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

[From a recent client to Dr. Wolfe]

I just wanted to say thank you again for a really good weekend. For the first time in many years, I feel like we are headed in a good direction. I feel more at peace and I believe my partner does too. We have had a few good days since we left and feel grateful for your guidance.

Las Vegas, Nevada Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

We had intimacy problems - No Connection. Angela detected the problem very early on and worked on overcoming this problem. She has given us tools to succeed, and I would say we are almost > than 50% there. I and my wife feel very relieved. Angela was encouraging, empathetic. It solved the problem for us.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc?

1. The wall created by my wife between us is down or will come down, as long as I continue following the advice.
2. We are both relieved
3. We are looking forward enthusiastically for a happily ever after life

 

Thank U Folks For Helping Me, My Wife & My Family

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was distant, with no connection. We wanted to reconnect and move on from anger.

Jenny was amazing at seeing what we were trying to say and where our pain came from. We really enjoyed going each day, we looked forward to her input.

Now, we are closer, we have a connection and can see past our previous anger. Jenny Fang saved our marriage, I did not see any option except divorce and now I see our future again.

 What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

I would highly suggest it!! You have nothing to lose.

Orange County California Couples Retreat - Jenny Fang

Our relationship was not supportive and unstable, we had poor communication with each other, conflicted interests.

Reading about Gottman made me believe it could help us. We wanted experts in Discernment therapy.

Tim was truly amazing and thoughtful. He led us to make our own decision to work on our marriage and found a way to balance his direct approach...which we really needed with autonomy in making these decisions. Extremely effective at getting us to face our conflict head-on in a safe space for us to talk through. We were able for the first time to feel good after having very stressful conversations. I can't thank him enough for this.

We learned a better way to communicate, how to start having conversations and active listening. I am able to understand my husband's fears and drivers.

It was very accommodating for internationals and very effective in one intensive session. We accomplished more in one session than we did for the last 2 years.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Go for it, it would be the best investment for your marriage and family.

Online Couples Retreat - Timothy Donovan

I'd describe our relationship as "stuck" in a cycle of criticism and judgment.

Past therapy was not useful at all. Past attempts were not successful, and I wasn't sure this would be different.

We chose Couples Therapy Inc for the scientific research behind the process.

Marisa Mundey had a very endearing personality. Non-judgmental. Made us feel like she understood us both, yet could challenge us where we needed to be confronted. It was like a pressure relief valve was opened and we were reminding of the good we shared. It was a reminder of the good that attracted us to each other in the beginning. It allowed us the space to get "un-stuck" from our cycle of conflict. The Big Book Assessment saved weeks of time for our therapist to get to know us and our issues in a much better way.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Do it.

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

Our relationship was pretty good but with hidden issues that we must resolve. We fight and cannot deescalate.

We had tried couples therapy before. It was too late for my marriage. Couples therapy can be the most effective when the relationship is still decent.

My psychoanalyst recommended Couples Therapy Inc.

The biggest challenge was finding the right therapist. The operations team was not effective in helping us to close the deal. The consultation call with the OPS team was unhelpful. There was also no follow-up after our initial meeting. Thus, we navigated by ourselves and went outside of CTI. Luckily, we found Angela.

Angela is quick to get the situation and knows the solutions. Angela is very effective in driving toward a resolution. Angela is direct and yet soft. Angela holds each of us accountable for what she sees. It was illuminating.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc.?  

Individual growth, the relationship is pushed forward one way or another, and unspoken topics are now out in the open.

From our Director, Jessica Hufnagle: I want to extend additional gratitude to this reviewer who took extra time to connect with me personally so that we could tighten up our follow-up procedures. I am confident that future clients will not feel that they are left alone to navigate their choices.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Marisa Mundey was well-prepared, well-spoken and compassionate. She did absolutely NOTHING wrong. We are feeling hopeful and moving forward.

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

Our relationship was stressful. I was skeptical given how many issues we had to work on.

We have more patience, less resentment

Diane Foy’s one on one intensive help was extremely helpful, like 6 months of work in one weekend. We learned new communication skills, reparative language, and how to fix negative sentiment override. [We are] taking time outs, using reflective listening, and [we learned about] past triggers

For couples that are considering Couples Therapy Inc… Be open to trying new things.

Minneapolis, Minnisota - Diane Foy

I had just found out my husband wanted to leave…I was trying to save our marriage.

Our marriage retreat turned into divorce planning. He is/was unwilling to work to reconcile the marriage. I found out he was having an affair. He was finally honest with me; I didn't know there was a problem until he told me he was leaving. At that point, he was unwilling to work on our relationship.

Angela was easy to talk with and she made me feel comfortable. She was supportive and able to change her focus once it was clear that my husband had no intention of reconciliation.

I gained better communication skills once I found out the truth.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, because I like the Gottman method, it was easy to coordinate, insightful, very responsive and affordable.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Havi was beyond my expectations. She put together my life into an understanding in which 2 decades worth of therapy was unable to do. It allowed me to recognize the reason for my behavior and the change needed. Together, with the extensive kindness, compassion and support we had an incredible couples intensive which put us on the track for success!

Havi Kligfeld

We needed to determine the possibility of bringing intimacy back into our relationship after suffering from a significant relationship sever.

We have been in couples therapy before. At that time we were trying to determine if we could stay together as we had suffered and were repairing deep trauma individually and together. Most of the work centered around putting ourselves back together individually and learning how to relate to each other without triggering each other. However, we did not get to the point where we worked on developing intimacy.

Even though we have been married for a long time, we never developed the tools to be truly intimate together and to learn how to meet each other where we are at at any given point in time. After we had a sever in our relationship, that capability diminished all together.

We came to Couples Therapy Inc. to learn how to be intimate given our individual and collective backgrounds. We never had anyone explain how to work together to overcome severe historical and recent traumas. Most of our couples therapists worked on ways in which we should engage verbally but until we came upon Dr. McMahon (Dr. K) we did not find anyone willing to teach us intimacy.

I was nervous about dredging up past traumas but that anxiety was quickly diminished.

We are now able to ask for what we need and to experience different levels of intimacy including emotional, psychological, and physical. We can openly discuss our needs in the moment and not be so fixated on stereotypical definitions of intimacy - we get to define it for ourselves in whatever way makes sense. We have hope for the first time in quite a few years to continue to work towards each other and benefit from the value a close couple's relationship brings improving our quality of life. We often dismiss intimacy as unimportant but it really is the key to relationship satisfaction with a positive impact on the quality of other relationships in our lives. 

Dr. McMahon is extremely knowledgeable about brain science, trauma, and intimacy and its impact on adults. She used incredible techniques to help us feel completely comfortable talking about details of intimacy that are frankly difficult under any circumstances. She helped each of us realize our areas of vulnerability and sensitivity and provided clear tools to help us overcome significant rifts in our relationships. She also connected our current behavior with our past experiences and provided tools to ease us back to each other. We felt so empowered and capable after just a weekend of therapy.

I would absolutely recommend Couples Therapy Inc because it is completely structured for the participants and is designed to help the individuals and the relationship uniquely flourish. Dr. McMahon really did her homework and through the BIG BIG Book knew us and understood how to manage the sessions to optimize the benefit to us.

It was a truly amazing experience that I never received in all of my therapy previously.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc.?  

  1. Define for ourselves intimacy.
  2. Open to receiving love in many different ways.
  3. Ability to bring deeper meaning in our relationship after years of being severed.

It is completely worth the time and effort to participate in Couples Therapy Inc as it will change your life in the most positive way.

THANK YOU for taking the time to spend with us, to care about our outcome, and to share your expertise to help us drive meaningful interactions. Dr. McMahon's expertise is incredible.

Boston - Dr. K

I felt angry and lonely and disconnected.  Communication was a major issue. I didn't feel heard or even listened to and my emotional needs were not feeling validated or met. But I was concerned that perhaps I was being unreasonable in my desires and needs.

I had suggested another couples therapy, but because I am a social worker/therapist there was no one locally that I felt could really help us on a level that would be deep enough.

We chose CTI for Gottman and EFT certified, intensives, and level of expertise and experience.

Dr. K was the best therapist I have ever met.  Sense of humor, communication direct, respectful and compassionate. 

Expertise; I felt heard, safe and comfortable with her. I am not certain where we would be without her help.  Although my heart is still aching and I feel overwhelmed with the amount of work that needs to be done I am grateful to understand how being a neuro-diverse couple has impacted our lives.  There is hope for healing, compassion and understanding on both our parts. Dr. K, as I said is the best most professional therapist I have ever encountered. 

Finding out that my husband is neuro-atypical has change almost everything.  Although I am feeling overwhelmed the last 36 years make much more sense.  I feel more compassion but I also feel so tired of having yet another "thing" that I have to understand.

We have a formula to learn how to communicate better, validation that there was indeed a reason why I was feeling the way I have and why I have felt so hurt over the many years we have been together.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

It was an exhausting weekend that brought with it a new understanding of each other as individuals within our marriage. Months worth of therapy in a weekend that we would never have gotten going once a week in standard Marriage Therapy.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

Our marriage was fractured. Trust had been violated in a big way and I was reeling from my husband’s infidelity.

We had 2 sessions of couples therapy in the past but my husband was not fond of the therapist so we stopped going.

We liked the format of CTI but I was certain I would not be able to get over what my husband has done.

Marisa Mundey was incredibly good at demonstrating empathy, and creating space for both my husband and I to share our thoughts. You can also tell that she did her homework. While we never discussed the big book in detail, there was definitely conversation that made it clear she was thorough in her review of it. I appreciated that.

I felt heard and understood for the first time in a long time. I felt validated in my concerns, and I felt like I got a chance to say what I wanted. And now I can start to heal. We know how to better communicate and ensure the other person is heard.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

I would tell them to trust the process... that it is possible to have the marriage you want and deserve. And I would tell them that CTI can help you get there.

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

We were in a rocky situation as there was a recently discovered infidelity. We had begun the groundwork on our own of going through a therapy workbook geared toward infidelity recovery and had started having discussions of our own prior to our weekend. 

We hadn’t done therapy prior to this experience. It was recommended to us by the therapy coordinator through my husband’s work that we find a therapist who is certified in the Gottman method. That helped us narrow down our search.

It was both brutal and healing to participate in the weekend. We dove headfirst into very tough conversations that were difficult to have. However, Debbie Woodall Carroll guided the conversations very gently and helped us feel safe in having them. We have learned to address issues head on as they arise rather than waiting and hoping they get better.

Although the conversations we had were very difficult, they were vital in getting us on a path to healing.

If you are committed to making your relationship work, it is 1000% worth the tough days ahead. It will feel like you take one step forward and two steps back for a little while, but it’s all part of the process. Each step forward is a huge milestone on your path to success.

Ohio - Debbie Woodall-Carroll

[Previous couples therapy was] not good. It was someone trying to do couples therapy that  wasn’t qualified. Made things worse for us.           

[We chose Couples Therapy Inc for the] Gottman method and the feeling that nothing was working and we would be divorcing if we couldn’t find solutions.

Dr. Evelyn De Villiers was so good for us. I could not imagine a better person to counsel us. We have hope for our relationship. Skills to handle conflict. [Learned] how to take a time out for 20 minutes when things escalate. [We have a] better understanding of how we got here and how to turn the boat around. [We are] moving away from negative sentiment, making deposits, listening and using soft starts to conversations.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Do it. There are never guarantees when it comes to people adopting relationship positive behaviors but two people who want a good relationship will benefit immensely from the tools, learning and understanding of how to resolve your unique issues. It’s wonderful to have your own therapist where you can talk about anything and focus on you two versus being in a group.

Thank you, Dr Evelyn!!

Dr. Evelyn De Villiers

We were getting a divorce.  We were verbally separated and she had been seeing other people and had been intimate.

Previous couples therapy was very unsuccessful.

We went with Couples Therapy Inc. for the intensive option utilizing the Gottman method and the assessment before hand.  It was the assessment that saved our marriage.  The counseling helped us define the plan and clear our path forward.

Angela Voegele was easy to talk to. Not taking sides. Compassionate. Very comfortable to work with Angela. We uncovered a lot.

Absolutely.  I'm a data person.  Seeing the results of our assessment and her interpretation, made all the difference to both of us.  Seeing how compatible we actually were and where we need to focus to move forward was very powerful for both of us.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples therapy Inc.?

Saved my marriage, saved my marriage, saved my marriage

We are on a road to real recovery and happiness.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

If you haven't tried the intensive then you haven't tried everything.  It was a painful but necessary step to move forward.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

I spent most of my marriage not knowing it could be as rich as this last month as been. I felt the "switch," over this last month, and it's felt like living in sunshine instead of shadows. My husband and I haven't had a fight in months, even while navigating normally very tense waters including dealing with our families, and even buying a house! They've turned into discussions....

Dr. K, I'm not kidding, it's been the sweetest month I've ever had in our marriage. I know that we'll hit plenty of bumps ahead, but for the first time in a long time, it feels like my teammate, my partner, has shown up.

So this email is simply to say "thank you." Thank you for giving us the tools, and the hope that things would change if we wanted them to. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for giving me my husband back, and for listening when we were at our rock bottom."

The Berkshires of Western MA Couples Retreat - Dr. K

We needed to work on trust and intimacy. We were concerned, however, that an Intensive would be too much. Instead, the intensive allowed for a deeper dive, instant practice on repairing with each other, and a chance to start the earnest repair sooner than we would have. It was easy to organize and a good investment in their relationship.

We learned techniques for improving our connection.

Angela was fine.  She was very good at getting to the root of our problems.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

We had a pretty solid foundation to our relationship. We experienced an infidelity in our marriage, which shook our marriage to the core. The purpose of our therapy was to process the infidelity and create a plan to move forward.

The therapy coordinator through my husband’s employer suggested that we seek a therapist who uses the Gottman Method.

What hesitation did you have about starting couples therapy with us?   

Nothing with starting through your practice, but more with starting in general. It was tough to talk through the difficult questions and we were nervous to being up such tough topics, but knew it was necessary.

It was brutal, but worth sticking through. We had put in some work on our own through the use of a couple’s workbook prior to therapy. Debbie guided us through some of the same questions we had discussed, but purposefully dug deeper and led us to a better understanding of the root causes of what led us to the infidelity. We appreciated that she balanced the excruciating conversations with more lighthearted activities. It encouraged us that we now know we can engage in difficult conversations at home and pull ourselves out of the pain of that topic with a more “light” topic.

We feel it helped us come to a better understanding of why things happened and what we can do to prevent it from recurring in the future. 

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc.?  

Better communication techniques between us, weekly “state of the union” meetings to check in on one another, clarity of how we ended up where we were. 

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

You can’t get through the tough stuff without the tough conversations. It will be hard, but it will be worth it.

Ohio - Debbie Woodall-Carroll

Loved the "safe space" and active listening to help guide us on the path to a better understanding [with Dr. Wolfe]. Never thought in a million years things could turn around so much in one weekend! Forever grateful for the tools we learned and plan to keep it up. 

Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

Thank you so much for all that you offered us, Marisa. This has been such a great experience!!! I have implemented your ideas and it has been a blessing to us and fun too. I realized how much I had a guard up and how it was effecting both of us.

Thanks again, you are an angel!

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

How would you describe your relationship before you contacted Couples Therapy Inc.?

Terrible. An affair and bad communication.

Had you considered or tried couples therapy before?  If so, how successful or unsuccessful was it?

Yes. It made things worse.

What made you choose Couples Therapy Inc.?

I like that it was intensive and the Big Big Book.

What hesitation did you have about starting couples therapy with us?

Whether my husband was really open to change.

What changes resulted in your marriage/relationship resulted from your work with Couples Therapy Inc.?

We learned a better way to communicate.

What specific qualities did you like most and least about working with this therapist?

I felt Angela could see and understand me. She did a great job working with my husband who has a very strong personality.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes. She did a great job at teaching us the new community pieces our marriage must have to continue.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples therapy Inc.?

I felt heard. We worked on resolving the issues around the affair and learned the tools we need to have better communication.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

This program truly covers your whole marriage and if you are both honest and open it can help y’all work out the big and small issues in you marriage.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was good in many areas but one glaring problem in the conflict arena that needed work if the relationship was going to continue.

This was the first time in couples therapy for both of us!      

We found CTI via the internet; had a great conversation with Daniel and he guided us to someone (Dr. Mike McNulty) who was a great fit based on the information we provided. We had no hesitation other than fear that it wasn't going to have any effect 

Conflict management (contempt, flooding, etc.) stemming from triggers related to past trauma was our key issue. I think we both came to a deeper understanding of why we react the way we do and developed some plans for how we'll respond in the future. So far, we've not had any instances of conflict, and the one persistent problem we used as an example during the retreat we've already started discussing how to resolve in a way that is more productive and understanding on both sides.

I also have observed that one of the things that triggered my partner in the past no longer seems to maybe because we had a chance to talk that situation out with Dr. McNulty's help.

We also made a commitment to more fun which has already resulted in several "mini-date nights" even though we committed to only a monthly date night starting later in August.    

There were so many skills from Dr. McNulty!

  1. His ability to actively listen and then several hours later in an entirely different conversation incorporate his understanding of what you'd said (which was always deeper than what I, personally, had expressed) into the current discussion.
  2. His nonjudgmental way of explaining how past trauma affects current relationships/functioning and soft guidance wrt additional work that could be done in that area.
  3. His positive reinforcement with everything that is really working well with/between us (related to that, the feedback session, in general, was great)!
  4. His method of facilitating conversations by taking on the role of one of us to communicate what we were trying to say (even if we didn't know it until he said it) more effectively.          

We would recommend Couples Therapy Inc. without a doubt. In terms of the process, I really appreciated how we were systematically reminded of what was working well between us and how important those things are; and then also how the time was customized to work on our one real issue, again in a way that was systematic. In terms of Mike, he was spot on perfect for us in terms of his expertise in past trauma and his way of communicating its effects on current relationships.

We have a…

  1. A deeper understanding of my own and my partner's attachment issues and how they affect our relationship
  2. An even deeper respect for my partner who committed to the weekend not ever having done any therapy in the past and not knowing what was going to be involved and was completely open and present during the entire weekend
  3. Related to both #1 and 2, a real commitment on my part that this is the man I want to and will spend the rest of my life with (and he heard that commitment for the first time which lessened his fears about my leaving).

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Do it. You will not be disappointed.

Online Couples Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

Karen was an incredible listener while also keeping us on track. He and I felt gently guided and heard. It was very beneficial. We are grateful.   

Karen Levine

Our relationship was tense, constrained. I had become involved In an abusive extramarital relationship and I felt so alone and powerless. I wanted my marital partnership back, the strength we once knew that had just gone away.

My experience with previous therapy was that it temporarily feel good. But I also felt like a basket case and was not empowered.

You [CTI] looked like the real deal. Professional, intelligent, honest. You looked trustworthy and like real people who live in the real world. The price was comparatively good.

I had some concern for being judged “guilty” but I figured I’d work that out for myself. Or learn, grow, transform it or have a breakthrough from it. I had a concern that the model you (any psychotherapy) used would dominate a feeling that you were connected with me. I have had that experience and I have hated it. Waste of MY time and money.

Scott Wolfe’s compassion and ability to create an environment that was safe to express were my favorite qualities. Even his clothes were appropriate for creating himself as the background. It was great to have his maturity and experience as a contribution.

This is weird and did not interfere in the therapy but it bothered me a little that he considered me a Christian when I wrote about my humanist upbringing. Definitely NOT a Christian upbringing. Traditions only. I thought I’d made it obvious and that he’d know enough about different religions for me to not have to explain my religious beliefs. That was just a little strange to me.

I snuggle with my partner in bed. I still come to bed late but I approach and snuggle now. This morning I woke up in the position I fell asleep in...in his arms. This has NEVER happened before.

I’m honest. Honest about what I’m doing and honest about what I’m thinking. I share what I’m working through for myself or at least THAT I’m working something through and I need some space for reflection. I feel safe with my husband vs. neglected or ignored or one of us feeling agitated I love feeling like I’m not holding a secret and that I can tell him anything. I’m contributing more to the house. I’m cooking again. About half.

My husband had an emergency and All I wanted was to take care of him. New for me. I made a schedule of fun things we could do together. I was anxious to start NOW in a little fear we’d never do them.

I absolutely would recommend Scott Wolfe. I think any therapist can disconnect with their patients by over-relying on a technique or a model. Scott did not sacrifice any of his relatedness to us or his professionalism. He was true to his course and I felt known.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Do it!

Las Vegas, Nevada Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

Our relationship was very troubled; communication and trust issues.

We had some positive experiences in the past with couples therapy, but recently have had very poor luck

Couples Therapy Inc. offers an entire weekend one-on-one with a trained couples therapist. I don't know who else offers that.

Our hesitation? What if it didn't work? What if the therapist wasn't helpful? Then what?

Dr. Michael McNulty created a very safe environment for us to talk about really difficult and hurtful experiences. He was kind and gently kept us on track. It took away some of the negativity, we left with some strategies, we have a referral to another Gottman therapist in our area

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Take the BIG BIG Book seriously. It helped the therapist know us before we met

Evanston & Highland Park, Illinois Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

Past therapy seemed to have only caused more problems. We were concerned about the cost, given the value of our past therapy. But I wanted to improve my intimate relationship with my spouse.

This therapy was successful and effective. It gave us exactly what we needed to address, we resolved issues verses fighting about them. We have better intimacy, regular relationship, and overall feeling of closeness. The ability to discuss verses arguing. Dr. Wolfe was excellent.

Overall, it was excellent and effective. Our therapist was excellent and high quality. He did an outstanding job.

Dr. Scott Wolfe

Las Vegas, Nevada

We were questioning if this relationship was salvageable.  We had lost our way and wanted to reconnect.  

We were honestly afraid this would be the nail in the coffin. We would go and uncover we had nothing left to save.          

Catherine Pfuntner listened and took notes. I know that sounds elementary, but she actually paid attention and circled things back to what we said and what we did. In each of the exercises, she would stop us immediately when she saw a behavior that was detrimental to our success.  It had become so ingrained in the way that we spoke to each other we were not even consciously noticing the eye rolls or backhanded compliments.

She did not get frustrated with our lack of understanding and always checked in to see if she was reading the relationship correctly. She zoned in on what we said and what we didn't say.  She also held us accountable in a soft way that our bruised hearts needed. When one of us got off track, she quickly got us on point again, and we stayed focused. She also modeled the behavior she was asking of us to emulate. By giving us real examples, it helped us to implement the tools she was teaching us.       

The process is different from others, and that is why it works.  The BIG BIG Book was a little odd, and some of the questions were difficult to understand, but it sheds so much light. That alone would have accounted for several meetings to uncover. Our therapist videotaped us and had our heart rate and pulse rate monitored. While that seemed silly to us, it actually sheds a lot of light. Being able to see your facial features when you’re responding to your partner is helpful.  Also, even though my husband's facial features never changed, I could see when I said certain things how much his heart rate increased. This is truly different from anything else we have ever done in the past, and I can see why it works so well now.            

My husband went into this with dread and trepidation. He was difficult to work with because it takes him a long time to come up with an answer. Usually, for me, I get frustrated and think he isn't willing to work on a solution. However, Catherine never became frustrated with him. She also didn't let him off the hook. She held him accountable to participate, but she came from it in several different ways. She was the gentlest and most caring person I have ever spoken with in this type of setting; however, that does not mean she was a pushover. She never let us feel like we were beyond saving or that there was something wrong with us. The fact that she pointed out this was normal for people in our stage of life to experience took off so much pressure. 

Hands down, I would recommend working with Catherine. I felt she wanted us to succeed as much as we did. 

Catherine Pfuntner

We went into the weekend with one of us feeling hopeless and considering separation and the other partner very uncomfortable about doing couples counseling. Dr. Wolfe supported us to process some past hurts in constructive ways and taught us procedures for having more effective communications. I now feel encouraged that there is a future together and hopeful that we can use the tools to improve our marriage.

Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

Before I called Couples Therapy Inc. the relationship was over for me. The issues to be resolved were my partners lies, lack of accountability, and a few others. I was done with the relationship, although I cared for him, and so I thought doing the therapy would be a waste of time and money.

The change was actually dramatic. I opened up and am allowing him to prove himself to me, which was his goal for the therapy.  My partner and I now have some useful tools for connecting; I remembered my love for him again.

I loved the warm environment. I really liked that Angela soaked up and was involved in our discussions. There wasn't anything I didn't like or liked least, except I didn't want it to end because I learned so much.  Angela was great! I would only want to see her again. It was like she's known us for years.

I already have recommended Couples Therapy Inc. to others because it's not just talk or a tagline. The intensive therapy gets into that which you wouldn't for months, if at all, with traditional 1-hr long therapy.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

We had a struggling relationship with multiple significant issues to include trust, respect, and interpersonal communication.

We had tried therapy in the past on two separate occasions with mixed results, but neither were ultimately successful in providing the tools necessary to strengthen the relationship.

Extensive online research identified CTI as having the necessary structure and expertise to help address relationship issues.

Delving into very personal aspects is always challenging, however, our therapist made us very comfortable and created a "safe" atmosphere.

Jenny Fang is a consummate professional with the requisite expertise and experience needed to help with very deep relationship issues.  She's very calm in her approach and creates an atmosphere in which you feel comfortable opening up and speaking about deeply personal and painful issues/memories.

I absolutely 100% would recommend Jenny Fang; she's a true professional who obviously cares deeply about her clients and wants them to succeed in resolving their relationship issues. Issues are more clearly identified and able to be addressed via open communication. Tools were provided to help resolve the issues.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

I would definitely recommend CTI to help address/resolve your relationship issues.

Anything else you’d like to add?

An enhancement to the services provided would be to provide to the clients an analytically-based summary of the answers to the Big Big Book.  While many of the BBB are captured in the therapy session, having a product to refer back to and understand how specific aspects can be addressed would be beneficial.

Our relationship was strained, we needed to work on conflict resolution and active listening.

Orange County California Couples Retreat - Jenny Fang

I had filed for divorce.

Our core issues were my husband’s outbursts of anger, different beliefs in parenting style and a profound inability to communicate effectively with both feeling that the other wasn’t listening. My husband’s personality traits are exactly those of someone with a borderline personality disorder. He has never been in therapy, often distorts reality and typically considers suggestions as criticism.

It was very apparent that Angela Voegele did her homework and was prepared for our completely opposite personalities. Angela’s calm, patient demeanor was especially effective in dealing with my husband’s unpredictable mood changes and outbursts of anger. Angela was not deterred when he stormed out during the first two-hour session and was able to communicate with him. 

We now know what triggers to avoid conflict and are making changes in our living arrangement that were a major factor in the breakdown of the marriage. We will each seek individual therapy and will continue marriage therapy. 

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc?

Absolutely yes.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Having our personality profiles explained to us was very helpful, but I believe for someone like my husband it would have been more helpful to explain to him that based on his profile he might have Borderline Personality Disorder and should seek therapy. He did tell Angela that he has an appointment to see a therapist but he has been saying that for years. Basically, a complete diagnosis for people with personality disorders would be more helpful. 

Note: 

Diagnosing personality disorders effectively would add significantly to our diagnostic process for couples that is already one of the most extensive in our profession. It's also a specialty to work one-on-one with individuals with a personality disorder, and usually involves both individual psychotherapy and group psychotherapy. I'm delighted to hear that Angela was able to work effectively with the affect dysregulation your husband displayed. Dysregulation, in one or both partners, is a common feature of a troubled marriage. So glad to hear you got the help you deserved. - Dr. K

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was cold and icy. We didn't fight much, if at all, and we lived our lives like roommates for the past year or so. We had a difficult time opening up to one another and getting past the boredom and dullness of a 7-year marriage with kids.

Couples therapy is incredibly personal. I was worried about what my partner would say and I was worried about the vulnerability I would feel in expressing my true feelings about myself, my partner, my children, and our relationship. We had tried couples therapy before through other therapists and it was not successful. Part of me thought we could never repair our relationship and I was worried that our session with Couples Therapy Inc would be our last effort - that everything was riding on the success of this program - so there was a lot of pressure for our intensive marriage retreat to succeed.

My partner and I now have tools we can use to communicate more effectively with each other. We're also more in tune with each other's past and we understand how the families we grew up in greatly affect our outlook, our participation in, and the expectations we have for our partners. 

We're actively building love maps and we schedule time to discuss the day’s events and to truly listen to each other. Marriage is for life so the journey ahead is long. We'll change over the years but I'm confident Couples Therapy Inc has given us a framework we can use to overcome obstacles and stay on course.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc?

I have hope in my relationship and in the ability of my partner and me to communicate effectively.

I have faith in couples therapy. After a few ineffective therapists, Couples Therapy Inc has restored my faith in marriage counseling.

My partner and I have noticed an immediate change in the way we view our family and each other. We're warmer to one another and we're more patient with children. We owe a lot of that to the road map our therapist created for us, which gives us hope and confidence.

Our intensive marriage retreat also reminded us of why my partner and I are together, what attracted us to one another, and why we're good partners. Somehow, sadly, we lost sight of that.

My partner and I visited two therapists before finding Couples Therapy Inc. Both were completely inadequate in terms of content and continuity. The sessions were 60 min long and we often had a difficult time resolving any conflict within that time. Also, we often had to wait for weeks or even a month between sessions, which made it difficult to build any momentum. Meanwhile, we'd suffer during that time with absolutely no support from our therapist. Lastly, our therapist had to rely on notes they took from our previous sessions and would often forget what we talked about, ask us to repeat something or miss important issues. After attending Couples Therapy Inc's Intensive Marriage Retreat, I honestly wouldn't consider any private therapists, even to support the groundwork CTI put in place.

Havi Klifeld was amazing! I felt very comfortable with her from the start - like I've known her my entire life or like she could be a best friend. She was very warm and inviting and really took the time to listen to my partner and me. She offered advice and shared stories when it was appropriate but she kept the conversation focused on us.

Havi is very professional and she knows her material well. Other therapists my wife and I visited tried to teach us material from Gottman, but it wasn't presented well and it was lost on us. Havi is an excellent teacher and my wife and I instantly understood what she was talking about how we could apply it to our marriage and our everyday lives.

I would recommend Couples Therapy Inc to anyone experiencing marital issues and I would recommend them as a FIRST option. My wife and I visited a few therapists before finding Couples Therapy Inc and it almost made our relationship worse. The short sessions, the long delays between sessions, and the therapists who couldn't remember the details of our relationship presented barriers were not conducive to solving our problems. We felt more and more like we were alone in this and that therapy (in any capacity) wouldn't succeed. We felt hopeless. Couples Therapy Inc, in many respects, was our last effort to repair our relationship. However, it should have been our first choice. If we had led with Couples Therapy Inc, we would have repaired our marriage years ago and with much less pain and suffering.

I can't express how impressed my wife and I are with Havi, she's really amazing!

Los Angeles Couples Retreat - Havi Kligfeld

Although we loved each other, our relationship was very difficult.  We would get quickly triggered by each other, become defensive or would stonewall, and felt like nothing we tried or did ever improved the situation. We were at our wit's end and were contemplating a trial separation. Everything turned around after our weekend Intensive with Dr. K.            

We had done couples therapy on and off for many years and it helped us to some extent.  We also attended a Gottman Institute weekend session in Seattle five years ago that was helpful, but we felt like we still needed more hands-on practice that only ongoing therapy or an in-person intensive could really address.

We looked for a Gottman-trained therapist in our area and found CTI's website and blog posts, which were very helpful. When we spoke with Dr. K, we knew that she was the perfect person to help us.  Her long experience, her use of Gottman, but also other techniques, and her listening skills convinced us to sign up for a weekend intensive.  

At first we were concerned about the cost and the ultimate effectiveness of a weekend Intensive, but after we spoke with Dr. K, we were just eager to start as soon as possible.  After one of us got sick, we had to reschedule our session for several months later; waiting for it to start was hard. But it turned out to be totally worth the wait!

We came away from our weekend with Dr. K completely certain that, thanks to her, we had the skills we had needed to bring happiness to our relationship, just as we'd hoped.  We have very specific ways of handling the kinds of problems we were experiencing, as well as the higher level conceptual understanding of how it all works together and how we need to interrupt old patterns that weren't working for either of us. 

We also know that she is always available to continue to help us, should we get into a bad space again with each other. This gives us great confidence and so far, nearly a month after our weekend with her, we're able to successfully practice what we learned.           

Dr. K created the BIG BIG Book, which took many hours to fill out, but that gave us complete confidence that she knew all about us before we even met with her that first evening.  She was the consummate professional; a great listener, easy to talk with, patient, good at explaining theories and making us practice new skills, and also handled tough subjects with grace and humor. 

I can't imagine any couple not benefiting from a weekend Intensive session. 

We now have 1) Better communication skills and specific and useful techniques; 2) clarity about how to handle a host of situations that inevitably arise in a couples relationship; and 3) regaining the level of trust we need to simply love each other again.           

[To couples considering Couples Therapy Inc,] Don't hesitate - it is the best money you can ever spend.  Nothing is more important to your happiness than your relationship with your spouse. When you learn new skills and perspectives that can get you through the hard times, you can create a joyful future together once more.            

Thank you, Dr. K! 

We are both so appreciative of your remarkable expertise, wisdom, and kindness in guiding us back to a loving relationship that we believe we now have the tools to sustain. Your choreography of the entire weekend was masterful and fitting; starting with our love story, then practicing techniques for solving our problems, then helping me dive deep to work through old hurts, and ending with a return to our love and appreciation for each other. How lucky we were to have found you!

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

We thought it might be nice for you to get some feedback on our retreat with Angela. Both my husband and I thought she was excellent. We have seen numerous therapist over the last three years and she by far exceeded all of our expectations. I got there on Friday with a lot of anger over our situation. By the time we left Sunday afternoon I felt free. She had a very nice way of not taking sides yet giving good strong comments and thought-provoking scenarios. She absolutely knew us when we got there and often referred to our history.

She gave us practical tools to use for when I was very upset which included meditation, favorite songs, my partner holding me tight (with a safe word if I did not want that), breathing devices and apps to download. We had struggled with much pain and anger for almost 10 months and by the time we left we felt almost normal again with a new vision of our future and tools to use to improve our communication. Her own experience and having gone through a similar situation was also nice for me in particular. She was extraordinarily easy to talk to and also has a nice sense of humor.

I was skeptical heading into the weekend but now I am so glad that we did it.

Metro Washington DC - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was a bit combative with communication and emotional issues.

We liked The Gottman Method and that the therapist was a licensed sex therapist.

It was difficult to share personal information with a stranger.  Will this really work?

I liked that Angela Voegele dove into the child in both of us so we could realize why our behaviors may be very different. I believe Angela really understands the dynamics of relationships and although she can be direct, she was very fair and saw the good in both of us.     

We definitely have a different and better understanding of each other, we are thinking before we say something and so much more.

Definitely try it!

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Tim Donovan was a great resource. He conducted a very structured and well crafted intensive. He created an open and safe environment and expressed clearly the objectives in every step of the process. He was great.

Online Couples Retreat - Timothy Donovan

Previous couples therapy was just "OK." We wanted] to cover more ground.

Working with Dr. Michael A. McNulty I felt I was able to talk without interruption and get my point across, as that is what often happens in our one-on-one relationship. A lot of ground gets covered in a setting such as this.

What would you say to couples who are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

It can only be beneficial.

Couples Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

Our relationship was very rocky because of a recent affair, which had my partner wanting to leave me.

We never tried couples therapy before.

Angela was very honest and understanding of both of our sides but didn't baby us. She didn't make me feel like the "bad guy" or baby my partner for being the "victim.” She gave us concrete tools to work on our marriage. We would have liked even more "scenarios" to test out different techniques of discussing conflicts, etc.

It worked to get my partner in the mindset to work on things. There is more understanding and willingness on my partner's part to work on things.

My partner is open to working on the marriage, she understood why I had the affair and we felt positive about our marriage after the therapy.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Do it.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

This weekend was so powerful, and I cannot thank you (Rebecca) enough.  I feel much more equipped to deal with everything....what an eye opener.  I can honestly say it was one of the most cathartic experiences of my life.

Rebecca Lanier

We were looking for affair recovery; re-igniting the spark and re-building trust. We hesitated because of the expense; the sense of vulnerability when divorce may be imminent anyway; and of course, the fear that it wouldn't work.

Angela Voegele has a calming presence and is dedicated to addressing all the issues and bringing you closer together. I appreciated that she recommended reading and ways for us to keep up the momentum, acknowledging the fact that things may change at home in "real life" rather than being caught up in a few focused days.

Now I am learning to appreciate my husband like I did way back in the beginning; ensuring we are both communicating our needs and feelings on a regular basis; re-igniting our attached and loyal relationship rather than living separate lives.

I think without it, we would have gone through with an unnecessary, costly, divorce and thrown away a lifetime of future togetherness with our family.  We will not be divorcing; we have begun to heal and have started to restore the Loyalty phase of our relationship that had broken in the first place.

Thank goodness my husband didn't give up on me and finally agreed to this retreat. We both feel forever grateful that we just decorated the Christmas tree together with our family rather than apart, in different homes. We realized that our relationship is not only repairable, but that we were so lucky to have found someone we are so compatible with way back when...and we both WANT to stay together - it makes us happy. I'm excited for what the future holds. Thank you.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was tense, uncertain. We wanted better communication and healing from infidelity. A few prior sessions of couples therapy didn’t work for us.  

My husband likes talking until he gets a resolution, so I felt this type of therapy would be a good fit.

Will it really work if I invested a lot of money?

Marissa Mundey is professional and knowledgeable. We left feeling more connected emotionally, more hopeful, more patient, more committed, and we have better listening skills

Do it! It is definitely worth every penny!

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

We wanted to improve our communication, empathy, understanding, and affection in public. We had participated in some weekly sessions before, but we realized that going that route would be a very long process. We wanted and needed faster results.

Angela was very kind and her guidance came from a place with good intentions. 

We re-connected and have improved our relationship by learning how to take time to work on it correctly. We learned how to have real conversations again, we were in a rut before and only discussed the mechanics of the household and the schedule.

We needed a defined schedule and process to work on how to be a couple again and concentrate on us, which we received. We needed to be taught about how to deal with anger and how to be empathetic towards each other, to avoid getting angry. We learned how to comfort one another and be compassionate which made a huge difference in repairing our relationship.

After being married for 18 years we needed a refresh and re-set and the intensive helped us accomplish what we wanted.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was strained in regards to recovering from an affair and trying to move forward and rebuild.  We wanted to 1) address the affair and 2) identify and work on the relationship to reinforce and rebuild to move forward.

We considered other therapy, but never really found the right fit to proceed.  Weekly sessions seemed time-consuming and only an hour at a time seemed ineffective.

Looking for Gottman certified therapists and the ability to have one on one focus, we reached out to Diane Foy.  She was not available for weekly sessions but suggested a weekend retreat with Couples Therapy Inc.  After looking into further, we decided that would be a good option for us and opened up our search to a place that would be a weekend getaway from the cold.  This was critical to us since the issues we were dealing with are not known by our family and friends.

I enjoyed working with Scott Wolfe.  He was calm, gave good perspective and provided tools to help us. It gave us a safe environment to talk about issues, provided tools to communicate and build from to strengthen our relationship, the ability to recognize what each of us could do to improve our relationship.

He obviously has quite a bit of experience and knowledge (especially Gottman). He was easy to talk to and was open-minded/ did not take sides.  He was there to help make our relationship better.

Couples Therapy Inc. was a great experience for us.  The weekend retreat was just what we needed to effectively talk through our relationship.  It provided the time to really discuss and understand what was going on with us.  The therapist was very knowledgeable and taught us the tools and concepts that really helped us.   His goal was to help us make our relationship a success.  I would highly recommend making the investment in your relationship.

Las Vegas, Nevada, Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

Our marriage had little trust and poor communication.

Marisa Mundey had a good sense of our moods. She was able to get us to open up. She didn’t not discuss one major issue that exists in our marriage.

We got an understanding of how we both feel about that state of our marriage, we understand the reasons why our marriage has failed, we learned ways to improve our marriage. We’ve been taught communication tools. It’s up to us to implement them.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Be open and honest when completing the Big Big Book.

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

We had tried couples therapy 18 years ago. It was at the beginning of our relationship. It was helpful, but we worked more on each individual than the actual relationship. I wanted to improve communication, conflict resolution, intimacy.

We liked Couples Therapy Inc’s]credibility as indicated on the website and knowing that Gottman Approach and EFT would be employed.

Catherine Pfuntner created a safe container. I trusted her. She listened deeply. She clearly had studied the Big Big Book and it was evident she understood the earlier life experiences that are still affecting us. That meant a lot to me. She was empathetic, compassionate. She was honest and set the stage early on that she would be interrupting at key moments to help show us a better way of communicating. We were receptive and we learned many new skills regarding vulnerability, communication, conflict resolution thanks to her expert facilitation. We are definitely going to keep working with her until we can hone our relationship skills. We are so grateful to Catherine for creating this opportunity for us to go deeper and to allow ourselves to be vulnerable with one another in a way that we would not have done without professional facilitation.

We’ve experienced re-connection at the heart level. And an open mind about the possibility for our future. We experienced vulnerability which opened us both up. We have new skills we are practicing and it is working. Avoiding the 4 horsemen; attempting repairs when we notice we are heading down the wrong road, and it is working! Seeking to understand before being understood. We both feel much closer, honest about the fact that we have a ways to go before we are skilled at communication and conflict resolution, but we are practicing, using our handouts as guides, and wanting to schedule more time with Catherine in the next few months so that we can keep progressing and address some of the more hot perpetual problems while she is present and can help coach us in our communication until we are more skilled on our own.

She is a brilliant, highly skilled therapist.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
Do it! It is the best investment if you truly want your relationship to not only survive, but to thrive! We were seriously questioning if we should stay together and after our intensive, our hearts were opened as we experienced vulnerability and honest sharing with one another as a result of the expert facilitation of our therapist. I saw my husband in a new light and much of my criticism and contempt has been replaced with curiosity and compassion. We now have the communication and conflict resolution skills that we were missing in our relationship tool box.

[We have] profound gratitude to all of you at Couples Therapy Inc. for providing the service that you do. From Dr. K and the leadership team, to the behind the scenes tech people, to Olivia and the administrative staff, and of course, Catherine, Gottman and all the other researchers that have developed effective methods of restoring and deepening relationships. Thank you!

Catherine Pfuntner

We had become very distant from each other, very little communication or intimacy. We were at a decision point of whether to stay together or separate.

What hesitation did you have about starting couples therapy with us?

Expense, fear of the unknown. Fear of what might happen.

What changes resulted in your marriage/relationship from your work with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Mutual understanding and concern for my husband's concrete communication tools, education on communication styles and practice. Open communication about sex and intimacy.

Had you considered or tried couples therapy before? If so, how successful or unsuccessfully was it?

Yes, for many years and was unsuccessful at getting to the root of the problem.

What specific qualities did you like most and least about working with this therapist?

Dr. Kathy McMahon was very personable and genuinely interested and caring. She provided education in communication skills and allowed us to practice what we learned. I loved that she shared examples and stories to illustrate a point. She was flexible and worked with us on whatever topic came up in the exercises and made it easier to talk about difficult subjects.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, definitely. It was not only "talk therapy" but educational, with proven methods and educational materials with lots of practice and support in those techniques. I developed a new understanding of my husband and his point of view. Understanding the role that trauma has played in my life and in my relationships has helped him to understand this too. This retreat has opened the door to open and honest communication for us.

Using my husband's words, this weekend helped us more than 3 years of couples therapy did! We were amazed at what was accomplished in such a short time. We are so thankful that we took the leap and did this, it helped us immensely. We have renewed sense of understanding, care and love for each other that would not have been possible otherwise. Thank you Dr. K!

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

Our relationship was volatile and unstable. Disconnected. I wanted to make some sense out of it more than anything and attempt to reconnect with my partner. I wanted to establish mutual respect between us. I had hesitation due to the price. Also a deep-seated mistrust of therapists. We hadn't been in couples therapy before.

What changes resulted in your marriage/relationship resulted from your work with Couples Therapy Inc.?

There is now mutual respect and greater understanding between us which I hope will last. More respect, dignity, and compassion for my partner.

Who was your therapist? What specific qualities did you like most and least about working with this therapist?

Jenny Fang. I liked everything about Jenny. She was thoughtful, intuitive and caring yet firm. She was great to work with.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?

I'm not sure. I am suffering from a lot of anxiety and depression as a result of this I fear. I am a little confused and wondering what to do next. I wish I was able to consult my therapist about the after effects of this as part of this package.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples therapy Inc.?

Respect , dignity, and compassion for my partner

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Be careful this may mess with your head. It is definitely worth it however.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I am confused and a little lost.

___________________________________

Some clients need ongoing support, even after an intensive retreat, as this client does. Please don't hesitate to ask if additional services are needed. We'll gladly help.

Orange County California Couples Retreat - Jenny Fang

I was hesitant about spending a substantial amount of money with no results. However, our relationship was almost over. We had poor communication and high-stress levels. This was more of a scientific approach. Dr. K was very neutral and explained things very well.

It's only been a week but our relationship has definitely improved. We have better communication and understanding each other better and the stress level between us has also decreased. I had no hope before going to see Kathy. Now I know we've got a chance to mend our relationship.

I would definitely recommend Couples Therapy Inc.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

What core issues did you want to address?

My Intimate Relationship with my spouse.

What hesitations did you have, if any?

Cost, given the value of our past therapy. Past therapy seemed to have only caused more problems.

What changes resulted in your marriage/relationship from your work with Couples Therapy Inc.?

It gave us exactly what we needed to address, we resolved issues verses fighting about them. 

Had you considered or tried couples therapy before? If so, how successful or unsuccessfully was it?

Common therapy prior was unsuccessful. This therapy with Couples Therapy Inc. was successful and effective.

Dr. Wolfe was excellent. He did an outstanding job.

What did you like most and least about your therapist?

Most, facing my issues. Least, facing my issues.

Results?

We have better intimacy, regular relationship, and overall feeling of closeness. The ability to discuss verses arguing.

Overall, it was excellent and effective. Our therapist was excellent and high quality.

Las Vegas, Nevada Couples Retreats - Dr. Scott Wolfe

My husband and I have a very nice relationship, but we also have disagreements. We wanted to learn how to deal with it, especially when you can't seem to come to an agreement.

We had never tried couple therapy before.         

We were looking for a couple therapist retreat and found Couples Therapy Inc. We read the reviews and more about the team and felt that it was what we were looking for.

We did not have any hesitation. We were very excited to meet with Karen.         

Our therapist, Karen Levine is amazing! She guided us throughout the weekend. She was very neutral which was something my husband and I were worried about. We loved her! We look forward to making this annual or bi-annual with Karen.       

We both learned even more from each other. We know that as an adult, you bring a lot of things to your relationships from your childhood, but participating in an intensive makes you realize how important is to communicate with your partner in a way that you empathize with and understand both sides.

We definitely learned techniques to handle our disagreements. We feel that we have the right words to start a discussion now and also to answer it in a better way.

I would recommend Couples Therapy Inc. An intensive retreat will give you the tools to discuss not only with your partner but also with your relatives. It is a very nice experience!

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

I would say to couples to pull the trigger! It’s a very good investment for their marriage they won’t regret!

Karen Levine

Angela was a wonderful therapist and truly advocated for both of us, and our relationship throughout the weekend intensive. Her approach was thoughtful, logical and easy to follow. She listened to our concerns and organized the weekend in a meaningful way to cover many of our needs. The feedback she provided was constructive and professional.

I really feel a great sense of relief.

The follow-up work and reading she gave us provided a framework we need to continue the work on our own.

I would definitely recommend Angela to others looking for couples counseling.

Metro Washington DC Couples Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was near the end with a lack of trust and misdiagnosis of intentions, wants, and needs.

Previous couples therapy was slightly successful, but at one visit/week it had limited effectiveness. It was emotionally-based therapy.

We were nearing our end, and we needed to go all in for our last attempt. [We were hesitant about] hearing the truths, receiving the unadulterated diagnosis, and concerned that things would not change regardless of the therapy.

Angela’s approach to us, her ability to speak openly and honestly about our issues, and her knowledge of the Gottman Method opened up my Wife so that healing could occur and it drastically altered (for the good) her misinterpretation of me, my actions, intentions, and persona. We liked Angela’s openness, honesty, emotion, and knowledge of our situation and Gottman. [We have] Increased trust, greater openness, and communication through a feeling of safety.

Angela was amazing to work with through the intense therapy. Although it wasn’t easy for me or my wife, we both came out of it with an in-depth understanding of each other, our relationship, and past family and personal hurts. Angela help us start the healing process and we are much closer now than we ever were. Thank you, Angela, for bringing us back together.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Absolutely do it. The benefits/potential benefits far outweigh the investment.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

We needed help and we knew we needed something out of the norm, something intense. Going bi-weekly or weekly wasn't enough. 

My hesitation was not knowing the therapist. We had to leave it to chance that she would be someone we could both learn from.     

Debbie Woodall-Carroll showed empathy, patience, listening, and reframing. My husband came to see why I'm so scared of his actions. The light bulb turned on. Debbie was so easy to talk with.

We have a better understanding of each other, a better way to communicate, empathy and honesty. 

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Don't wait! You'll wish you had done this sooner. I urge you, for your happiness, to stop thinking about it and schedule it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, individually and together. 

Ohio - Debbie Woodall-Carroll

There were some basic areas of communication and disconnect between us. Listening to each other, hearing each other, understanding each other and most of all accepting, appreciating and respecting our differences. And for me, plain and simple areas of care, compassion, affection, closeness and intimacy. There were areas of anger, pain, hurt and significant disconnect for both of us.

We considered couples therapy before and actually talked with one therapist talking through his approach and decided not to do that process. We did attend the Gottman Art and Science of Love weekend. The weekend gave a good overview of the research and Gottman approach which then led us to do the couple's retreat with Angela.

Angela was personable, professional, direct, open, supportive and gave specific information and examples. 

Within the sessions, I was able to express my questions, areas of need and Angela Voegele was great about listening, asking clarifying questions and giving direct responses, helpful information and she shared video examples and other resources.

We made good progress and need more help and support. We are in the midst of major transition and are just now about to purchase a new home, yet it has major challenges attached and throws us into significant financial continued stress. I am concerned. We know we have the ability to communicate. We have the information to do more. We are committed to each other and love each other. We need more opportunities to learn and grow. I hope we can create ways to live up to our "decisions and commitments" made in our sessions. WE have a long way to go.  Thanks for what Angela has done to support us...and all she does and thanks to the Gottman Institute for what you are doing.  

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was tenuous at best after the discovery of my affair. We were considering separation and eventual divorce and didn’t see how we were going to get through this. My husband was struggling to come to terms with the affair and to understand it. We knew we had some things that needed to be worked on in our marriage but we weren’t sure if it was worth doing if he was unable to forgive the affair.

We started therapy with another therapist after my infidelity was discovered and had switched therapists once.

We were not sure if a retreat would help.

I liked that Angela Voegele was a certified sex therapist and was able to guide us in the discussion about the sexual nature of the affair. That helped both me and my husband understand the affair from a totally different perspective.

 Angela was amazing, insightful, and compassionate. The entire process from booking the retreat to meeting her was seamless.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples therapy Inc.?

Getting to meet Angela who is incredible, gaining a better understanding of the infidelity as well as the state of our marriage.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

If you think you’ve tried couples therapy and it didn’t work for you, give this a chance. The work we did in 2.5 days was incredible and could not have been accomplished with weekly one hour sessions with a therapist.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was distant and painful. We needed help with communication, understanding attachment and conflict resolutions.

We really needed something drastic and out-of-the-box.

Diane Foy was very easy to talk to and gave great advice and guidance without being condescending.

We accomplished more in our marriage in three days than we would have in years of weekly counseling sessions. We have a better understanding of ourselves and each other. We have tools to use as we move forward. We feel hopeful that we'll be able to make this work!

We fight much less and feel a new sense of trust. It was like a giant reset button

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Do it! It was worth every penny.

Minneapolis, Minnisota - Diane Foy

Trust needed to be rebuilt due to an infidelity

Dr. Evelyn De Villiers was great at making connections to our histories and helping illuminate why we engage in certain behaviors. she was great at highlighting our strengths and how we can build on those in our challenges.

She was invested in our relationship and really helped us grow closer and have more clarity on how we can move forward in our relationship. 

Three benefits;strategies for listening and summarizing to ensure we are really hearing each other; not having to go back to incidents anymore because we hashed them out over the weekend; practical strategies on how to move forward and rebuild trust and focus on our strengths           

It is very impactful to be able to spend 2.5 days completely focused on your relationship. It is a unique opportunity that is hard to recreate otherwise. We felt supported in our goals to improve our relationship and left with a clear plan moving forward. We are very grateful for our time with CTI.

Dr. Evelyn De Villiers

I can’t thank you Dr. Mike McNulty enough for this past weekend.  My husband and I feel like we have been given each other back.

Online Couples Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

 Therapy in the past was slightly helpful but not providing useful tools to solve the problem

It was recommended to us that we try the Gottman Method. We looked for a therapist with full training in the Gottman system, and we chose Angela Voegele. We consulted with her and decided to do the two-day retreat with her.

We feel that Angela provided us with an extremely beneficial 2-day "total immersion" which was much more effective than piecemeal 50-minute therapy sessions. In the retreat, Angela provided us with practical, immediately usable tools that we could practice with her and then use on our own. Even after just two days, we feel that our relationship is stronger and better because we discovered techniques to avoid anger and fighting in ways that we didn't know before.

Angela is gentle, warm, fair, and knowledgable. She inspires confidence. She knows the Gottman tools well and was very skillful in putting them into practice with us.

 We now have better confidence in our relationship, practical tools to use anytime, and comfort in knowing that we can come back to Angela if we need to.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

The Gottman Method is excellent and Angela is an excellent practitioner of it.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was very challenging before we contacted CTI.  We had difficulties with communication and mutual respect for each other. 

Previous]couples therapy was too slow and did not always provide helpful tools.           

CTI was recommended by friends who have gone through the program when they were on the brink of divorce.

Karen was great at facilitating the discussions, ensuring that my husband and I each had a chance to speak without the other spouse interrupting.  She reinforced the importance of being a good listener rather than being focused on being heard in a conversation. I also liked that she called out and brought to our attention issues that she saw rather than just acting neutral.  Her objective and direct approach was helpful, especially when there is a major issue to address in the relationship.

My husband and I are now focused on the commitments that we made during our CTI sessions to personally improve ourselves and our relationship (e.g. starting to work with personal therapists). We are doing the weekly State of the Union meetings, which has improved our communication. We are using more "I messages" and less accusatory language with one another, which has also improved our communication.     

My husband and I had a great experience working with Karen Levine.  She was warm and caring while being very professional and direct, which allowed us to accomplish a lot in a short timeframe. Her experience working with neurodiverse couples was also a big asset to making our intensive session most productive.

I would highly recommend Couples Therapy Inc.  The CTI intensive therapy sessions allow you to accomplish so much in a short time frame and really set aside a weekend to improving your relationship.

Karen Levine

What changes resulted in your marriage from the work you did?

Life changing, earth shattering, amazing changes -- I am not kidding when I say this absolutely hands down saved our marriage, saved our lives... I was so unhappy and I am now looking at the world differently, knowing I have a partner with me in this life that I once felt so alone in... We have a lot of work to do -- but we are both committed to this and following through with the changes ... I cannot believe that this had such an immediate impact on us and I am forever, forever grateful. I will be recommending you to any of my friends or family that ever is faced with some serious relationship troubles...

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

Our marriage was very troubled. We had trouble communicating and resolving issues.

Had you considered or tried couples therapy before? If so, how successful or unsuccessfully was it?

Several times, it was a waste of time and money. We were worried that this therapy would be as ineffective as that other therapy we tried.

Jenny Fang was well researched, intuitive, and positive. She helped us focus on building a better future rather than arguing about the past. Now we are more appreciative of each other and able to engage in effective communication, I have a better understanding of where we each come from and how that affects how we, each, perceive the world. I also have a better appreciation of the goodness in my partner.

For a couple in trouble this has been the best experience.

 

Orange County California Couples Retreat - Jenny Fang

Not communicating with each other, fighting over little things, resenting one another, making up but not resolving our feelings so things quickly turned negative again and another fight and retreating to ourselves ensued. I honestly thought a divorce was a better option/alternative than to living as unhappy as I was. And we were fearful that our problems were too big to even begin to resolve in a weekend couple's therapy retreat.

What changes resulted in your marriage/relationship from your work with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Honest, open, patient, and supportive communication. We both have issues that we need work on individually and we discussed them openly and honestly with each other. We also learned techniques to better communicators with each other. We are enjoying spending time together again and it is so rewarding.

Had you considered or tried couples therapy before? If so, how successful or unsuccessfully was it?

We have participated in weekly couples counseling before 3 different times over the past 23 yrs. It was good at times, but we defaulted back to our old ways of behaving.

Angela Voegele is an excellent therapist. She listened and was able to see through to what our real issues were. She was nonjudgmental. She confronted us when we defaulted to the four horsemen behavior, she made us accountable to each other for what we did well and what we did to make our communication unhealthy and non-productive. She related well to us and we felt comfortable sharing with her in a non-threatening way. She had our best interest at heart and was genuine in her advice, sharing of personal information and our goal setting for our future. My only regret was that we didn't have more time with Angela.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes. Angela and Couples Therapy Inc. was a true gift to us and our relationship and I would recommend her to anyone who is experiencing marital discord, uncertainty about divorce, and or to just jump-start a long-term marriage.

I have learned to be a more effective listener, to be vulnerable about my shortcomings and to own them as being part of who I am, and that it is empowering to be a more accepting and forgiving communicator with my husband.

We met with Angela and it was a life-changing experience that I am so grateful we participated in it. It has given us and our marriage a second chance. I am hopeful for the first time in a long time and I am in love with my husband again and it feels wonderful. Thank you.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was in trouble and we scheduled the intensive as a last resort effort. We had some past issues that needed to be resolved and wanted to work on communication.

We tried couples therapy briefly before Covid. I didn't have a good connection with the counselor.

I did an online search of marriage counseling, and CTI came up. I was already familiar with the Gottman method and did some additional research of CTI and decided to give it a try.

Dr. Arnold was amazing! We couldn't have asked for a better fit for both of our personalities than her. She was very intuitive about who we are as people and I left knowing myself better than I ever have. She is certainly gifted in providing insights into us as a couple and as individuals while using a communication style that was perfectly aligned to our needs and relationship. She was extremely helpful and also challenging in getting us to open up about ourselves and to each other.

We have committed to making our relationship work and continuing to use the specific skills and strategies she taught us for listening and communication.

It was a game changer for my relationship and probably saved my marriage. It's the best thing you can do for your relationship and worth every penny.

Dr. Arnold is just a phenomenal human being, and I am so thankful to have done this therapy with her.

Dr. Carolyn Arnold

I wanted to see if we could save the marriage; my core goal was to stay together. We had tried some therapy sessions with local therapists but it was not really very helpful and I think it actually pushed my husband in the other direction.

We both loved Angela because she was extremely detail-oriented, pushed in the right places and discussed the things that we did not want to discuss, but had to. She was amazing really. She showed us how to talk to one another and see the other person's point of view based on their perspective and why they are coming from that point of view. I learned more about my husband in those 2.5 days than I had in our 11 years together.

The weekend opened both of us up to have conversations that in the three prior years we were not able to have so we were able to work things out between us. Ultimately it seems like after couple’s therapy my husband has become a completely different person. He is much happier after opening up and telling me the truth. He decided he wants to work on our relationship after all and that there is hope for us.

We would recommend Angela and Couples Therapy Inc. Angela was very thorough; she was not on either one of our sides, very neutral. She as extremely intelligent, sensitive and ultimately probably saved our marriage.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Before we contacted CTI we were; unhappy, teetering, with a poor ability to connect and manage conflict.

Havi Kligfeld was confident, she had a plan, and was evidence-based. We improved conflict management, improved kindness, and improved understanding.

We took an 180-degree turn. We developed a new shared story, techniques to manage conflict with extended "speaker-listener" techniques, and my husband learned to "see my pain" and to renew his supportive role in my life. A few happened in therapy, but the time we spent together AROUND the therapy was where we had the most amazing breakthroughs. So therapy was a catalyst for us to rediscover our ability to heal. We were on the wrong road and this weekend put us on the right road.

It was a miracle. Benefits are continuing. We were both highly motivated and had been together for our whole lives and agreed on many many things so that may have made it easier for us, but we were truly stuck. Thank you!

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

DO IT. Worth it. Intake is great to be very clear about what is going to happen, it reduces fear.

Los Angeles Couples Retreat - Havi Kligfeld

It was hard to accomplish anything [in previous couples therapy]. [We wanted] to work through big issues with more time and expertise.

What hesitation did you have about starting couples therapy with us?   

Cost. Husband's participation.

What changes in your relationship resulted from your work with Couples Therapy Inc.?           

Small mentality shifts. Hopeful for more in the future with a focus on basic skills.

Who was your couples therapist here at Couples Therapy Inc.?   

Carolyn Cole Arnold, Psy.D

What therapeutic skills stood out for you while working with this therapist? What was it like to participate in an intensive with them from your side of the couch?        

Learning the difference between concession and compromise. Learning the skill of compromise.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, if someone can afford it. A lot of people cannot which is sad.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc.?  

Time away from kids/life, intensive time with an unbiased third party/expert, small shifts in mentality/perception 

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Come with an open mind and ready to work!

Dr. Carolyn Arnold

Before we contacted Couples Therapy Inc., we did not know how much longer it would be beneficial for us to be a couple. We knew that something needed to change because most of the time neither of us were happy unless it was at the emotional expense of the other. The core issues we needed to improve included differences in religious belief, sexual issues, and ideal lifestyle.

We had tried couples therapy once before and found it less than satisfying. We only had one session, but we knew right away that the therapist was not a good fit for us. We felt that he would be unable to truly connect with us and understand our situation.

My husband found your services online. He was familiar with Dr. McMahon and felt that she could best serve us based on her previous work.

The only hesitation we had about starting couples therapy with CTI was the price: $5800 was a big investment for us, and if we were going to pay it we wanted to be sure that the therapy would be helpful in our situation.

The biggest noticeable change has been in the way we have discussions (what some may call disagreements, arguments, or fighting). We are much better at regulating each other and keeping the discussion within a reasonable time period (from about four hours at a time on the weekends to daily 20-minute sessions for check-in, to keep on top of potential conflict or issue).

This was only our second time working with a couple's therapist, but we found her effective and invested. The qualities I liked most about working with our therapist included her knowledge about some of the topics we were struggling with specifically, and her support when discussing difficult subjects.

Having a therapist that "eats, breathes, and sleeps" your case provides a lot of hope to struggling couples.

[Three benefits from your work with CTI:] Regulation of each other and time management of discussions, a therapist that understands and was able to discuss a difficult topic with my spouse that he has felt entirely alone on, and help to move forward on issues I have been struggling with regarding sexuality.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

I would encourage them to do so. It is amazing how much difference it makes when couples are able to communicate respectfully and effectively. We felt for the longest time that we were going "going in circles" during our discussions and never made any meaning.

Thank you for investing in our relationship. It means the world to us. Thank you for your dedication to couples everywhere.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

Before we contacted Couples Therapy Inc. our relationship was contentious and bordering on a separation.

We had tried couples therapy before but it was somewhat unsuccessful, I don't think we ever found a good match of a therapist.

We chose Couples Therapy Inc. because of the online reviews and the ability to concentrate significant work into a short period of time.

Angela was extremely prepared and stuck to her program without idle chatter.  There really isn't anything negative to say other then it's a long day. It was overall very intense but rewarding. We already seem to be communicating better, and surely have a deeper understanding of techniques to help us grow more together.

We have a better understanding of trust, openness, and honesty in our relationship.  Our intimacy has returned.  The dark cloud over our marriage seems to be clearing.

Angela knows her profession extremely well, and the intensive design of the program really gets to the core of whatever issues you may be experiencing in a timely, efficient manner.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

 JUST DO IT!

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Previous couples therapy was not helpful.

We felt consecutive hours might propel us to a faster resolution. It allowed for undivided attention to be focused on the relationship.

Scott Wolfe was impartial and helpful. Now we are seeing each others’ perspectives.

We have self-awareness, talking tools, 6-1 good conversations.

Online Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

Our relationship was terrible, core issues were trust and communication. We did therapy a couple of years ago, it was not successful. We chose CTI because we wanted consecutive sessions as to not lose track of topics by going to weekly therapy. There haven’t been any changes as of yet.

Angela was calm and direct which was appreciated. I’m not certain that I would recommend it [CTI].  It was helpful to get everything out in a faster manner however you think of additional topics that could have been spoken about afterward [when you get home]. I believe there could have been a bit more one-on-one time with the therapist as well as one-on-one time on the last day of the retreat.

Benefits were the consecutive hours to try and work things out, neither of us could leave until the day was over and the therapist was there as a referee.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Go into it knowing that the therapist is there for those couple days but to carry on the lessons is extremely difficult without someone being the referee.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was not in a good spot as we were dealing with issues of infidelity.

We had been in couples therapy with slow progression.

We needed a clear direction as to whether we were going to stay together or not.

Angela Voegele was very straight forward yet understanding. She was able to call each of us out for things. We weren't able to get away with poor habits and lack of responsibility. She treated each of us fairly but was straight forward.

I would recommend Angela to others. She was able to hone in on our issues and also see our strengths. She gave us real tools to improve and showed us the good we still have in our marriage.

We have better communication skills moving forward, we understand each other better and can have fruitful discussions that do no turn into arguments. We have hope for our future.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

They have proven techniques, tools, and skills that will benefit every couple. It goes beyond talk therapy to learning, practicing new skills, and growing in your marriage.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

We were not getting along very well, I was considering divorce, we were in crisis in terms of our relationship but hoping to be able to work it out and stay together.

We worked with two different therapists in the past and both times it was very helpful for us.

We wanted to get a lot of help in a short amount of time, so the intensive made sense to us. Also, we had done Gottman therapy in the past and that really worked well for us, and my individual therapist also recommended EFT [Emotionally-Focused Therapy].

I would’ve like to be able to start it sooner, I was worried we would be had a breaking point by the time we got to therapy.    

Jillyn was wonderful to work with. We both felt like she really listened to us and validated both of our perspectives. She was very skilled in translating for one another, getting to the root issue of our problems, and reinforcing our unique values and how that affects conflict in our marriage.

The step-by-step conversations for her navigating a conflict in the aftermath of an argument were very helpful. It was really helpful for Jillyn to jump in and tell us when we were going off track or criticizing, making assumptions, etc.

We feel much closer now, and hopeful again about our marriage. I feel more committed and I’m no longer considering divorce.

[We have] increased closeness, a better understanding of each other’s perspective, and tools to help with maintaining the positive aspects of our relationship

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

The intensive is a really great way to jumpstart therapy, especially for couples in crisis. However, for any couples with financial constraints this might be cost prohibitive. That was our one hesitation when signing up.

Jillyn Kaufman

We were arguing a lot without getting to resolutions.  Our arguments had become very intense, with yelling and walking away.

We did not have much success with therapy before. We tried two other therapists prior to this and did not gain any ground. This weekend really helped us.          

Our intention is to use the skills of checking in weekly, showing more appreciation and affection, going over exercises together, etc.           

Rebecca was absolutely amazing. She was easy to talk to. She was a great listener and very intuitive as to our needs. She interjected with great questions that helped us go deeper. 

I learned where my partner's anger was coming from, which is not where I thought it stemmed. I feel more connected to them. I have hope for our future as being a healthier couple. 

Advice to other couples…]be sure to do all of the work requested prior to the weekend. The more you put into it, the more you will gain. It is worthwhile!!

Rebecca Lanier

We picked Couples Therapy Inc based on the website and association with Gottman.

Dr. Arnold was so present and with us the whole way. Extremely knowledgeable.

It made such an impact on our relationship for the better. I can’t wait to continue sessions with Dr. Arnold. It was an amazing reset like we discovered each other all over again.

[Three benefits to our relationship;] stronger connection, building on communication, understanding each other and why we are the way we are.

Don’t hesitate, don’t walk… run.

Best decision you can make for your relationship.

Dr. Carolyn Arnold

Jenny Fang was amazing and she really helped us to gain perspective and redirection that we needed. We are so grateful for having the time with her.

Jenny Fang

Nancy was empathetic, genuine and a good listener. She made us both feel seen and was clear and convincing as she expressed faith in our ability to create a better future together.      

We have a clear plan to go forward for the next few months at least.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Take a chance on yourself and your future.

Dr. Nancy Garcia-Ruffin

Our relationship had a strong foundation weakened by distance created by geography and alcohol.

A friend had a great experience with your [CTI] team and I was impressed (in theory and, more importantly, in practice) by the data-informed intensive format.

My husband looked at himself, me, our relationship, and his alcoholism with open eyes and heart. The exercises and tools have been great. I felt a lot of hope for the first time in a year. 

I appreciated Dr. K’s directness and kindness rooted in starting our intensive with deep knowledge of me that felt spot-on based on the Big Big Book. I believe my husband felt the same, so it really clicked for us in real-time.

We now have an Ice-breaker/heart-opener within our relationship, professional understanding of how our histories and personalities could fit together more smoothly, and tools to guide how we work through our tough discussions.

There is still a lot of work to do, for sure, but now there's a path to follow, our path. I experience new revelations and reflections daily, about myself, my husband, my kids, and what I do or don't want in my life. I am looking myself squarely in the eye.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, already have.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Trust the process and believe that a skilled therapist equipped with an honest and full Big Big Book can help make a huge difference in a surprisingly short time.

Many thanks.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

Karen was wonderful. She created an excellent environment and provided wonderful guidance in our discernment/therapy. We made great strides in the one weekend that we had been trying to overcome for months.

Karen Levine

We were on the brink of divorce and previous couples therapy was not very effective. Couples Therapy Inc. practiced the Gottman Method and was science-based. 

Rebecca Lanier was non-biased and to the point. There is a method to the madness and it isn’t just you sharing your feelings while others share their untested opinion.

We are now turning towards more, understanding the hurt; it created a pathway toward forgiveness.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
The best thing you’ll ever do for your marriage.

Rebecca Lanier

Our marriage was terrible; near divorce.  This was our last chance, a Hail Mary.

Our daughter found you online; presented it as a last-ditch attempt that has worked for other couples.

Scott was our therapist and he was great – [partner’s name] and I had several tough moments during therapy that Scott was able to navigate.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Not sure - too early to tell, but we were in a very tough spot prior to therapy.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Would strongly recommend Couples Therapy Inc.

Las Vegas, Nevada Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

Our relationship before we contacted Couples Therapy Inc was in fight or flight mode. We had reached our breaking point and needed to make some serious changes and progress to continue as a couple. Lack of intimacy was a core issue that we needed to improve as well as learning how to communicate in an effective and meaningful way.

We had tried couples counseling and the experience was very disappointing.

We both liked the idea of an intensive weekend that would allow us to dig into deep issues without a lot of time going by in between sessions. We also liked the science based approach.

My hesitation was that it we would not make progress in our marriage and that it would push us further apart.

Dr. Johnson-Nelson was very intentional and was a great listener. She was good at helping us get to the core issues and understand each other better. From my point of view it was very emotional and Dr. Johnson was empathetic and compassionate. She checked in on how we were feeling often.

The hopeless feeling we both had about our relationship and the feeling that we lacked  the ability to make changes has become less of a constant feeling.

We gained skills to communicate and understand each other better. We have goals for our relationship and tools to help us reach those goals. We learned more about each other and became more empathetic.

I would recommend both our therapist and Couples Therapy Inc. Dr. Johnson is very knowledgeable in the Gottman method and good at getting to the root of an issue. They will not regret working with Couples Therapy Inc. No matter the outcome you will gain invaluable tools that will help you have a deeper connection and understanding to your partner.

Couples Retreat - Dr. Johnson-Nelson

Our relationship was almost to divorce before the intensive. We wanted to work on communication and trust.  

Our previous couples therapy was a religious program and not a very good experience for us.

The biggest hesitation was the cost and wondering if it would work for us.

Debbie Woodall-Carroll’s best skill I thought, was getting the information she needed out of us. The intensive was tough for me to let everything out.

I would recommend Debbie. She was patient and allowed us to talk to each other more than her which was very helpful.           

Our communication is getting better and identifying the Horsemen. We are turning toward each other, Affection

[To those considering an intensive] I would say don't hesitate!

Ohio - Debbie Woodall-Carroll

Our relationship was very close to ending. Our core issue involved intimacy and the ability to communicate about intimate feelings. I was desperate to save my marriage.

Years ago we tried traditional couples therapy and were frustrated at the length of time invested and the lack of success.

My wife chose your organization mainly because of the intensive weekend format and the direct approach. You are also well regarded by other counselors.

The specific issue causing our problems was confronted immediately. Both of us were assisted with a way to discuss the problem and come up with a plan of action. I am confident that we are moving forward together as a couple.

Angela was extremely easy to talk to about the most intimate of issues. She offered frank caring advice. She is an extremely considerate person.

The format allows a couple to “get down to business” and quickly focus on the problems. Angela has great expertise and provides practical advice.

I feel closer to my wife, there is virtually no tension when we talk, and we made passionate love.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

We needed affair recovery help, and our previous couples therapy was not helpful. 

Couples Therapy Inc had great reviews and a scientific process.

Catherine was amazing. We loved Catherine, from the peaceful environment to her honest and supportive manner, we both appreciated her. We’d love to continue to see her, but the cost is too high for us. We both feel they we’ve shared the hard things that were built up inside for a long time.

She is so understanding and no-nonsense.

Our communication has improved, our understanding of each other’s feelings, and respecting each other’s point of view

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Just do it if your marriage matters to you.

Anything else you’d like to add?      

I wish they’d accept insurance.

From Dr. K:

It isn't up to us. Insurance doesn't cover couples therapy, it only covers diagnosable mental disorders as the focus of treatment.  You can read more about that here.

Catherine Pfuntner

Previous couples therapy had been helpful in the past, but progress was inconsistent and providers struggled with our complicated dynamic.

I wanted an intensive 2:1 setting that was structured and could look at the whole picture.

I was concerned that it this intensive wouldn't get into the core issues.

Diane Foy was patient and assertive. I appreciated her insight. We now have increased language and communication to help solve problems.

 I would recommend CTI to others, although I think for us, further work will be needed. Learning and knowing that my partner has a disorganized attachment style is helpful. I would like more guidance or follow-up/treatment plan on how to help heal and work through that.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Be open-minded, honest and willing to do the work.

Minneapolis, Minnisota - Diane Foy

My wife and I had two large perpetual issues, but we did not have the correct language to describe it that way.

Dr. Kathy McMahon seemed like she would be a one-stop shop for us.

We were hesitant because of the cost, travel, and time away from kids.

We now have the language and roadmap to start working with each other to solve our problems.

I loved Dr. K’s expertise in Sex Therapy, Peak Oil, and Gottman. She was awesome! She definitely converted me to Gottman, and she tailored our time together to my needs. I would definitely recommend Dr. Kathy McMahon and Couples Therapy.  I am convinced that the Gottman Institute techniques used are the best available anywhere.

My wife and I have a language now, such as flooded and perpetual problems, which describes what we are experiencing  We have a roadmap to deal with our perpetual problems.  We experienced a deep connection during our weekend intensive visit.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

It is definitely worth your marriage to take a weekend to learn the tools available from Couples Therapy Inc, and to get personal attention tailored to your situation.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

I appreciate very much Angela's efforts with my spouse and I during this past week. These sessions opened my eyes to many of the marriage issues between us and I believe they helped deepen our love and commitment to one another.

Also, the sessions were not as hard as I expected them to be.

Angela is that reason. Her patience, softness and her understanding helped to bring us together and enabled us to see for ourselves what is most important in our lives and marriage. 

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

We were on the brink of divorce. Barely speaking. I was afraid there was no hope and couples therapy would solidify that. I had brought my partner to my individual therapist. It was not successful. I found it hard to talk about my past. Dr. Gorman was amazing, nonjudgmental, and was able to help us open up and be honest with each other in safe environment. We are able to understand the other person better and have new tools to keep us from attacking when we are angry or withdrawn.

My husband and I are able to identify the triggers in our relationship, we can communicate without fear and we now have options to help us calm down and focus on what is important. Thank you, Dr. Gorman. You are a wonderful person and the best therapist we have ever met. I am so grateful for your expertise and patience. Our New Year is filled with hope and love.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

We were lost, confused and very frustrated. This was our first time with couples therapy.

We were afraid of the reality that it was possible we were not good for each other.

Jenny was very direct.  She seemed to really understand us as individuals and as a couple.

I felt we were enlightened.  It was a breath of fresh air to truly understand what our issues were and how we can go about repairing our relationship. We now have (1) better communication skills, (2) a better understanding of spouse, and (3) refreshed hope of a long-lasting marriage

Jenny Fang was truly a blessing when we needed it most.  My wife and I were on the verge of separation and after our weekend we are stronger than ever. 

I highly recommend CTI.  I couldn't imagine a better way to gather the tools to work on a successful relationship

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

 You have absolutely nothing to lose.  At very least you will get a lot of questions answered in regards to how you and your spouse are feeling and where they are coming from.

Orange County California Couples Retreat - Jenny Fang

We were at the point of possibly breaking up. We chose instead to double down on our efforts to salvage our relationship and needed lots of help repairing trust and actually re-committing

We had several years of bi-weekly sessions that sometimes slowed the progress of our deterioration and sometimes provided almost no relief and sometimes actually exacerbated our core issues

We liked the more definitive approach at Couples Therapy Inc and the approach that the BIG BIG book could take. We believed that our core issues were not unique and were very likely the same types of issues that lots of couples have. We thought that if this were the case that there must be some basic recipes for us to follow to better enjoy our relationship and to find more success in partnering. 

Frankly, the financial commitment was my hesitation. It was a significant commitment but after floundering with piecemeal solutions offered by inexperienced counselors we felt that our relationship deserved the investment.

First of all, Dr. Gorman was awesome. Second of all, she was very focused on both of us. She did not show favorites and she did not lose interest or show disdain for any of these issues that we brought to her. In spite of the fact that in her decades of experience, she likely has heard this same story time and time again. My experience with her was that she really kept me on track. The intensity of my situation with my spouse could really get me revved up at times as if I was spinning out of control. Dr. Gorman seemed to have a real talent at being able to stop me from spinning out of control while also allowing me to share when it was "on track". 

We reconnected in a way we hadn't in years. We both seemed to have several "ah-ha" moments where things just clicked. We found out that we weren't uniquely unqualified to be married. In fact, our huge arguments have always been about some pretty basic, very human, and very forgivable issues around ourselves.

We were shown practical tools that we could take individually as well as a couple. After years of trying and asking the needing, we were sick of platitudes and temporary solutions.  We feel connected in a way that we haven't in years.  Lastly, we feel really safe now knowing that we have a place and a program that we can turn to should things go off the rails again.

It was really disturbing to us both to feel like there was no answers to our problems. We now know that there are answers in that it will take work but that if we want to find the answers and to solve our problems there is a way because honestly we didn't get married for nothing.  We got married because we loved each other. We're going to stay married, at least for now, because we found that we still love each other and now we know there is a way to be married. That's better than the way we were shown by our parents. Things have changed from when they were married and we needed to find a different way to be married than the way we were shown by our parents.

Dr. Gorman was awesome and allowing us to kind of realize this in an organic fashion and to come to the realization that we really wanted to succeed and that there was a way we could do that.     

I would tell other couples that in spite of the length, the weekend seems to fly by and I can't imagine how my wife and I would stay together without the learning what we learned from Dr. Gorman.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

Our relationship was hopeful but struggling, our communication skills were severely lacking.       

We have tried couples therapy before and it we both walked away from that experience unhappy.           

I liked that Jenny Fang used a variety of techniques in her couples counselling, that she identified with a minority family of origin similar to our own, she was a good listener, knew when to dig deeper and when to let issues sit. She is friendly and made us both feel comfortable and accountable to one another without feeling like she was "joining sides".

The questionnaire is VERY extensive, and for couples serious about wanting a change, it allows your therapist to get the big picture on who you are before you start your intensive. The full-day sessions were really great to dig deeper into issues that we couldn't address in shorter sessions.

List 3 benefits: A more clear understanding of how past experiences shaped us and how that impacts us now.  Hope that these past wirings can be changed so that things don't have to stay the same in the future. Time away together in the intensive reminds us that there is still something there.

Honestly I feel it is too early to say what changes have resulted, she has given us tools which we have implemented in our relationship to talk more and listen more. We are working with these tools and seeing how to best fit them into our day to day practice. 

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would for sure recommend our therapist, she was amazing.  I am not sure if I would recommend Couple Therapy Inc. to my Canadian friends, only because of the charges being in U.S. dollars.  The service was great and prompt but the exchange rate currently is challenging.

I would recommend that specific information is provided to couples based on which country they are taking their intensive from so that is the most relevant to their situation. ie. the sheet provided on medical reimbursement of sessions sounded quite harsh to someone accustomed to Canadian medical.

 

Note from the director: Thank you for providing this feedback on our communication, we clearly had an opportunity to improve and have since made adjustments to how pricing is communicated. (Jessica)

Jenny Fang

Our relationship is long standing and committed but we have significant communication issues that get in the way of loving each other.

We have worked with 4 different counselors.  We are very connected to our current counselor.

My wife found this concept [intensive weekend therapy] and she was very frustrated with the state of our relationship.

[My hesitation was] the cost and the time over one weekend and the ability for it to actually make a difference for us.

Dr Mike McNulty is an exceptional therapist. He was kind, extremely insightful and fully tuned into us over the entire weekend. [We have] new learning about ourselves, new tools and a new resource to use going forward

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?

Absolutely - especially with Mike McNulty, It's a big investment of time and money but if you fully commit to the process, it will be helpful.

Couples Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

We have a solid relationship however, we are currently dealing with a major business-related issue which brought to the surface communication issues and emotional betrayal within the relationship. This situation has caused several escalating arguments between us and that was the reason we choose an ICR [Intensive Couples Retreat.]

We hadn't done any type of couples therapy before and we definitely learned a lot about ourselves, each other and how we needed to alter our communications.

What made you choose Couples Therapy Inc.?

We felt like we needed a quick fix for our problem.

What I liked best was that Patricia could tell when we need to dig deeper into an issue and we would spend the time doing that deeper work and we gained clarification and understanding around these issues that were caustic to our relationship.

We were able to get into a session within a month’s time, we gained improved communication skills, and we understand our deeper issues within our current situation. We enjoyed working with Patricia and we plan to continue to see her monthly for now.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

If you truly want to improve your relationship and you are will to do the work than this type of therapy will definitely help.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

We had trust and intimacy issues. I was afraid there would be no resolution and tension for the entire weekend.

Instead, we have hope, a restored trust, and a plan.

Angela was patient and just very effective at getting us to recognize issues.

I'd like to have refresher weekends on an annual basis.

 

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

How would you describe your relationship before you contacted Couples Therapy Inc.? What were the core issues you wanted to improve?           

Struggling to hear each other

What made you choose Couples Therapy Inc.?       

Research. Wanted intensive but not group

What hesitation did you have about starting couples therapy with us?   

If my husband would be able to communicate

What changes in your relationship resulted from your work with Couples Therapy Inc.?           

Understanding, connection, communication and resolution of ongoing conflict.

What therapeutic skills stood out for you while working with this therapist? What was it like to participate in an intensive with them from your side of the couch?        

Diane Foy was patient, supportive and still directive which helped us be successful.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes!!! If you are ready to do work, it is the perfect model to do it!

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc.?  

A way to address any conflict/focusing on positive/seeing my partner’s intentions

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

If you are willing to be real and honest, it will we be life changing!

Anything else you’d like to add?      

Thank you to Diane for matching with each of us in a way we needed to be open and honest with each other!

Minneapolis, Minnisota - Diane Foy

How would you describe your relationship before you contacted Couples Therapy Inc.? What were the core issues you wanted to improve?           

Sexuality and connectedness 

Have you tried couples therapy before? If so, what was your experience?          

No

What changes in your relationship resulted from your work with Couples Therapy Inc.?           

180 degrees

Who was your couples therapist here at Couples Therapy Inc.?   

Angela Voegele

What therapeutic skills stood out for you while working with this therapist? What was it like to participate in an intensive with them from your side of the couch?        

Like working with a jedi master

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Do it

Anything else you’d like to add?      

We need to stick to our commitments following the session

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

After researching other couples therapy I believed you [CTI] were our best chance as a couple

[Our work with CTI] opened up our communication and provided tools to assist in communicating and connecting

Dr. Wolfe had the ability to work on most important issues but there was not enough time to get into other issues. The intensive therapy and questionnaire cut through months of weekly therapy before getting to the heart of issues.

This work opened up communication with my spouse, provided tools to improve connecting with my spouse, and showed me that my spouse cares.

This approach gets to the point. You start working on your issues much sooner than weekly therapy, which can be a benefit depending on the couple’s issues.

My only wish was that the Friday session was a little longer and included the individual sessions, so that on Saturday you can start running.

___________________

We intentionally end Friday night focused on memories of your early relationship that we hope will spark pleasant bonding. For many couples, it might be the first time they've thought about these "better times" in many years. After a night's rest, the individual sessions help you approach your problems with (hopefully) fresh insight. This is our thinking...

Las Vegas, Nevada Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

We were on the brink of divorce and had trust, infidelity, communication, partnership issues. My husband thought we couldn't possibly benefit from just three days. Marisa was down to earth, genuine, kind, nonjudgmental, a good listener, creative, funny, sincere, caring, compassionate. I feel like she was truly partnering with us to save our relationship. She showed that she cared about us early on and seemed to have a vested interest in seeing us succeed together and to learn to love each other better than we ever thought was possible.

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

We were stuck. We were recovering from the damage caused by cheating and had worked for years with various therapists to sort it all out, but couldn't get past some key issues that had created the atmosphere that allowed it to happen. Some was helpful, but it eventually got to the point that we weren't making any progress. 

We needed something to get us unstuck and an intensive seemed like the most likely option. We chose CTI because we were able to find a therapist who was more mature and also had some background in sex addiction.

Angela helped me re-frame how I see my husband in regard to sex; that a healthy sexual relationship requires work and he's the perfect partner, in many ways, with whom to explore. I liked that she's older than us and has more life experience; that she could understand the phase of life we're in and help us see what might be important as we get older. 

I appreciated the ability to do an intensive and move forward in a meaningful way in such a short amount of time. The key, however, is being sure the therapist is a good match.

I understand that seeking sex outside my marriage won't be meaningful, that I have a better chance of finding good sex with my husband, and that we have an overall solid relationship that would be a shame to throw away. 

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Make sure you talk to the therapist before committing to the whole thing - it would be a total waste of money if it wasn't a good fit.

 

From our Director, Jessica Hufnagle: This is excellent advice, while all our therapists are highly experienced and qualified “fit” is important and it’s personal. This is why we require all potential clients to have a no-obligation phone call with their selected therapist prior to scheduling an intensive.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was a disaster, lack of communication and trust. Our previous therapy was completely unsuccessful. Angela was excellent and very good at listening and understanding. We have more understanding of; our behavior, that we are both at fault, and how to communicate with each other.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

BEST CHOICE YOU CAN MAKE.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was distant, and no longer felt like a partnership. I wanted to find our way back to each other, if possible.

The ability to have an intensive weekend was attractive, as I didn't think we could get to the core issues with a once-a-week format.

I was eager but anxious about the weekend format, as I knew it would be emotionally intense. Having said that, I knew the long sessions would be better because we could really get to the issues and not have to stop after 50 minutes.

Dr. Mike McNulty was able to really communicate an understanding of each person in the couple, and I felt great support during the sessions. He notices complex dynamics between people, especially nonverbal, and addresses them in a very helpful way.

He is kind, very sharp and creates a safe space for communication.

I was able to express myself to my spouse in ways that I hadn't been able to before and I'm glad about that.

The Big Big Book helped me better understand our relationship - even before the weekend started. I was able to express myself to my spouse better than I have in years. I felt supported by everyone I've encountered at CTI, from the initial phone call to the scheduler to the therapist.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Do it, without hesitation. Even though I don't know how things will end up relationship-wise, it was absolutely worth the financial, emotional and time commitment.

Evanston & Highland Park, Illinois Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

I wished to restore my trust in my partner and our relationship and also improve our communication skills. I believed communication or lack thereof was the core issue in our broken relationship.

We have not had couples therapy before and I have to share that it was absolutely amazing and eye opening on how helpful and useful therapy can be. I would whole heartedly recommend therapy, specifically with CTI, to any couple that is struggling or even not struggling

I did not have any hesitations. I was however slightly skeptical of the effectiveness of therapy that is based on scientific evidence conducted in a controlled environment. I realized after therapy that my skepticism was unfounded.

Our communication is like night and day and that is very refreshing. I do not shy away from complaints and from expressing my emotions and thoughts. My partner is more comfortable talking to me without fear of stonewalling her. We seem to be getting connected again to a different level than before. Our sexual life appears to be a lot more healthier as well.

The Big Big Book stood out to me as, although long, it in itself provided valuable therapy. I was surprisingly very comfortable opening up about my relationship issues and my personal issues with my therapist. Also Dr. Kathy McMahon’s use of the Gottman principles was on point.

I would recommend CTI with no reservations, simply because I witness first hand the positive results. I can attest personally to how it help us in the darkest hour of our relationship. I believe any couple would benefit from therapy in general, but our therapist at CTI was nothing short of a true expert and a skilled therapist. I cannot thank you enough!

[Name 3 benefits of your weekend…] 1-Great tools to repair our relationship and regain trust in a shorter amount of time. 2- Better communication skills for the future of our relationship. 3- A reminder of our fondness and admiration for each other. And I'll add a 4-  more sex ;-).   

I you are seriously committed to saving or repairing or improving your relationship then I would not look further then using Couples Therapy Inc. Even though it was our first couples' therapy, we did our research and interviews, and CTI was our first choice without hesitation.

I will be forever grateful to Dr. McMahon for her time with us. It was truly a blessing to have had that opportunity. I also would like to thank the Client Services Manager, Olivia Meissner, for her professionalism and her help throughout the process. Finally, even though the Big Big Book could be stressful or seemingly long at times, I found myself feeling excited and looking forward to getting back to it after each time I took a break.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

We needed help managing conflict.

We had tried several different couples therapy previously with limited success and not lasting.

We were recommended to look into an intensive session thinking that issues need more than an hour to get to the heart of the matter.

Dr. Mike is an incredible therapist and teacher. He drew upon many different skills to assist our sessions. He was incredibly skilled at staying present with the emotions that came up and patient with each of us so we could stay on the topic and go deeper.  He was also very empathic.

 I would definitely recommend Couples Therapy Inc.

I saw my partner in a different light and was able to set aside fear for a brief time.  I gained hope that if we both took responsibility to use the tools we can feel good.  I learned that this needs constant attention and to seek help when stuck. Don't let fear keep you from seeing your partner for who they want to be seen as.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

If you are considering it, deep down you hold a lot of love for your partner and sharing that is worth the investment of time and money.  You will learn a lot about yourself too. A gifted therapist who can help you is hard to find.  Keep searching until you do.

Evanston & Highland Park, Illinois Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

Before CTI we were a 4 out of 10. After the intensive, we're at about a 7 out of 10 now with hope for even better.

Marissa Mundey was great we have a better understanding of each other.

I'd say 'Give it a shot.'

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

Thank you so much Marisa!! I can’t stop taking about how good our session was with you!! It’s already made a big difference!! Thanks again for your great advice and suggestions! I was really dreading it, but came out feeling much better not only with my marriage, but about myself.

It was truly a great experience! Thank you for all your suggestions and helping us “reconnect” with each other. It’s nice to know we are “normal” and hearing good things goes a long way!

Being a “words of affirmation” guy, believe me, it goes A LONG WAY!!!!

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

I was dissatisfied in our relationship because I wanted a deeper connection with my husband.

We had tried previous couples therapy at that point becaise we were fighting and were unaligned. That experience taught us how to move through conflict.

We reached out to Couples Therapy Inc because I was curious about the Gottman Method.

Karen is warm, and objective, and has a quality of neutrality that allowed both of us to feel free to vocalize our feelings and be honest.       

I would recommend her because I think the tools are very useful. The intensive almost felt like a training in how to do marriage more than therapy!

The tools were great, we used the State of the Union last night and had a very good conversation. I also like the Stress-Reducing Conversation tool. We also came up with a code word to alert the others that they are not quite paying close enough attention.

Karen Levine

Our relationship was rocky.  There was very little physical contact and a lot of misunderstanding between us.  

We had been to five different therapists before trying CTI. No one could “crack the code”.

We did a lot research in our desperate search for someone who might have answers.  We chose CTI because we wanted a therapist who dealt specifically with sex. The fear that just like everyone else we tried, you wouldn’t have the answer to out issues either. 

Kathy McMahon basically saved our marriage. Her vast knowledge of exactly what our issue was was life-changing.  She had a no-nonsense yet caring approach that worked perfectly for us.  What we heard was hard to digest but she gave us the exact tools we needed to get through it.  The examples she was able to share with us because she had worked with so many other couples in our situation were the most helpful for us.

We are more physical than ever. We are also communicating in a more mutually respectful way. I actually feel love from my husband. I actually look forward to seeing him every day which was not the case before our intensive. I went home feeling completely different about my husband than how I felt the day we arrived.           

I would definitely recommend CTI to any couple who is on the verge of giving up on their marriage. I honestly felt like there was no hope for my marriage. I had given up on the idea that things could change. We had been let down so many times by other therapists over the past 15 years. I was not very hopeful when we walked into Dr. K’s office.

In the first 20 minutes of our first session she had “cracked the code” of our problem. I was in so much shock yet so grateful and relieved that she had the answer to why things had been the way they were for our entire relationship.  We spent the next two days learning the tools we needed to deal with our issue.

Dr. K saved our marriage. 

She saved my sanity. I thought I was going crazy because I had been trying to figure out what was wrong for almost two decades and had failed over and over. She was so knowledgeable in the areas we needed to work on. Her help was a true Godsend. I am so thankful to her for giving me the gift of falling in love with my husband. 

I just want to say thank you again to Dr. K for what she did not only for my marriage but for me as a person. I will never be the same. She saved our marriage and she saved me. She is an incredible doctor. I would do her intensive all over again in a second. 

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

This is so worth it.  It may seem so intimidating but it will be the best thing you do for your relationship.  If you are at the end of your rope, don’t give up.  CTI WILL help you.  Your relationship will never be the same.

Boston - Dr. K

We were stuck – a sexless marriage with growing resentment.

We tried therapy in the past, but looking back he never focused on the lack of intimacy as one of the potential missing links (why things might be stuck, to begin with).  these sessions did. I think our sexless marriage issue has been brought forward as one of the core reasons as to why we are having more issues with each other.

Angela really was the right person for us - I think it's her own experience that makes you sit back and listen (reassuring);  she doesn't force doctrine down your throat and she kept making us look back at some basic issues we have that are probably the reason for all of the current troubles - stuff we brought up and then she made us think about as to why.  She also kept the TO DO LIST basic and straight forward - it's work, but reasonable work and if keep at it you will get there.

Angela was very good at letting each of us talk but then getting us to re-align with the topic/issue.  very good at making sure we understand you can be critical but how you say it is key - soften the wording. you are not the only people with these type of problems and you need to put time aside to work on you and us and then the kids

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Be ready for some hurt - not by the session, but what it stirs up in you - it makes you look back at your actions and words. I think I would recommend her without a problem - but it's super important, and we were lucky my wife made sure, she was the right person for us and our current issues.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

We were like room mates who didn’t get along. We had no emotional connection, rarely agreed on anything and needed to address the break down of our marriage.

We had tried couples therapy before, and it was positive, and Gottman-focused, but didn’t last. We talked through our problems but not how to do things differently.

Dr. McNulty is exceptional and has a vast toolbox to pull from when working with each of us as individuals and as a couple. He is deeply familiar with the science, evidence-based methods that help couples succeed, but not just one of them, ALL of them. He is a kind man, brilliant and effective.

We are now understanding the importance of friendship in marriage. Learning how to work through issues in a positive, constructive manner. We also know now the need for daily connection.

Dr. Mike McNulty is the most gifted therapist we have ever worked with.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

It is an investment worth making.

Online Couples Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

We wanted to take a minute to let CTI know how fabulous Dr Herdani is, she truly saved our marriage. Her approach was exactly what we needed and she presented it with such kindness and expertise. She was so accommodating to our different styles of communication and did it all while making us feel comfortable and heard. I can't recommend her enough.

Dr. Eliane Herdani

How would you describe your relationship before you called Couples Therapy Inc.? What were the core issues you wanted to improve?

Our relationship was on the rocks. After a second incident of cheating, we wanted to find out if we could mend our relationship, stop avoiding conflict, and learn to let each other in.

What hesitation did you have about starting couples therapy with us?

Honestly, the expense. It's a lot of money to put into something that you're not sure will work and to meet with someone you've never met.

What changes resulted in your marriage/relationship from your work with Couples Therapy Inc.?

I think it was really beneficial for us to just clear the air and talk about all the things we had been avoiding. Dr. McNulty is very skilled and he was able to pick things out that we needed to talk about that we weren't even really aware of. He also made sure to spend a good deal of time taking us through skill building segments that would help us in the future, and that we've continued to focus on using after we got home. Since we got home our communication has been much better and we've been feeling much more affectionate towards each other. I finally feel like we've figured some things out!

Had you considered or tried couples therapy before? If so, how successful or unsuccessfully was it?

Yes. For a few years we had been trying couple's counseling with a few different counselors. We had (have) real avoidance issues and we haven't ever found a counselor who could see through the facade and force us to talk about things we needed to talk about.

What specific qualities did you like most and least about working with this therapist?

We really liked Dr. McNulty a lot. He was easy to talk to, listened very well, and was able to see through to our issues quickly. I particularly appreciated his skill in talking 'for us' - helping to translate feelings and positions that we were having trouble articulating. I also feel grateful for his skill and interest in working with my spouse and his profession - he was able to see what issues might arise as a result of his job and how it would affect our relationship. My spouse was able to have a great individual session with Dr. McNulty due to this and his knowledge about the profession really was able to impact our weekend in a helpful way.

I think the only thing that could be a little distracting was that his office is in an old building and the heat fluctuated - but this didn't really detract much. Overall, Evanston is a great place to visit and we were within walking distance of everything. There are tons of restaurants, shopping opportunities and things to do.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes - I would. I think that this was the first time that we both felt like couples counseling really had the impact we wanted it to, and we both feel very hopeful for our future now.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples therapy Inc?

I would say that the long days were really great - draining, but great. We spent a few hours talking just about one particular issue - something we could have never done in traditional counseling. The second benefit was knowing we were going to see Dr. McNulty, and knowing that this was his area of expertise. We felt more confident knowing that we'd get some real help after researching him online. The third benefit was that this was the first weekend in a long time that we had taken away from our house and our pets and gotten away together. Even though the days were long and draining, going out to eat together afterwards and walking around Evanston was fun and recharging, and we were able to do it together.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you! We really benefited from the weekend and we are glad we did it.

Evanston & Highland Park, Illinois Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

¿Cómo describirías tu relación antes de contactar a Couples Therapy Inc.? ¿Cuáles fueron los problemas centrales que quería mejorar?

Mi relación antes de empezar con la terapia no era buena

Había un gran problema de confianza y eso era lo que queríamos mejorar

¿Qué te hizo elegir Couples Therapy Inc.?

Mi esposa me comentó sobre la terapia de parejas y acepté porque quería conservar mi matrimonio

¿Qué dudas tuvo sobre comenzar la terapia de pareja con nosotros?

Al principio no estaba seguro si podría ayudar la terapia porque en mi país no hay cultura de hacer terapia para la pareja

¿Quién fue su terapeuta de parejas aquí en Couples Therapy Inc.?

Dr Heide Rodríguez Ubiñas

¿Qué habilidades y habilidades específicas te gustaron más o menos sobre trabajar con este terapeuta? ¿Cómo fue trabajar con ellos?

Trabajar con la doctora nos ayudo mucho ella es muy profesional y tiene un gran conocimiento, nos dio muchas herramientas para aplicarlas en nuestra relación como , conocer el lenguaje de amor de la pareja y hablar su idioma

¿Recomendaría a su terapeuta de parejas y Couples Therapy Inc.? Si es así, ¿por qué? ¿Si no, porque no?

Si recomiendo esta terapia de pareja porque de verdad sus doctores están bien preparados y serán de gran ayuda si la pareja de verdad quiere conservar su matrimonio

¿Qué tres beneficios resultaron de trabajar con Couples therapy Inc.?

La confianza , comunicación, respeto

¿Qué le dirías a las parejas que están considerando trabajar con Couples Therapy Inc.?

Si de verdad quieren y están interesados  en que funcione su relación de pareja , no tengan miedo abrir su corazón y mente y estén abiertos a aprender y ponner en práctica todo lo que aprendan

¿Algo más que quieras agregar?

Escuchen a su pareja

San Juan Puerto Rico Couples Retreat - Dr. Rodriguez

Our relationship has been very strained. We had lost a sense of goodwill and we were not able to resolve conflicts or do any repair work. Much revolved around my Aspergers limitations. Our house was full of poop.

I have done a lot of individual work and we had a few couples sessions about 3 years ago.

Couples Therapy Inc. was recommended by AANE.org, Grace Myhill.

Kathy readily put me at ease and served as a mediator to help each of us see the other's perspective and get in their shoes. She was awesome. 

I felt she explained how my partner has been grieving and that is why she has been so angry and resentful. How I can self-monitor myself to respond with empathy. Also practical follow-up steps for me and for us. What she applies to help us is science-based and will make sense as well as be effective.

Initially, we had a restart that I felt lasted a week. We are back with the tension and "poop" yet I feel strongly Kathy gave us the insights and tools to work on this. We are struggling again and if we do end our relationship it is NOT due to the effectiveness of the couples therapy.

Boston - Dr. K

This was our first time in couples therapy, we were hesitant because we thought that it would be a “bash the husband" session.

Since our work with Couples Therapy Inc. we are talking again and connecting daily about the little things. Three benefits that we have experienced; communication, love life, and addressing the issues we both had.

Marisa was fantastic!

She was very bi-partisan and listened to both of our issues. She gave great suggestions on how we can improve our marriage. Marisa is a great therapist and really helped both of us get through this rough patch.

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

We were on the brink of divorce. We needed help managing conflict, expectations, and honoring agreements made.         

Previous couples therapy was helpful, but the short nature of the sessions left a lot of work for us to do on our own, and my husband needs more guidance from a third party.

We chose Couples Therapy Inc because it is rooted in science, evidence-based practices (Gottman). The intensive nature of it was necessary, and there was a great therapist near us. 

Karen listened with intention and was able to help us dig deeper and listen for understanding better than we have together before. Her assessment of us as people and how that impacts our marriage was important. I prefer the intensive format to standard sessions.

Not sure what changes have happened yet, but hopefully, we'll be clearly communicating, agreeing on expectations, and holding to them without or with reduced appearances by the four horsemen.           

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc.?  

  1. Having my husband explore neurodivergency for himself. 2. Relating childhood traumas to current behaviors 3. A clear path of exercises and behaviors to practice moving forward

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, but it's expensive. If you have the means, it's amazing, and I'd honestly do it routinely as maintenance. However, due to the expense, it's probably only realistic if it really stuck.           

Karen was wonderful to work with, and I really appreciate her help.

Karen Levine

It was in an extremely fragile state. We were existing together, nothing more. Our core issues were respect, communication, and understanding.

We tried couples therapy before, but it only created more frustration and division.

We liked Couples Therapy Inc for the use of the Gottman Method and reviews.

Honestly, the cost [made us pause].

Dr. Alexis Johnson-Nelson’s ability to comprehend our issues, validate our individual concerns, and give us the tools needed to improve as one. She was amazing in both of our opinions. She made us both remember our "why," which is what we had forgotten.

We are more open and honest with one another. It's more about how we say it versus what we say, and we're listening to one another now, allowing us to re-create a safe space in our union. We're becoming more intentional in our actions.

I would highly recommend working with Dr. Johnson-Nelson & Couples Therapy. She opened our eyes to the fact that "life" had affected our love, and we are actively implementing to toolkit she gave us to continue to work on us.

It's pricey, but one’s marriage is an investment. Investing in Couples Therapy was worth it for us.

Anything else you’d like to add?

If there was a way for 2 or 3 follow-up sessions to be included in the original price, I believe it would prove beneficial for the average working family. I enjoyed working with our therapist, but the cost of preventative maintenance sessions had to take a back seat to other things. Or if those sessions could be covered by insurance, that would help as well.

From Dr. K

We're always trying to find better ways to offer effective follow-up care. Remember, the "Inbox Intensive" is offered free to couples who complete the intensive. It also has a built-in "Relapse Check-in" that helps you to know when to seek out follow-up care. You may not need it, but this will tell you if you do! Be sure to look for that invitation in your email box. Also, keep in mind that our follow-ups are 80 minutes and are highly tailored to your particular needs. Your therapist has spent a weekend with you and can quickly focus on the issues and skills that are most important to work on during this precious follow-up time.

Finally, couples therapy is not covered by the vast majority of plans. Any therapist who says they'll accept your insurance will provide it in brief 45-50 minute sessions and label one of you as having a mental health issue. That doesn't work for most couples, as they often come in labeling each other! 

Always consult with your couples therapist regarding your options if follow-up care is warranted. She's an excellent resource.

Couples Retreat - Dr. Johnson-Nelson

We were in dire straits. I wanted the verbal abuse to cease and I was concerned that my husband would not respect the therapist. We had been to couples therapy before, and it was not successful in teaching us tools that we could use. I liked the fact that Dr. K was not afraid to take on our strong personalities even when it was uncomfortable.

Would you recommend Couples Therapy Inc?

Yes, a million times.

What changes resulted?

Renewed hope

Plan of action

Clarity

We are both hopeful and we have a plan.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

We had difficulties with communication, conflict avoidance

Our previous couples therapy was helpful at the time but didn't leave us with many tools.           

Kathy McMahon (Dr. K) was very thoughtful and very direct. It was a difficult, intense experience but necessary, I think. 

I think we have more compassion for each other and are aware that we both want to work on our relationship. 

I think the format (marathon couples therapy) is great for busy people who are feeling stuck.     

It's efficient. You'll learn a lot in a short period of time. I would say that your issues won't necessarily be resolved once you're finished. 

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc.?  

1) It gave me a clearer view of our problems.  The focus on conflict avoidance was eye-opening.  2) It helped me to see that he still values our relationship.  3) It gave us some moments of intimacy and understanding. 

Boston - Dr. K

Our relationship was strained. We were trying to reconcile after a long affair.

This was our first experience with couples therapy. We liked the fact that we could be intensively focused on us for an entire weekend. We are busy people and this worked well for us.

I was nervous about opening up to a stranger about the intricacies of our marriage. I was ashamed that we were even in this situation in the first place.

Eliane Herdani was very kind. She spoke with compassion for our situation and allowed us space to be vulnerable with each other. Eliane gave us communication tools to help in the future.

We are more patient with each other. We allow emotions to occur in safe spaces. He recognizes my anger and sadness and helps us work through those times. We talk more about how we are feeling. We listen to what the other has to say before starting our own conversation. We understand our pasts better to help us move into our future

This was a great experience for us. Eliane is amazing and we really connected with her. We were able to explore our entire lives, from childhood to present day in a way that was comforting and safe. We plan to do intensives again in the future. To help build on what we already have achieved.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Take the entire weekend. Do not attempt to do this right down the street and return home each evening to the stress of kids and family life. Travel to your intensive. Turn it into a weekend getaway. So that you can focus 100% on each other. Yes, this is expensive. But in my opinion, worth it in every way.

Dr. Eliane Herdani

Our core issue was mainly to learn how to deal with conflict. Previous therapy experience was not successful. A psychologist recommended Couples Therapy Inc.

We finished the Couple's Retreat 4 days ago and we are already seeing changes!

Angela Voegele is excellent, very experienced and very understanding of the issues that needed to be tackled. I would be very glad to recommend Angela Voegele not only because she is an effective therapist but because she is also an expert in the Gottman Method for couples.  Her training, experience, and skills to deal with problems is remarkable!  I have never seen a therapist that was so skillful and strategic in dealing with difficult people.

My husband and I know more about each other now.  We learned real tools to help us to deal with anger and also to find solutions. I have never run into a therapist of this category. Angela is an excellent, sensitive and awesome therapist!  After doing the 2-day Retreat, I have hope again in my marriage.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

I wish I would have done it before.  You will not regret it.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our marriage was headed for the exit ramp - each of us unsure whether we wanted to continue the relationship. This was a last ditch effort for a course correction. The primary issues seen as marriage killers were both communication and conflict resolution.

Each [previous couples therapy] experience was worse than the last. The therapists guessed their way to a diagnosis using their proprietary template as an overlay to diagnose our challenges and treatment. All of these attempts were very ineffective.

[This time] I started narrowing the field of therapists ensuring that the Gottman method was not just known to them, but well-practiced. Proximity was the next priority because I believed that face-to-face was our best option. Rebecca Lanier was not only one of the closer therapists with this background/experience, but she exhibited confidence within our pre-call.

Rebecca was both tactful and direct within our interaction. It was clear that although there was an agenda for the weekend, she was re-shaping that agenda to suit our needs in-the-moment during the weekend - just what I'd hoped for.    

We're only one day out, but there's a different attitude and confidence we both have for the future of our marriage. We possess the tools needed to make our marriage better aligned to both our individual expectations.

Rebecca is both kind and direct. She pulled and nudged us onto a better path. We'll be seeing her again!

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Lay your soul bare - don't hold back. If you don't risk all, the potential reward may slip through your fingers.

Rebecca Lanier

We were in a place after 20 years of marriage where we weren’t understanding one another and were considering divorce.

We had done therapy one other point in our marriage, and had a good experience but never with Couples Therapy Inc.

We chose Couples Therapy because of Doug’s years of experience and because he is Christian based. We were hesitant due to a fear of judgment and getting someone who didn’t get our issues.

Doug helped us to find ways to understand one another, and to know that we were both trying to accomplish the same things but with different approaches. We learned to be on the same team.

Doug was understanding, non-judgmental and related everything we did back to a biblical basis, which was so beneficial for us. The videoed fight was eye-opening and good to see. It made our issues easier to see.

I would recommend Doug and actually have already to a few close friends and family. I would trust him to get to the root of their issues and give solid tools to use to better their marriage

Now we have a different approach to arguments. More of a discussion to understanding rather than a fight. Work in progress and implementation of tools given. More understanding of one another than we have had in years.

We will forever be grateful to Doug. He gave our marriage a second chance

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Don’t give up on your spouse. Put in the work. It’s worth it

Overland Park, Kansas Couples Retreat - Dr. Burford

We were in a 25+year marriage with no real communication. After years of multiple stressors, one partner felt ending the marriage would be best. We were confronted with loving the other person, but not feeling "in love." There was a lot of emotional isolation and distancing. One partner's work had become more important than the marriage.

We were hesitant about revealing personal, very personal truths to a stranger. We were both anxious about hearing the status of our marriage from a professional.

Dr. K is personable, funny, and impartial. We never felt like she was taking anyone's side. She is highly intelligent and insightful. After the first few moments of speaking with her, we both felt very comfortable.

We heard new "truths" about each other. We began to understand how our childhood experiences played a key role in our roles of husband and wife. We let ourselves finally be vulnerable. Instead of pursuing a legal separation, we are now committed to working on building our marriage into something fun and amazing.

Dr. K is passionate about her work and her enthusiasm is infectious. It is an amazing experience to feel such desire to not simply "save" what you had but to make it rich with love and respect.

We both felt our "stories" were validated. Our childhood experiences are relevant and with Dr. K's help, we were able to see each other in a new light. For the first time in our 26 years of marriage, we are putting ourselves first.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

It is a leap. Forget all the worry and the questions and just do it. You will not have any regrets. It will be the best money you've ever spent.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

We had a marriage on the brink, we had significant difficulty communicating and navigating the issues that we had been dealing with over the last several years.

I thought that couples’ therapy was unlikely to be effective. I was concerned that it would be painful and difficult and embarrassing. We had each went to counselors which were primarily involved with the other spouse. It was not successful before.

Dr. Patricia Gorman is amazing, so knowledgeable and skillful. She knew our story, having read our Big Big Books. That was very important. She is a great listener. She was able to direct us in a balanced way. She let each of us be heard. She recognized key parts of our narratives and responded to them in a thoughtful and respectful way. I am sure that she understood way more than she indicated. She was a solid, non-judgmental active, guiding listener. A good balance of listening and guidance or direction.

We were able to break through to the difficult issues and address them in a way that was impossible before, without help.

We could have never made this progress spread out over 2-3 months of 1-hour sessions. We had reached a point where additional delay would have been destructive. So, the format was important. Also, the Big Big Book helped the therapist, but it also helped me to organize my thoughts and feelings, so that is a very helpful tool. I think that the expertise of the therapist was crucial.

My wife and I were able to reconnect in a meaningful way. Address the concerns and issues that were undermining our relationship. To have a plan for how to address them moving forward. It also provides a venue for additional help moving forward.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

From a recent note to Dr. McNulty (shared with permission):

Thank you for a great weekend! My spouse and I are both very grateful for everything you did for us this weekend. You definitely helped us. We feel very positive about our future together!

Couples Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

Our relationship was contentious, resentful, and lacking trust.  

I wanted to have a chance for us to reconnect and focus on each other. It seemed necessary to have a full weekend to dedicate towards this.

Dr. Renee Del Rio was great at helping us to focus on the core problems and getting to the root of those problems. She taught us how to communicate effectively, which has been a longstanding issue.

I never thought that going in to this, we would ever get back to what we had before the stress of life happened, but we feel closer than ever now.      

We left the weekend having forgiven each other and reconnecting. We felt like we did towards each other when we first met.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

It seems like a lot (cost, full weekend commitment), but you will get more out of this than you could ever imagine.

Dr. Del Rio was absolutely amazing.

Dr. Renee Del Rio

How would you describe your relationship?

Distant. We wanted to reestablish emotional intimacy.

I thought Dr. Patricia Gorman was great. She was warm and sympathetic to both of us and it was easy to trust her. Her advice made sense to us. We learned some concrete techniques for talking to each other and our relationship feels reinvigorated.

We were able to open up to each other and talk about some old problems. We were able to get in better touch with our love for each other. I feel reassured about our relationship and optimistic about the future. It was a really good experience for us. We liked the fact that it was intensive.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Try it. But it’s important to be willing to take the process seriously. We were both really interested in doing this weekend and I think that helped us.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

We wanted to improve communication, expectation setting, and accountability, we were getting off track and needed to reset and get some new tools to help us communicate better.

We wanted to make sure it wasn't a waste of time and we walked out with some concrete things we could do that would help us improve.           

Dr. K was a great resource and was able to keep us focused on the actual issues we were trying to deal with instead of talking about everything and going off track. It was good to have dedicated time that was more than an hour so we could really work on some things.  The “6 steps on how to make an effective complaint” was a good framework to use moving forward.

We haven't really made any changes since we both started traveling very soon after the session. We will be implementing much of what we learned when we get back together.

Boston - Dr. K

We had tried other couples therapy many years ago for several sessions but did not have any success. In contrast, I would recommend Marisa and CTI because I feel she helped put us on the right track. We were troubled and needed to improve communication, trust, and boundaries and we learned better ways to communicate, we learned to focus on improving the future more than worrying about the past, and we now have hope for our future.

Marisa is wonderful and is able to make everyone feel comfortable and listened to.

Now we have better communication and a better understanding of each other’s feelings. The things I liked the most is that Marisa had a genuine interest in our lives and that she did not rush us and made sure we were satisfied before ending any sessions

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

We were married for 40 years.  We were dealing with the effects of a multi-year on and off affair, and while we had begun to break open to positive territory, we felt it was really important to frame up the opening we had created between us - to consolidate and further the gains we had begun to make in the way we were relating.

After searching online and reviewing several options, we came across Scott Wolfe's website. We were impressed by Scott and the things he said there, including what he said about the intensives, which led us to Couples Therapy's website. And we were impressed by what we saw there as well - so we booked. One thing - perhaps peculiar to us: Scott had practiced here in Columbia MD for many years. Columbia is a unique community and we knew that there was an excellent chance that a therapist that had practiced here successfully would have a background of values that was a match for us. We were prepared to go to Nevada, but he had a free weekend coming up almost immediately planned for Columbia, so we grabbed it fast.We were not sure what to expect.  Frankly, both of us have had less than stellar experiences with various individual therapists in the past. And we have both done extensive personal development work for 40 years.  So while there were natural nerves, we knew we could handle anything that came up, and had already begun to deal with some of what we expected were the most difficult things to say to (and hear from) one another.

We were well on the way, but I think the weekend really solidified things for us.  We are on a really good trajectory, enjoying being together...freer with one another than I think we've been in over 30 years.  We had already begun to get to ownership of the whole 'mess'.  This is a complicated thing to describe without it sounding like jargon - but in my case, I had already seen that my own actions of many years (35!) ago - seemingly harmless to me at the time - had set in motion an entire way of our being together.  And in that sense, I could own...be fully responsible for... the fact that my wife had had an affair (and I HAD been feeling wronged, etc.). This is not to justify anything she did or I did (in fact - wrong domain... no freedom there, just righteous anger and justification).  But it began to let the air out of the balloon, to dissipate the 'charge' for me, which allowed it to do the same for her.. all the hurts, etc. Scott was an invaluable guide, witness, coach etc as we continued to pull the threads.  I also think it is important to say that we did NOT have a horrible relationship for most of our marriage. Far from it.  We successfully raised a daughter and had many good times. But guess what - it was all on top of a seemingly small betrayal of 35 years ago that rather than effectively dealing with at the time, we 'managed' around, which set the inevitable in motion. That got completed at the weekend.

Scott was fabulously safe and non-judgmental.  It was clear that he has heard it all and could listen to anything.  He was clearly FOR us as US and as individuals.

[Three benefits from working with CTI…] Paying attention - remembering 'turning toward'.   Checking in with one another.   We have an open future now. We had a predictable (and not a GOOD predictable) future before.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Go ahead, be bold, do the homework (prep) fully and do the work.  LISTEN

We are glad we found you.  And for myself - I am glad we found and chose you and Scott.

Columbia, Maryland, Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

Before CTI I'd describe our marriage as "very broken."  We were not communicating, drifting and harboring resentment. Previous couples therapy failed.  We never hit the root of issues.

Couples Therapy Inc. science based and intensive, we wanted to pick the "right" therapist for us.  Money and time was not a problem.

I like that Angela Voegele was tough and no-nonsense.  She wasn't shy to call out our bad behavior with each other and was patient with helping us learn how to "turn toward"

OUR COMMUNICATION IS SO MUCH BETTER.  Reignited my passion for my hubby that I know was still there but we had defensive wall up that were blocking our love.

Goals reached? Better communication, resolution of resentment and better intimacy.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Do it.  It's worth the investment

Anything else you’d like to add?

Would be great to have a similar retreat for individuals based on the results of the big big book and discoveries from the weekend.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was AT RISK. We were in "regular" [traditional] couples’ therapy but the frequency was inadequate (1x 5-6/weeks)

Dr. Mike McNulty was an intensive listener and had a surprising ability to control the room. I had a personal breakthrough on a childhood issue and some realization of wife's childhood issues. We now have an appreciation for one another, an agreement to move forward on a defined path, and an agreement to continue individual therapy and switching to Gottman couples therapy.

Evanston & Highland Park, Illinois Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

I wanted to feel like I was heard. Before the weekend, it was impossible to talk about the relationship without huge arguments and silence for days or even weeks.

I had wanted to [got to therapy] for years, but my husband wasn't willing.

CTI’s scientific approach and that it was a weekend workshop made it more palatable to sell to my husband on those points.

I was hesitant that it would lead to my realizing we couldn't work as a couple.

I loved everything about Marissa Mundey. She has the perfect demeanor and sees right to the heart of the situation without scaring anyone away. She asks the right question at the right time and has a very gentle approach, especially with reluctant spouses.

I recommend CTI wherever women tell me about their marriage woes: to friends, at the dentist, hair salon, etc.

I appreciate my partner and his childhood trauma more, which gave me more empathy for him. We are better able to talk through major disagreements, even if we have them more than I'd like to. It brought us temporarily much closer together. I wish we could hold on to that for longer, but I felt an important connection to him that weekend as he was more open. I still feel closer to him and hope, in the future, he'll be open to more sessions together, as I think it's healthy to dialogue with another observer about the relationship.

We are now able to work through most of our major disagreements. There has definitely been a shift to continued and better communication. There are still many frustrations, but they don't seem as dire most of the time. We feel closer. Like two steps forward one step back, whereas before it felt like one step forward, two steps back.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

It is well worth the money and time. I was really at the end of my rope and considering leaving, which would have been really hard financially and on our family. I don't feel that way anymore. I thought it'd be a chance to air all of my grievances and finally feel heard, and in many ways it was, but I never expected to come away from the weekend feeling so much empathy for my partner and what he went through. I felt a deep connection to and affection for him that had been buried under all that anger for many years, and it only took one weekend for it to shine through. That was a blessing.

Marissa is a very gifted therapist. I can't thank her enough for her approach and time with us. Things aren't perfect, but they are so much better six months later. I feel grateful for her every day.

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

Our relationship was strained. I wanted to stop feeling so angry so much of the time. Previous couples therapy was somewhat helpful when we struggled with communication.

We chose Couples Therapy Inc because of the use of the Gottman method and the location of a therapist with a profile that matched our needs and the price. It was a large expense and time commitment without a trial run. That was my reluctance.

Diane Foy was directive without interfering. She was great at explaining things we had questions about. Overall, she gave us, not just a weekend of repair, but tools and strategies for us to use moving forward.

I'm just sad she isn't closer! I don't feel so angry with my husband. He is doing so much more and is kinder to me. We have experienced improved fondness and general kindness throughout the day, [we have] recommitment to working together, and we address difficult issues more gently.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

You and your family are worth this investment.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Administrative: The volume of emails around signing up made finding the materials we needed clunky. Otherwise, a fabulous experience!

Jessica (Operations Manager); Thank you so much for this feedback, we do indeed send a lot of information out! I am going to take a closer look at that and see what we can minimize and what we can do to make communication more concise.

Minneapolis, Minnisota - Diane Foy

Our relationship needed help. The trust in our relationship had been compromised, as such, many problems were present.

We needed a therapist that could work virtually, as well as be fluent in English and Spanish. We were also looking for somebody with training in the Gottman method, at the suggestion of my CBT [Cognitive-behavioral therapist]. Dr. Rodriguez was a perfect fit.

My only hesitation was not knowing what to expect. I had also never done therapy virtually before, so I wasn’t sure how much of an impact therapy would have on us this way. But it certainly did have a huge and positive impact!

What stood out the most for me was Dr. Rodriguez‘s ability to pick up on certain things that my partner and I were not even aware of at times. She was always very calm, listening to both sides of the story and providing practical tools and resources for us to use. My partner and I began to look forward to our sessions with Dr. Rodriguez, often discussing ahead of time what we wanted to chat about with her, knowing that she would be able to support us and help us find our way forward. I felt heard, supported and understood by Dr. Rodriguez.

  • The trust in our relationship is increasing
  • My partner and I feel more connected
  • We are able to communicate more efficiently and without arguing as much as before

Dr. Rodriguez is great to work with. She made each of us feel heard, understood and capable of making changes. She was able to show us how to make things work even when it seemed impossible to me. I would highly encourage couples who are considering to go for it. Personally, I don’t think my partner and I would’ve been able to make it work on our own at that point in our relationship if it hadn’t been for therapy.

Thank you Dr. Rodriguez for your kindness and trust in us!

San Juan Puerto Rico Couples Retreat - Dr. Rodriguez

My core issues included: trust, communication, abusive behaviors.

Angela was calming for our situation. She understood many things and was able to help my husband and I put emotions into words. She provides a nice and comfortable venue for the sessions. I was able to open up with her and felt comfortable.

Since our work with Couples Therapy Inc. our communication has improved, I don't hold things in and I am trying to stop my "stonewalling". We share more positive comments and "thank you's" are given. I'm not on the computer/phone as much. All drinking has stopped in my other half.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was in a very negative place before the retreat.  My husband and I were really just roommates for a long time, not communicating with each other at all.  We would go over and over the same issues and never be able to improve or make any progress.

We tried couples therapy in the fall and never seemed to get any lasting positive improvements. Sometimes it was torture just to get through the 1 hour with the therapist!

My husband and I both wanted to try something drastic and intense.  We wanted to immerse ourselves into the therapy weekend and not think about anything else the entire time.  We researched online and found Couples Therapy Inc and were impressed with the reviews so we decided to give it a try. 

The main hesitation with starting the retreat was really only the cost.  Although we were concerned about leaving our kids, and the possibility of not connecting with the therapist, our main concern was spending the money.

I can't say enough positive things about our experience.  From the moment we met Dr. K, we loved her.  She made us feel comfortable from the time we met her on Friday night.  She was so down to earth and made us laugh all the time.  Her wealth of information about relationships was astonishing.  She really taught us about relationships.  Other therapists that we'd been to just kind of sat and asked us to open up about our feelings, but they never taught us concrete techniques and skills to use with each other.  Dr. K is so grounded and down to earth.   It doesn't seem possible but 6 hours of therapy a day with her felt like it went by faster than 1 hour with our previous marriage counselor.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?

Absolutely!!!  It was the most worthwhile weekend my husband and I could have ever spent with each other. When we first researched the retreat weekend, we said: "we could go on an amazing vacation together for this price" but we quickly realized that we would come home from that vacation no better off than we left.  We can say that we came home from the retreat with a completely different outlook on each other and ourselves.  It was the best thing we could have done for our marriage. 

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

  1. Learning how to communicate effectively and without making the other person defensive
  2. Learning how a little statement of negativity in reaction to something your partner says can turn them away
  3. Learning about each other more, and learning to continue to get to know each other at home.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Don't hesitate!  Take the leap and do it!  The weekend was so fun for us.  We were sad to see it over on Sunday night!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you Dr. K!  We couldn't have imagined this weekend to be as powerful and eye-opening as it was.  We could have spent weeks with you!!

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

Catherine is amazing at what she does. She helped us to reinvent our relationship and how we communicate through issues and everyday living. She had the ability to call us out on our negative statements.  We have a better understanding of one another's barriers to communication.

We are very thankful for the whole process with CTI, from the initial consultation through follow-up. You all are amazing, and we are very thankful for you all!

We now have appreciation, gratitude, and understanding of one another

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Do it! Take the plunge; you won't regret it. The benefits outweigh the risk immensely.

Catherine Pfuntner

Our intensive weekend with Dr. De Villiers was wonderful.

We had an instant connection with Evelyn and she was extremely easy to speak to and open up to.

Dr. De Villiers offered us many, manageable intervention techniques and helped us uncover a lot of triggers and feelings. She reviewed the BIG BIG Book with us so that we would know where to go, in the book, based on what was going on in our relationship.

I know I left the weekend with a renewed sense of hope for my marriage and I feel like she gave us real life, useful ways to handle conflict.

Dr. De Villiers is one of the best therapists that I have been to. She is so personable and relatable and knowledgeable. She truly believes in helping others and that came across from the second we met her.

I cannot say enough positive things about Dr. De Villiers.               

Dr. Evelyn De Villiers

Dr. Gorman, I wanted to thank you again for this past weekend. I was anxious going into the weekend knowing it would be a difficult one, and it was. But I don't think we could have selected a better therapist.  You put me at ease from the first evening we were together. I appreciated how thorough you were going through our Big Big Book. I am amazed at how many times you referenced something we said or a family member we talked about by name.

Your genuine interest/concern for us came through very clearly to me. It made me feel very comfortable and able to express the things I haven't been able to previously. I learned a lot about myself and how I chose the path I did (even though sub-consciously in many ways).

I am also grateful for the tools you gave us to help communicate more effectively. I do believe that my partner and I have both tried really hard and we are both good people. Although he and I are still struggling with how to act around one another, I am hopeful we will work together to improve that.

Our departure on Sunday from your office felt very sudden (although I knew our time was winding down). We were also so emotionally drained at that point, I didn't feel I gave you a proper goodbye. I really want you to know how much I appreciate everything you did for us.

My husband and I both agreed on our ride home (regardless of the outcome of our relationship/marriage) that we were glad we went.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

We had become very distant and were basically cohabitating.

Dr. K. had the ability to really hear what we were trying to say to one another.

We are really listening to each other. We are practicing complaints and creating rituals. We are present with one another. We are working on our communication. We are hopeful that the next chapter in our lives will be all we want it up be.

With the help of a non-judgmental therapist’s skill and guidance, the BIG BIG book, and a weekend, you can truly get to the heart of your problems and begin the healing process. Dr. K. did her homework and was truly present and able to keep us on track.

It is well worth your time, effort, and money if you truly want to grow in each other’s love and grow your marriage.

Boston - Dr. K

Our relationship was OK but needed some work.

We have found some tools to help us with Dr. Scott Wolfe. It has helped us; communication, tools to go forward and improve, and we addressed some specific issues.

Anything else you’d like to add?

We both felt that it would have been a bit more of a "Retreat" type of experience. We were somewhat disappointed that it was strictly a sit in the office on a couch with a counselor-in-sessions setup. I think we both wanted maybe a better setting or more pampering for lack of a better word. It just is not what we were anticipating.

It wasn't bad in any way to be clear!

Just thought that for the $ there could have been more offered. The therapy is good but by nature is hard and leaves one feeling drained and vulnerable. A bit of something to offset that would be good to have together while at the therapy itself. We realize that this isn't a vacation retreat nor the focus of the therapy but it may enhance the overall experience.

Note from Dr. K: Sounds like you would have liked suggestions for things other than lodging, like massage recommendations, or spa experience. We'll look into including that. Thanks!

Las Vegas, Nevada, Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

We are getting a divorce, but I wanted to understand how we got there and figure out how to move forward.

I feel like it's not all my fault that our relationship failed, now. I'm dealing with my childhood issues. We also have points of reference from our weekend that help us communicate better for sake of kids.

We communicate better now. I am working on my stuff. 

I liked her toughness, depth of knowledge and challenges to us. I liked her working with us even though we were not both on the same page.

Would you recommend Couples Therapy Inc.?  

Yes, it helps to get away and focus on your stuff. I learned a lot about us.

Dr. K,  I'm glad we worked with you. It was inspiring and comforting to know what good help is available if you don't wait too long to seek it out.

Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

Thanks Dr. R! It was a great marriage retreat weekend and we are so grateful for all you did for us! We will get on our homework and schedule a follow-up soon.

Again, many thanks for helping us with your approach and care!

San Juan Puerto Rico Couples Retreat - Dr. Rodriguez

Our marriage was in dire straights. We had trust and communications problems. We had tried couples therapy before, but very unsuccessfully. And I was concerned that my wife would not be an active participant...

However, vital issues were cleared up. We have better communication and more trust.

Dr. Gorman was our couples therapist. She asked pertinent and vital questions. Was able to direct the sessions in the right direction for constructive results. We got very positive results. Our intensive prevented a divorce, increased communication, and we're able to enjoy each other again.

I would recommend it. It takes a lot of work but it is worth it in spades.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

We had huge communication issues and were lacking language and tools to work through big challenges.

Havi was kind, supportive, fair, and a great listener.  She heard things that each of us didn’t and was able to effectively communicate and intuit each side. We can’t say enough about Havi.  Her words and tea have stayed with us and we are constantly calling upon the resources she shared with us.  She was absolutely fantastic.

As a result, we have better communication, kinder interaction, and improved conflict resolution.

 Couples Therapy Inc. was more than we expected.  It was a great way to get at the heart of our issues and find solutions.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Don’t hesitate!  It may be the single most important thing you can do for your relationship.

Los Angeles Couples Retreat - Havi Kligfeld

Before meeting with Havi, we'd been seeing another therapist, and interviewed with a couple more others, and the session with Havi was the ONE session where I felt we would be truly helped, supported, and given the tools needed to improve our marriage. That is to say, Havi is the best therapist we've ever seen. 

I could tell that her approach truly followed what I'd learned was a research based approach on the dynamics of intimate relationships-but more importantly, I sensed she truly cares and wants to make a positive difference! I also could not help but keep seeing the name Gottman come up in my mind again and again! She's amazing.

Havi Kligfeld

We struggled with avoidance and communication. I felt very shamed by a previous therapist.

Scott Wolfe  provided a lot of concentrated therapy in a short time; practical application of Gottman tools, better understanding on negotiable issues/non-negotiables.  It was much better than spreading it out in a one-hour session. 

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Disconnect from everyday life and focus on the intensive.

Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

We had discussed and were likely headed for divorce. We never reconnected after my affair and never reset our shared lives together after the tumult of our early marriage years. We needed to reconnect, to identify shared dreams, to start trusting and treating each other differently.

We tried couples therapy. It was unsuccessful. To say the least.

I felt like Angela Voegele (hallowed be her name) listened to me, and in turn, she helped [partner’s name] listen to me. (And she helped me listen to [partner,] too.)

Angela was wonderful and the intensive format really works. It’s expensive but much cheaper than (1) all the counseling I’ve previously consumed and (2) divorce.

This is early days. We have a lot of work ahead. But our retreat helped us stand back up, together, and to start walking forward again, together. And it gave us a blueprint for what that path might look like, without prescribing our destination. We both have hope. Shared hope. I didn’t realize how deeply I longed for that shared hope until our retreat helped us rediscover it.

We’re implementing the Gottman process, doing the work, and living in hope.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?
If you’re both serious about transforming your relationship, it can change your life.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Before CTI, I was not optimistic about my marriage. My wife and I often had disagreements and it was frustrating not being able to have conversations on specific topics.

We had experienced couples therapy before through my wife's EAP employer benefit. The quality of the therapy sessions and the skill of the therapist resulted in the sessions not being helpful.

My wife did considerable, on-line research and found CTI. Certainly the cost was a significant factor. Deciding what location would work best for us was also a consideration. Having had a unproductive experience in prior couples counseling also was of concern. After several discussions, we concluded we could not afford the fees but we couldn't afford NOT attending the intensive 2-day session.

As a couple, my wife and I during times of argument, stopped listening to each other and used the time when we weren't arguing to create new strategies to win the argument.

Scott Wolfe helped us to listen to each other and make comments that were not offensive. He taught us to listen to each other by paraphrasing what the other person says and use disarming language when something is said to gain clearer understanding. [We are now] aware of issues/factors that impact behavior stemming from early in life and how such events influence what and how we say and do things. He provided a communication model whereby we are now able to converse on practically any topic and do so without defensiveness occurring.

I would recommend CTI. Marriage is complex and life factors can create stress and miscommunication. Often, it takes a trained person to help bring couples back from life's complexities and refocus people on treating each other with kindness/respect.

Online Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

We needed some sense of order when we communicated over situations that we both felt strongly about.

Dr. Patricia Gorman was fantastic at listening to each of our sides, validating us, and bringing attention to what would work to build our bridges of differences toward better communication. We were fortunate to have Dr. Gorman as our therapist. I guess we could say we would have liked more time with her!

We understand each other’s “side” better and learned techniques to use when differences arise between us. We have a stronger commitment with a better understanding of why we each have differences and how to respect those differences and compromise in a healthy way.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

We were planning for a divorce.

Past weekly sessions of couples therapy improved our communication but not much more.

Angela Voegele was very positive, very prepared, very professional.

It was a positive experience. The entire experience was geared toward making us (the couple) get along. The concept of considering that we may not be happy together was avoided repeatedly.

We gained the ability to talk more calmly and worked through several resentments.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

We have tried couples therapy before and it helped in improving our relationship to a certain extent. But it was heading nowhere. I was not sure how to continue with the relationship, I had no direction. I could not bring myself to be intimate with my partner.

Results? Angela had some good methods & tools that helped us to understand and communicate with each other better. She was also good at identifying the underlying issue in the preliminary session itself. I came aware of some deep-rooted issues/disappointments that I wasn't aware of before the therapy. Understanding those issues made a lot of difference in improving our relationship.

1. I could see what the core issues were for me. 2. I no longer feel angry with my partner. 3. I see the potential for my relationship with my partner to improve.

Would you recommend? Yes, I would recommend it to couples who are at stumble block with their direction in their relationship. Those who don't know why they want to stay or leave the relationship.

However, unlike my other therapist, Angela did not pay much attention to how uncomfortable we were during the sessions. It is very important that certain ambiance is created for a 2-day continuous therapy session. Comfortable seating is very important as I was uncomfortable with the furniture and as a result, I was getting agitated at certain points. The room, though was a small space could have been decorated to ease the mood of the participants. It was very bare and wasn't very inviting for therapy.


NOTE FROM ANGELA: "The continued comfort of my clients is extremely important to me. Couples Therapy Inc. and I invite comments like these and encourage all of our clients to speak up immediately in session whenever they are unsettled, so we can enhance their comfort. Heating and cooling needs vary from client to client. However, I've made changes to my office seating (replacing the Italian leather loveseat with a full-sized sofa) in response to this comment, and I invite this client to contact me to allow me to make amends for any physical discomfort he/she endured during their time with me..."

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

We needed to recover from past harms and lack of intimacy.         

Dr. Scott Wolfe had great skills at moving us through the process and keeping us in "space" where we could hear each other.

We have stayed married, healed past harms, and added skills for staying current.

The intensive option delivers massive results quickly.

Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

Catherine was great! She is very perceptive, kind and knowledgeable about the technique and process. We learned much about ourselves, our relationship, and tools to improve. We have been practicing and plan to continue.

Catherine Pfuntner

Our relationship was good, and we wanted a better way to argue. Sex was a really big issue as well.

The option to do it over the course of a weekend, and to travel somewhere new made us choose Couples Therapy Inc. Since we moved to online sessions, I was worried we wouldn't get the same feedback as we would in person.

Havi Kligfeld really gave us time to finish our thoughts and add to them if we needed to. She never cut us off and we usually cut each other off when speaking so it was really helpful to be able to say everything we needed to before the other person started talking.

Havi was GREAT. We can't recommend her enough and look forward to working with her again in the future!

We have a better understanding of sex life, better understanding of wants, and why we have those wants (for example, not going out so late), and better communication tools.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Do it now! Don't worry about the online portion of it, it really is so similar to in-person counseling!

Los Angeles Couples Retreat - Havi Kligfeld

We were at the end of the line; it felt like we had nothing left after struggling through the fallout of emotional infidelity. Every conversation led to increasingly cruel fights, and we were both ambivalent about staying together. I felt like I could never trust him again after the lies and betrayal, and I had no idea how to process or heal that wound.

We had gone to traditional couples counseling several times over several years, and nothing had seemed to help.

I felt like I needed to have tried absolutely everything before walking away; because I didn't want our relationship to be over, but I couldn't keep going the way that we were, and nothing had helped.

I was worried that we were too far gone and that we'd tried so many times before and nothing had worked. It felt like we were so stuck in our pattern that nothing could fix it.  It also felt like previous couples counselors hadn't accurately seen the pattern we had going, and I had felt blamed before and like I'd been hurt worse by not being understood or seen accurately by the counselors.

Angela Voegele was wonderful. I didn't dislike anything. I felt like she was truly present and engaged with us through our difficult conversations and processing, and she provided so much guidance without lecturing or provoking any defensiveness. I felt immediately that I could trust her, and she was very kind and put us at ease in what is naturally a very challenging circumstance.  She was calm and connected and seemed to know exactly when to step in and help and when to silently support us as we talked through things.

It was transformational. I felt like we were able to get "our" story back. We made a huge amount of progress on rebuilding trust over the weekend, and we have a shared vision now for our life together moving forward. This retreat gave us a way of framing what we've been through together that is connecting instead of separating. It also reinvigorated our sex life. We are having so much fun, and we feel like we're allowed to step away from all of the tension and just enjoy one another again!

I can't say enough about how much she helped us. Having "failed" out of so many conventional couples therapy settings, the retreat format provided exactly what we needed to have the time to work through things and practice skills. Healing, connection, and hope. It was an exhausting, draining, life-giving weekend. We have hope and love for the first time in years.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

It is worth all of the time, money, and effort. Yes, it is expensive and exhausting, and it was saved our relationship when we'd literally tried everything else. With so much at stake, having exceptional, expert help was so needed.

Thank you so, so much. You helped give us- and our family- our story back.  After years of suffering and hurt and disconnect, it's not an exaggeration to say it's like finally breathing again. Thank you.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

I was at a point where I was debating on leaving the marriage, due to anger issues & no communication. Looking back, I'd say previous couples therapy was unsuccessful long term or short term. Possibly, just a temporary relief/fix.

I heard about CTI’s reputation from a magazine article sent out to help couples with marital stress. The cost was my only hesitation.

I am finally hopeful for a possible turn around from the fear I had.

Scott Wolfe was patient. He kept to the task at hand. He was focused, compassionate, hopeful and had faith in the method you use. It provided a way to look at the marriage & relate in a way no other therapist we have previously seen did. I am no longer afraid of my partner. I went from hopeless, to hopeful. I look forward to the continued growth we learned from the therapist.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

I'd say that I know it is expensive, but if you are open to working on your marriage, then this seems like an effective tool.

Las Vegas, Nevada Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

We were recovering from an affair and struggling with trust and sexual intimacy. We went to a therapist for a few months and were able to improve in some areas. However, after the Couples Therapy Weekend, it is clear that that therapist we had been seeing was not a couples therapist and we knew that we needed to identify someone else. Kathy was great-very professional and knowledgable. The CTI website provided information that seemed like it would be a good experience and it was.

Kathy was able to get a lot of issues presented and discussed that had never been discussed. I think my spouse and I will be better able to discuss other issues moving forward. She was very direct, which was very much needed and appreciated. She was also very insightful.

I would recommend her highly.

My partner has realized the depth of pain she has caused me by being involved in an affair. My spouse and I can now speak more openly. I am stronger emotionally and have the courage to end the marriage now if necessary.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Do it!

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

We bad communication, lack of sex.

We tried weekly therapy before. Things would be ok for a few hours after our session, but nothing really changed in the long run.

We did a lot of online research. This company worked best with our schedule and also had a great website.

Angela Voegele made me feel very comfortable and safe in sharing my concerns. After studying our Big Big Books, she seemed to know who exactly who we were and how are personalities clashes.

I wasn’t sure if we were going to be able to accept each other for the better but we learned how to listen and communicate. We now have quite a few tools to turn to when we start sliding back.

I got my best friend back. We have an exciting and reignited sex life. I feel accepted for who I am.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

It’s the best thing that we could have ever done for our relationship

Angela was simply amazing!!

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

We have [tried therapy before] and it was not successful

Dr. Gorman was incredible, gentle, intelligent and was able to help us right away and picked up on our problems almost immediately.

We now have improved communication, better listening and the ability to talk again....

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Please do it!

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

We have been through several ups and downs with our similar personalities and expectations for the relationship.  Core issues are who is in control and how are decisions made along with raising a young boy.  Financial questions between us are also something that we did not communicate effectively.

We didn't want a "touchy/feely" therapist since both of us are engineers.  The approach mentioned on the website and our preliminary interview with Dr. K made us feel welcome and also we were able to talk to her on a logical level.

I was not sure how it would go with the past issues I had opened up to in the BIG BIG Books.  However, it went extremely well and I have been able to move forward in my own thought process while repairing issues and conflict with my husband in a fair way.  We know how to fight better now and handle the issues that we all face as couples more effectively.

It has reshaped my perspective on conflict and complaints.  Relationships are hard and I am committed to it so I was very happy to have support from Dr. K and also my loving husband. It was great.  Very relaxed and at the same time intense. 

No complaints from me.  Just worked through a lot of issues very quickly and now need to plan for next steps moving forward.

 100% of it was worth it for me and I would be glad to recommend it to any other smart ladies out there who are struggling to relaunch a career while working in a "man's world" of technical engineering.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Go for it and take it seriously.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

We were not communicating well & we didn't understand each other's POV [point of view.] We've been attending couples counseling off and on for years.

I wanted a marriage retreat/intensive that was not religiously based.  I liked that CTI was a one-on-one set up for a weekend, it wasn't incredibly far from home and it was affordable.

My only concern was that CTI wouldn't deliver what was on the website.

Marisa Mundey was knowledgeable and really good at drawing me out to get to the root answer. I wish that the handouts that we received were already in a binder in a logical order - so we could focus on review and usage. We left with a better understanding of each other as individuals.

My husband and I have tools to help us communicate better and I have some defined areas to work on with my individual counselor.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Go with an open mind and heart. It is definitely worth the investment in your relationship.

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

We had a solid relationship with some issues like how to deal with children/family, time investment in each other, and intimacy. I spotted the BIG BIG book approach on the internet and chose Couples Therapy Inc.

Havi was a great listener, she made spot-on observations, was objective and compassionate, had lots of tips and tools. It was a very pleasant experience.  We looked forward to our time and are likely to visit again.

So far, we are more conscious and considerate of one another especially as it relates to the issues discussed.  A renewed focus.

Havi is a very effective therapist and I wish we had more time with her for reasons previously mentioned.  The BIG BIG Book seems like a very great tool for therapists to get great insight before starting, it would be great to receive a summary of feedback from all the data collected from the BIG BIG Book.

Havi Kligfeld

My marriage was on the verge of divorce before couples therapy. We wanted to learn how to disagree in a calmer way. I was willing to try anything to help improve and save my marriage.  We tried couples therapy once before and it was unsuccessful (probably because we only attempted one session). 

Marisa Mundey was patient and had actually used our pre-work to help move straight to our problems. We finally got a chance to address a few of our top issues. After the sessions were over, however, I felt as if the therapist was relieved and ready to move on. She was extremely nice, but there was no immediate follow-up or opportunity to schedule more sessions (and I asked). 

The programs and material are good, but one weekend isn't long enough for all couple situations. It was a lot of money and we somewhat practiced the therapy skills for about 2 - 3 days following. Then our relationship resumed its bad habits and continued as if couples therapy never happened.

As of now, I am making arrangements to separate from him and possibly divorce.

I would recommend this therapist but not Couples Therapy, Inc. I was hesitant about spending so short amount of time, to help improve 8 years of built up relationship issues. Although we spent 2.3 days discussing our relationship issues, it was nowhere near enough time to divulge as deep as we needed on more specific issues. Also, not enough time to practice various scenarios of the couple exercises.

I would not recommend this treatment. I'd suggest couples find a therapist and schedule ongoing sessions. This way they have the ability to continue working on their issues with that particular therapist. 

From Dr. K: To clarify for this client, Marisa does, in fact, schedule regular ongoing follow-up with couples in Texas. Relapse prevention is an important part of science-based couples therapy. In addition, if our couples prefer to work with a local therapist in weekly work, we contact the couples therapist of your choice and provide guidance, based upon the work you've accomplished with us, and feedback to this new therapist, to help you accomplish your long-term goals. Our Intensives are a "jump-start," and don't promise to be an end solution for every client. Please contact Marisa for either ongoing online work, or for help finding a local weekly therapist.

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

Our relationship was tenuous. We were trying to deal with the aftermath of infidelity.

We tried one therapist before moving on to another whom we liked better, but we felt like weekly sessions were not anywhere near enough.

My wife found CTI online. But I wasn't sure if anything could help ease the pain.

I got a much better understanding of the nature of my spouse's affair, which was important because only by truly understanding what happened can forgiveness occur. We also got a better understanding of the strengths of our marriage as well as areas to improve upon. As well as a much better understanding of the factors that make marriage difficult, but also useful and applicable tools that can make marriages stronger.

In short, Angela Voegele was amazing. Her level of experience and insight was incredible. She is also very perceptive and knew how to ask the right questions. I left the retreat with a much better intellectual understanding of what happened, and with much greater hope of getting through this stronger than before.

An intensive private therapy session allows a level of exploration and reflection that I think will be very difficult to achieve with a series of conventional therapy appointments.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

If you're serious about saving your relationship, do it.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I'm extremely grateful for the care and attention that Angela gave to us.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

We felt extremely fortunate to have Havi work with us. We are very happy to have chosen her in our journey. She was caring, listened to our needs, and provided gentle nudges in our thinking/interactions in an appropriate manner. 

Havi Kligfeld

We needed a retreat setting away from home and enough time to get through everything.      

Doug Buford connected with my spouse. A bit too traditional for me, lots of stereotypes about women being emotional. Maybe the truth hurts.

Now we have better listening, my spouse acknowledging proper marital boundaries like there is no such thing as a platonic relationship between a man and a woman (outside of work/family), my spouse opened up to tell me the truth about our previous home state and showing his weakness/vulnerabilities     

I am feeling pretty raw.

Dealing with the truth and learning that my partner did not have enough common sense to know proper boundaries. Still worry about his value system, but we now have the tools to talk. Hope I have the energy and faith to continue working so hard.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Get ready to work and bear the emotional aftershock.

Overland Park, Kansas Couples Retreat - Dr. Burford

Things were tense. We were dealing with some concerns related to trust/betrayal and maybe some built up resentment or other issues.

This was our first time doing couples therapy.

Couples Therapy Inc. had many options for different therapists. Each of them had their background listed out in a way that made me feel confident and comfortable working with any of them. Our hesitation was the cost, especially for just one weekend, which, for us, ended up being virtual.

Dr. Heide Ubinas Rodriguez had the ability to help us see things from the other person’s POV. She also remained neutral while doing so. We are able to communicate better even if we have to tell the other person that we don’t like something they did. It feels more like we’re teammates now.

I have a better understanding of my partner’s personality and how that ties to her past/background and better communication skills e.g., phrasing things in a more helpful way than they might first develop in my head.

I'm also remembering that a relationship needs work and deserves for me to put in the necessary work for it to thrive.

What would you say to couples considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

It would certainly bring perspectives that will be beneficial to you as a couple, but also as individuals.

San Juan Puerto Rico Couples Retreat - Dr. Rodriguez

What an amazing and life changing weekend. Angela, you must be exhausted!
 
My wife and I are forever in your gratitude for how you helped us learn more about ourselves and each other. You have renewed my faith in counseling. The materials, visual aides, environment and your calm, professional approach were exactly why this weekend was so impactful... and special to us. Thank you just doesn't seem good enough to express how grateful we are to you and the program.
 
We have a lot of new things to incorporate in our daily lives, and it's been a wonderful beginning for us.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

I felt very much on high alert, anxious and slowly shutting down. I wanted to gain tools to connect and learn more about my partner.

Couples Therapy Inc was recommended by a friend.         

I liked Mike McNulty’s way of interrupting our message and translating it into a less aggressive clear way. I personally get less irritated with my partner. We have a greater understanding of each other’s triggers and pushing each other to grow in communication styles that aren’t our strengths.

We are now aware of each other’s triggers and why…..the space feels more open and clear. Previous pressures have melted away. We have patience. If you want to learn ways on how to communicate and learn about one another then this is the place.

I feel Couples Therapy Inc was well worth the money (the therapy session was…..the admin before and after would not be recommended).           

The admin before and after was lacking. We got bombarded with emails after we paid but no check-in a week out on location, time, protocol, etc……then after the intensive therapy there was zero reach out after. It’s hard to go through an intensive like that then just be kinda left hanging out in the wind. We reached out a number of times to our scheduling contact as well as finally to our therapist.

All in all that part was disappointing but the actual therapy session was 100% worth it!!! And very recommendable.

Note from the director: Thank you for your honest and candid feedback. We are always looking for ways to improve our communication and to carefully navigate a line of too much/not enough follow-up. Since receiving this feedback we have added an additional reminder of the travel information that goes out closer to the date and will be launching our Inbox Intensive (a follow-up series) which goes out 10 days after every intensive.

Online Couples Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

Angela was fantastic!

We can't say enough great things about her - she was patient, had very clear goals and content planned for the session and was excellent at outlining a curriculum that was interesting and engaging but also varied given the number of hours over the course of several days.

Angela was extremely experienced and was able to break down complicated theories into simple and practical terms that were easy to understand and interpret.

We would (and have) recommended Angela and the organization to many friends and colleagues. Thank you!              

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was very rocky. A lot of mood swings, A lot of silence, A lot of being short with each other, some trust issues, disrespectful. Issues for improvement-I wanted to have my manhood back that was so deeply taken away--I am an expert craftsman, very seldom I was told "wow, Honey that looks great," "That will really improve the value of our house," "our friends and family will really enjoy your work as well." I am constantly being put down, even in front of friends and family. If I don't understand how to do something, I get yelled at and she was then pissed off at me the rest of the day. She had no understanding for me, at all. How can we have an intimate relationship with no manhood?

We tried therapy a few times. The first one worked out pretty good but was missing something. A big part of it was only spending 50-minutes a week was not working. Others we tried were not successful at all.

My wife had found out about you and ran it by me. I said "absolutely" I will try CTI!

It is a lot of $, I just thought it would be the same as the others.

I'm so glad I was wrong.

OMG-Already my wife has treated me with respect. She has changed her attitude towards me. I get complimented. She catches her self starting to say something negative and corrects herself. I have totally changed how I speak to my wife, I encourage her when she is doing things. I compliment her when she is doing things and the way she dresses. I stop and listen & don't talk over her.

Jenny was amazing!! She did her homework. Every session, after every break she was prepared to guide us! She listened and remembered everything my wife & I were telling her. She interrupted us when the time was right. She was very friendly, understanding and FUNNY! I don't think I have any negative comments about Jenny. I wanted to take Jenny home with us! When we left for the final time, I felt she was part of the family.

I would absolutely recommend CTI to everyone that is having issues. You all put so much effort into our sessions. At any given time, I never felt it was a waste of money and or time. You all made it so real, you can say anything you want. CTI cares!

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Be ready for the time of your life. Go in with an open mind. Do not hold back. it's very intense, you will leave absolutely worn out (in a good way). "I guarantee you will come home with a whole new meaning for your relationship."

I want to personally let Jenny know that she saved our marriage! Thank you all so very, very much from the bottom of my heart for all your hard work! Thank you.

Orange County California Couples Retreat - Jenny Fang

Our relationship was in trouble. The core issues included years of poor communication and unresolved conflict regarding difficult life experiences.

We were intrigued by the scientific approach of the Gottman Method and felt that matched our personalities.

Dr. Wolfe was an excellent representative of the Gottman Method. He made us both feel very comfortable discussing difficult topics. He provided us with tools that we could continue to use in the future that we hope will be invaluable.

Scott created a safe place for us to talk to him and to each other. Even though it was via Zoom, it felt like he was with us and completely committed to our weekend intensive. He has the experience and knowledge necessary to assist couples in a caring and structured atmosphere, free of judgment.

With a scientific approach, the Gottman method gives you clear-cut tools to help couples work through challenges that arise in marriage. We wish this was available at the beginning of our marriage.

We now have improved communication, increased empathy for each other's position, and a better understanding of how to deal with our perpetual problems.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

We would wholeheartedly recommend it

Las Vegas, Nevada, Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

Yes, we had previously tried therapy to address communication and honesty about a relationship outside the marriage. However, the therapist was more focused on the now versus the core issues.

Research into the Gottman Method and the scientific involvement behind the relationship made us choose Couples Therapy Inc. We also had never prepared for a session utilizing skills like the BIG BIG Book or the prep through The Seven Principles of Marriage workbook.

We honestly did not have any hesitation. Through a process of elimination, we felt confident in this organization.

Rebecca created an environment of comfort and safety from the minute we met her. Rebecca's ability to communicate always felt like a contribution versus a direction. Her calm demeanor really allowed all of us to openly communicate and honestly work through the steps without being defensive or protective. She is like a modern-day Sherlock Holmes for the mind. She was able to pinpoint the source of our marital issues within the first 6 hours of the weekend. This is something no other therapist had been able to accomplish in our past. Rebecca also had a gentle approach to sensitive topics that left us wanting to openly talk about issues neither of us had identified previously. She is very knowledgable in the topics we covered and communicated things intellectually and with real connection for both of us. We both feel that Rebecca was the perfect match for our therapy needs. We could not be happier or more gratified with the entire experience and our time with Rebecca. 

Rebecca was the perfect therapist for our personalities, histories and problems. Her ability to interact with us separately and as a couple was refreshing. Her experience and skillset made the weekend a real success. Combined with the Couples Therapy reviews and confidence in the approach, we were very pleased.

In the short time since we completed our initial weekend, communication changed instantly upon our first exposure to Rebecca. We have knocked down the walls that were straining our marriage. I feel like I have my wife back.

Advice to other couples… first and foremost, do the pre-work (BIG BIG Book, other assignments) based on your therapist recommendation. I was amazed how much we got out of the Big Big Book exercise. It helped me realize issues before we even started our weekend. If you are not willing to do the work before the meeting you are handicapping the success you will get out of the experience.

Rebecca Lanier

Our relationship was in danger of ending. [We needed] the ability to communicate clearly.

My wife found CTI online and we liked the approach and that [our therapist] was faith-based.

Doug Burford was able to facilitate the meetings without leading us. He encouraged us to work through existing issues in the sessions as we learned the new techniques.

 I would highly recommend Doug. He is a caring and compassionate man that truly had an interest in helping us learn to better communicate and understand what things are influencing the way we communicate.

We are better able to communicate what we are feeling to each other. We better understand what is influencing how we communication. We have a better understanding of how each other processes what is being said.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Don't put off getting help from someone that has a true interest in helping you help yourself! It was money well spent!

Overland Park, Kansas Couples Retreat - Dr. Burford

The Intensive Couples Therapy is well worth the time and money. Because of the BIG BIG Book, it’s like you’ve already had more than a year’s worth of therapy before the first session. Our therapist [Diane Foy] was able to focus on our major issues right away and help us learn tactics to improve our relationship.          

Minneapolis, Minnisota - Diane Foy

Havi Kligfeld is an incredibly talented and thoughtful therapist. She helped my wife and I find insights into ourselves and into our marriage that have renewed our commitment to one another. I have seen several therapists over the years--both in an individual and a couples setting--and at no time have I experienced the same sort of breakthrough event that my wife and I did with Havi.

Havi is thoughtful and caring and motivating. At no point did she let us find the easy way out or dodge important issues, but she always directed us towards doing deep work with compassion. There was no shame in Havi's office, and for this I am forever grateful.

We have found a new sense of urgency in our marriage and have rediscovered the depth of our friendship. I can truthfully say that my wife and I would not have arrived here had it not been for Havi's help and guidance. The weekend intensive is miraculous, with enough consecutive hours of therapy to dive deeply into our marital issues--and come out the other side with a real understanding of what we felt. I can't recommend this highly enough.

Havi Kligfeld

When we first contacted Couples Therapy Inc., our relationship was in danger of ending. We were having a lot of trouble communicating. We were fighting a lot. There was a lot of resentment toward one another. We were on the brink of giving up our 39-year marriage.

We had never tried couples therapy in the past.

When researching other options, we both liked the one-on-one experience and read multiple reviews from other couples.  We felt all of the therapists were very qualified.

Once we made our decision to start couples therapy we never looked back and booked our appointment with Dr. Kathy McMahon immediately.

We both learned a significant amount about each other.  A lot of the way we both behave today stems from our childhoods. We understand each other so much better now. We learned a lot of techniques to communicate in a positive way.

Dr. K was very direct, yet easy to talk to. She gave us great direction. She was very knowledgeable. She made us feel very comfortable and we could share anything with her. She really seemed to study our Big Big Book. She knew so much about us before we ever showed up. We never felt like strangers around her. We felt she was our cheerleader and really wanted the best for us. She continued to remind us how strong our marriage actually is. If anything we would have loved more time with her.

We really understand one another better now, and we also understand ourselves much better.  We returned home feeling rejuvenated.  We are practicing our techniques to improve our communication.

We would strongly recommend this to other couples but would recommend going in with an open mind.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

We both would strongly recommend Couples Therapy Inc. because Dr. K saved our marriage. She made us see things more clearly. She set us up for success by providing us with many tools. We couldn't have asked for anything more.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

Before we called Couples Therapy Inc, our relationship was on its last shot. We had trust issues and we hadn't been connecting for a long time. There was also a lack of intimacy.

We had tried couples counseling for a couple years before we filed for divorce and it seemed to do more harm than good. It seemed like we went in expecting the therapist for advice on how to change our unhealthy patterns with each other and would just get stuck in the fight of the week and leave worse off than when we came. We were worried this was going to be the same way and we would waste our money.

We worked with Angela and she was amazing.

She understood the core issues in our marriage and we spent the time focusing on those. So far there has been more communication and empathy in our relationship. We are working through the trust and intimacy issues using exercises and tools she gave us.

When we showed up, Angela already understood what our main issues were. We didn't waste time going back through the details. She took the time to make sure she understood what both of us were looking to get out of the retreat. She never let us get caught in a fight and instead stopped us and guided us through how we should be handling our issues. She gave us tools and exercises to do (things we had begged our previous therapist for for years). She was engaged and warm and seemed to genuinely want to help us. She made us talk about and deal with and have the tough conversations that we had been avoiding or were never able to have constructively. She is also a sex therapist so she was able to give us great advice on how to increase our intimacy.

She was just amazing.

I would absolutely 100% recommend Angela. She exceeded my expectations and we left with the tools we needed to succeed.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples therapy Inc?

1) We were able to repair old wounds and move on 2) We have more communication and a stronger connection 3) We have tools to increase our intimacy

I would just like to emphasize how much we got out of the retreat. The exercises and ways to communicate with each other were things that we had been looking for and asking our previous therapist for for years. She seemed to know exactly what we needed and made sure we left with the things we needed. She gave us a bunch of resources to refer to after we left so it didn't just feel like the end of the road when the retreat was over. She was so warm and understanding and comfortable to talk to. This retreat was worth every penny and I am so glad my husband and I made the choice to go.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

You completely saved my marriage. What you people do truly matters.

Marriage counseling and therapy is so TABOO --- and it should not be. It horrified me to know that no one talks openly about this with friends and family --- like you must be some freak of nature if you have marriage problems you can't work through on your own. I have zero shame in saying that we needed help badly --- and because of being willing to get help before it was too late we are both going to be able to have personal satisfaction and happiness, joy, love, and a spirit that this is my life --- I only have one life --- I am not going to sit back and waste it!!

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

We were on the verge of divorce. We wanted to improve communication and address issues with our sex life.

We tried couples therapy before and it didn’t work.

Jenny Fang had a very calming, caring disposition which made it easy to open up and be honest during the therapy session. Our communication has gotten better. We now have a better understanding of each other, better communication, and a better understanding of how to deal with issues from the past that affect us today.

I would recommend Jenny as a therapist.

Orange County California Couples Retreat - Jenny Fang

Prior to our intensive, our relationship was extremely rocky due to problems with communication. My husband thought I was always blaming or attacking him when I was trying to communicate my needs and desires to connect. He would shut down rather than engage in effective communication because he misunderstood the importance of reflective listening and relationship building. And I was concerned that my husband would not participate in the sessions.

But the scientific research behind the methods of relationship building appealed to us. I knew it was important for us to learn concrete communication skills or we would never be able to get out of the argument loop we were stuck in.

Angela was great at pacing the conversation and finding the right moments for de-stressing and teaching. She is very comfortable to work with because she made us feel at ease and gave us a lot of encouragement. There were difficult issues from both of our childhoods and our previous divorces that came up during our retreat and Angela handled them in ways that helped us learn to recognize our triggers and communicate our needs.

Our communication has improved dramatically! My husband listens, turning towards me and focuses on what I am saying when I speak. He is doing the little things, like taking care of chores I mention and making sure I am comfortable, without the previous drama which made me feel like an irritating roommate rather than someone he loves. These changes have brought us back to being a team again and we are much closer.

Our relationship is stronger because we know we are both committed to our marriage. We are both invested in continuing to build our skills using the Gottman resources and regular counseling, further reinforcing our long-term commitment to each other. Last, but not least, we are finally out of the cycle of having the same arguments over and over! Amazing!

I would highly recommend Angela Voegele and Couples Therapy, Inc.. If you are serious about changing your relationship, the science behind the skills you will learn will improve your marriage.

Don't question this, just do it! If you are at the end of your rope, book a couples intensive weekend. It may seem like a lot of money, but it is so much better to have a dedicated period of time without distractions to concentrate on your relationship.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was struggling - we both were trying really hard to communicate, but weren't being heard/seen by the other person in the ways that we needed. There was a lot of hurt and defensiveness getting in the way of meaningful connection.

We had tried "standard" couples therapy before - 45 minute sessions once a week - and though there was some minimal value to it, I never felt like we got to the heart of many of our long-standing issues. 

I wanted an intensive to help us fix our most common/destructive communication breakdowns so that we could begin to re-build our relationship. I chose CTI because of the BIG BIG Book. I liked the idea that we would both have an opportunity to put all of our history and concerns out for the therapist to see before meeting with her, so that we didn't have to spend time in the in-person session going through all of that, and could jump right into the work.

I didn't know, of course, if the therapist would be a good fit, and didn't know if my partner would participate at a meaningful level.

We are only two weeks out, but already there has been a shift. I think the most significant shift is that we're practicing daily appreciations and setting aside time for meaningful connection, which is helping to re-train our brains to see the GOOD in each other and to feel more affectionate and loving toward each other. We had both fallen into patterns of seeing mostly the negative in each other, and so this change towards a more positive view of each other has been really wonderful.

Catherine was WONDERFUL. She was warm and kind, but also very neutral and good at containing the conversation and redirecting us when we needed it. I felt very emotionally safe with her.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes - it was an important investment for us in this relationship! But I also recognize how expensive it is and how hard it could be for couples to find time (and childcare) to be able to get away for an intensive.

If you can spend the time and money to do it, you should 100% do it.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc.?  

  1. Identification of where we're "missing" each other's cues and how to tune in better.
  2. Identifying and implementing regular opportunities for appreciation/connection/etc.
  3. Acknowledgment that we can have hurt from the other person and also feel love and affection towards them - that those two things don't have to be mutually exclusive, and we can be working on both at the same time and keep them compartmentalized, rather than allowing the hurt to impact opportunities for affection.

Catherine Pfuntner

An impending divorce due to lack of communication and understanding drove us to seek help.

I liked working with Dr. Scott Wolfe on how there are hidden messages in how we communicate, such as pointing out an issue but wording it as though your partner is the cause of the issue. Thus, your partner thinks you are mad at them, not just the situation.

We now have healthier communication and the ability to identify when a conversation goes from expressing concerns to accusations and how to pull back from that. We didn't get divorced, we are better at dealing with stress from internal and external factors, and we are more intimate.

It is highly effective but comes with a price that matches. It's better for those with significant means or who are in such dire straits that the debt/cost is worth saving things ASAP. The counseling was very fun and insightful, but I wish I had been in a better financial situation when I needed it.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Try doing research on Dr. Gottman first, and if implementing his teachings fails to yield positive results, then seek counseling here to get very effective implementation.

Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

We needed help with]how to handle our communication and handle any disagreements we have had.  How to navigate gridlock.    

The benefit of having a focused time together in a emotionally safe environment with a professional appealed to us.

The hesitation for my partner was not having been through something like that before and not knowing how it would turn out.  For me it was if it would allow us to really address some core issues.

Dr Michael McNulty demonstrated he was really listening. He used role playing very well to interpret our perspective.       

We are now more mindful of the strategies we can employ from the handbook and making it a priority of the state of the union. We also have more of an inner calmness.      

Definitely would recommend our therapist and Couples Therapy Inc. The whole process, even answering the 1000 questions, allowed us to evaluate our selves. The Gottman process was very beneficial.

We are communicating better. We are spending better quality together. We are trying to make sure we are more emotionally engaging with each other.

Come in with an open mind and open willingness to explore yourself and explore your relationship.

Couples Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

Our relationship was strained.  We thought the issues around connection and intimacy were intractable. We wanted to improve our emotional and intimate connections.  

We had tried couples therapy before and it was a good experience. We had received some tools that helped us address issues pertaining to a history of pregnancy loss and concerns about child-bearing. 

When we found that CTI had well-trained sex therapists who operate within an evidence-based approach to couples therapy and CTI offers weekend intensives, we knew we wanted to engage their services.

Initially, the cost of the weekend intensive was a barrier. Additionally, there were concerns that the end result of the couples therapy might be a dissolution of our marriage. We were feeling a bit hopeless before this intensive.

Angela Voegele read us like a book! She is very incisive - able to pinpoint the core issues and convey them to us in relatable language.  Her skillful approach instilled hope from our first day of meeting.  She provided resources, sound education, and evidence-based explanations which corrected longstanding misperceptions and expanded our awareness of possibilities for deeper connection and intimacy.       

Angela was wonderful!  We found the weekend intensive offered by CTI allowed us to solely focus on the relationship and target issues/skill-building without distraction and in an efficient way.  We were able to break out of inertia and build momentum with this approach and therapist. 

We are following the recommendations for "Six Hours a Week to a Better Relationship," to include a weekly "State of the Union" meeting, and we are happily engaging in increased intimacy and sexual activities. [We now have] a resurgence of shared sexual energy, a shared increase in positive mood which helps when facing daily stressors, and structures to support building and maintaining healthy relationship habits.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Highly recommend!  Stay open to being fully engaged and present. The therapist we worked with (Angela Voegele) has an incredible combination of expertise, clinical skills and relatability. We got a lot out of this experience and our relationship is better for it! The weekend intensive experience is well worth the expense in time and money. 

The BIG BIG Book is a lot of work  - but is an invaluable resource to couples and your therapist.  Be thoughtful and honest with your responses.  The BIG BIG Book can really help you learn a lot about yourself and the relationship as well as focus in on what is most important to address during the intensive.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

 We had some deep resentments that prevented us from being close and feeling connected.

We have gone to see a few different therapists over the years but did not find one we felt comfortable with. I was interested in an intense therapy that would tackle our issues in a short amount of time.

Jenny Fang was great! Jenny is very personable and easy to talk to. We both felt like she heard us and understood each of our points of view. She is very intelligent and also warm and sweet.

We learned about our triggers and how they affect our relationship. We were able to speak honestly to one another because Jenny created a safe space for us both. This helped to break down walls and get rid of some harboring resentments. We have more empathy for one another and feel closer.

Our walls have been broken down. We are closer and feel connected. Our resentments seemed to have melted away.

The weekend saved our marriage, or at the very least, made it much, much better. We intend to do future sessions for maintenance.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Do it! Don't wait.

It is helpful to do the needed work over a weekend rather than take months to get through the issues. When you have a regular 50-minute session, you may not have the time to get to the core issues and then you have to regain whatever momentum you had in the next session, one or two weeks later.

Orange County California Couples Retreat - Jenny Fang

Our relationship was strained, there were power struggles and different levels of energy committed to the relationship.

It is a difficult job to step into a relationship and try to address difficulties in 2.25 days but Dr. Wolfe did well. He understood the need for flexibility; he checked in to find out about our conversations between sessions to maintain momentum and appropriately be involved in the relationship. In an effort to maintain calm and allow emotional expression, he did not see emotional abuse as it occurred.

We now have awareness of relationship challenges, specific relationship goals, and we practiced the aftermath of a fight. We have a greater stalemate but we ask about the other person's day.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Don’t wait until it feels “too late.”

 

Note from Dr. K: It's often a real struggle for some folks to express themselves clearly without resorting to harsh language. Our therapists are skilled to know when to interrupt the flow, in order to interrupt emotional abuse and when to emphasize the "meaning" instead of "the delivery." If you could see through your partner's words to their pain and could empathize with that pain, they can also certainly learn to soften their language. A tricky distinction!

Las Vegas, Nevada, Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

Our marriage was very troubled. We had trouble communicating and resolving issues.

We had tried couples therapy several times, and it was a waste of time and money. We were worried that this therapy would be as ineffective as that other therapy we tried. Jenny Fang was well researched, intuitive, and positive. She helped us focus on building a better future rather than arguing about the past. Now we are more appreciative of each other and able to engage in effective communication, I have a better understanding of where we each come from and how that affects how we, each, perceive the world. I also have a better appreciation of the goodness in my partner. For a couple in trouble this has been the best experience.

Orange County California Couples Retreat - Jenny Fang

I liked that Angela dove into the child in both of us so we could realize why our behaviors may be very different.  I believe Angela really understands the dynamics of relationships and although she can be direct, she was very fair and saw the good in both of us.

We definitely have a different and better understanding of each other.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Definitely try it!

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

How would you describe your relationship before you called Couples Therapy Inc? What were the core issues you wanted to improve?

Troubled. Daily interaction, joint purpose, joy, sex.

What hesitation did you have about starting couples therapy with us?

Concern that it would be difficult without positive outcome.

Had you considered or tried couples therapy before? If so, how successful or unsuccessfully was it?

On occasion in distant past. Overall, unsuccessful.

What specific qualities did you like most and least about working with this therapist?

Our Couples Therapist was Marisa Mundey Extremely favorable review of Marisa. Strong yet gentle direction during activity practice. Able to steer and focus both partners.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes. While I think ongoing therapy will be needed and beneficial, it was much more effective than a traditional once a week approach.

Houston Texas Couples Retreat - Marisa Mundey

We had good communication/core relationship but devoid of intimacy.

Angela is a licensed sex therapist and this is where we knew our issues were.

Angela Voegle was wonderful.  Very laid back, honest and easy to talk to.  She had many tools in her "toolbox" for us to use going forward in our lives. It's hard to talk about intimacy but she was so open (Europeans don't have issues with intimacy) she made it very easy to talk about and explore.

We became closer immediately and we knew what we had to work on to keep our relationship healthy.  "Maintenance" lists were given and many resources that do/will help down the road. Angela was excellent - hope I don't need to return but have no qualms if we have to "check-in" with her. 

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Try it!  If you are going through a crisis albeit acute/chronic it won't hurt anything, just help - if help is what you want!

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

How would you describe your relationship before you called Couples Therapy Inc.?
Over, I didn’t feel like a real partner, I wasn’t able to contribute as a parent for my son, and I felt no appreciation for who I am.

What changes resulted in your marriage/relationship from your work with Couples Therapy Inc.?
The remedies to all of the core issues seem possible.

Had you considered or tried couples therapy before?
Yes, 6 others. Our relationship continued to degrade

What specific qualities did you like most and least about working with this therapist?
Jenny's perception in the moments and ability to identify our issues.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc?
Absolutely! We are looking forward to our follow up sessions.

Orange County California Couples Retreat - Jenny Fang

Our marriage was unhappy and we needed to focus on our emotional connection. We liked the Gottman Method, and that it was a weekend, not a series of meetings over a long time period.

Diane was wonderful; she's warm, engaging, treats each of us equally, and focuses on the positive. I'd highly recommend her.    

We’re more open with each other, have learned how to communicate better with each other. We've figured out a plan forward using the Gottman tools, and have committed to carving more time out for each other.

Our relationship was not in a good place, and this is completely worth the investment of both time and money; we consider it a gift to ourselves, and would highly recommend it to those willing to commit to each other again and to make their relationship work.

The amount of pre-work prior to the session really makes you think/process things prior to the session, and we had started working on things together prior to our session.  We are more aligned with spending quality time together, have the same baseline understanding of how to communicate with each other, and are more attentive when speaking with each other.                 

Minneapolis, Minnisota - Diane Foy

Dr. K When I looked in the mirror on Monday morning, I saw, for the first time, a loved and lovable woman looking back at me. The woman looking back at me was not defective, not broken, not crazy. I didn't, until that moment, realize how much contempt I felt for myself all these years. Imagine the joy I felt! And the gratitude!

There are no words to adequately express how grateful I am for the weekend my husband and I spent with you. You provided invaluable insight that, with time and practice, will help us navigate our marriage as well as our relationships with our children and extended family in a loving, supportive way. I walked away with so much hope, to the point of bursting with it. The concept of developmental trauma explains so much about the dynamics within our relationship, and still has us reeling when we think about the impact it has had not only on us but on so many other people. I can only imagine the difference it would make if it were more widely recognized.

The Berkshires of Western MA Couples Retreat - Dr. K

We hadn't been to couples therapy before and this was extremely helpful. We loved Dr. K and wish she was closer. She was compassionate, articulate, understood us, and easy to speak with.

We didn't know if we could make it one more week together. I was praying it was going to help us. However, there is always a certain amount of anxiety with something new.

Results? Well, we are still working on our core issue, but we realize through the therapy what we had, and that our marriage wasn't hopeless. My husband was humbled by it, and he has made many changes that were recommended. She made him see things from a different perspective that I couldn't. He was not sharing with his therapist what he needed to in order to grow and become a better person. He was self-destructive. He now is working on that - which gives me and us hope. We have the skills for coping when I get crazy angry. We are talking better. Also, that how you speak to someone makes a difference in the results you get. I realize if I criticize him he's only going to get defensive so I use my words carefully! We use the results of how well we know each other and where we scored as a couple to help us also in seeing that we still have enough left in this relationship to work on it.

I already have recommended Couples Therapy Inc and Dr. K. Alot of married couples lose what they have over the years and take each other for granted.
They'll invest money in a house or car, when their relationship is most important.

Well, we have a few more sessions with her and I'm looking forward to that. We also set ourselves up with a therapist here.

I just wish we had one more day.

Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

We were disconnected emotionally and physically. We were both harboring years of hurt caused by the other. We desperately needed therapy regarding communication, sex and intimacy.

We did a few months of Christian couples counseling several years ago and although it was initially helpful and encouraging, it didn’t provide us any real tools to help us when things got difficult again.       

We found Couples Therapy Inc online and were impressed by your website - the mission of the company, the promptness of response and help when we reached out, and the outstanding reviews of the therapists and their work. 

We chose to fly halfway across the country to see the therapist we had selected and felt comfortable proceeding with. I was worried that the cost to fly there, stay there, and attend the intensive would be too great for such a short time, but thankfully, it was worth it.

Dr. Kathy McMahon was very neutral and understanding of both sides of the story. She was easy to open up with and talk to. I felt that she was genuine in her desire to help our marriage.     

We were able to reconnect emotionally and see each other in a new light. We were taught some helpful communication skills to keep that progress going, even after returning to the ‘real world.’ My spouse was given an official diagnosis regarding his mental health and a plan to pursue healing in that, and that was very encouraging to him individually and to our marriage.

Dr. K was so wonderful. She is well-educated, experienced, open-minded, practical,  genuine and honestly, just funny and enjoyable to be around. We wished we lived in Boston so we could continue to receive therapy and follow ups with her.

The company itself, including the staff, is great. Everything was very organized, thorough, and kindly communicated.

Absolutely invest in this for your marriage. These reviews are genuine!  

My positive experience with my own personal therapist in my hometown and now another incredible one with Dr. K stirred something in my heart to return to school to become a therapist myself. Helping others is really such a cool thing. Who knows if it will actually fall into place for me to do this, but I love the desire that it created in me.

Boston - Dr. K

How would you describe your relationship before you contacted Couples Therapy Inc.?

Our relationship was in distress. We were not connected, not relating well, and not having sex.

Had you considered or tried couples therapy before?  If so, how successful or unsuccessful was it?

We tried couples therapy for a couple sessions before, and also did a Gottman relationship workshop.

What made you choose Couples Therapy Inc.?

We needed intensive counseling and had met with Angela before (she led the Gottman workshop) and heard about this. I liked that there was a detailed assessment prior to the workshop, so that we could think about and  communicate to the therapist complex issues and feelings so she would know something about our problems ahead of time.

What changes resulted in your marriage/relationship resulted from your work with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Nothing. We are back to where we started from. It's so frustrating and disappointing. We are not having sex. My husband is still checked out/withdrawn, and I am still frustrated. We went to see Angela twice after the intensive, but she was very passive and we gained nothing from the sessions.

Who was your couples therapist here at Couples Therapy Inc.?

Angela Voegele.

What specific qualities did you like most and least about working with this therapist?

I liked that she was pleasant and unbiased. I did not like that she was very passive and did not help us to work through our major issues. With all of her certifications (Gottman, Couples therapy, sex therapist, etc), I had high hopes that she would be skilled in helping us to address complex issues and help us to shift our dynamic. She gave no clear guidance, no homework for us to work on, and we are STILL stuck in the same patterns as before.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc.? If so, why? If not, why not?

No. Why? Because, we have not seen results.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples therapy Inc.?

none.

Anything else you’d like to add?

We spent literally days writing our assessments before the intensive. I cannot understand why you would not provide a copy of this to each of us so that we could continue to reference it as a road map for our ongoing growth. This should be provided to each couple. We took a LOT of time to write down our issues and goals, and should be able to reference them easily again. 

From Dr. K

I'm sorry that you didn't get help from this retreat and the two additional sessions you had with Angela. It's heartbreaking that these problems remain between you, but clinically not surprising. Sexual issues, especially low desire issues, are complicated, difficult and retractable. One weekend and 2 sessions would be very quick change, and you may consider working with a clinician over a longer period of time.  

For those reading this, I want to emphasize again that the scores and analysis of the BIG BIG Book are for the clinician’s use and are not intended to be given to clients. The results are to be interpreted in the context of all the other information obtained about the couple during the assessment process including joint and individual interviews and clinical observations. The results of the questionnaires do not stand alone, nor will they ever be an ongoing roadmap for growth. A second reason it isn't handed out to clients is that each partner is encouraged to answer questions openly and honestly, free of concern about what their partner may think about their answers.

Angela discussed the results of the entire assessment with both of you and suggested a treatment plan for improving and strengthening your relationship based on all the assessment information you provided. These assessments require sensitivity as well as clinical wisdom to use them to provide a helpful therapeutic roadmap. We outline this fact clearly at the start of every BIG BIG Book. Please reach back out to Angela if you'd like clarity regarding those areas of growth for both of you. 

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship before was pretty terrible - minimal interaction, no intimacy and just sort of going thru the motions with a lot of fighting, tension and resentment.

We had done 2 traditional hour long sessions about 2 months before our intensive and it wasn't helpful or successful at all.

Our research led us to Couples Therapy and the process of the initial phone consultation and even a brief meeting with Dr McNulty before signing up made us feel really comfortable with Couples Therapy Inc.

Dr. Mike McNulty was fantastic.  Very engaged, seemed genuinely interested in helping us - he was empathetic but also kept us on task & held us accountable.  He gave us gentle suggestions and hope.

We learned that we avoid conflict and that it has been detrimental to our relationship.  We learned a different way to talk with each other and were able to much better understand what the other person felt/was trying to say thru Mike's incredible technique of helping to "speak for us."

We gained a better understanding of the root of some of our challenges, our eyes were opened to a better way of expressing our frustrations and needs, and most importantly, we walked away with more hope than I've had in a year that our relationship could be good again and improved.  Thank you!

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Run, don't walk - it is an exhausting process but if your marriage is in trouble, yet you still love your partner and want to try and make it better, this is the place to be and if you're able to see Dr. McNulty, we couldn't recommend him highly enough.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Just again, a sincere thank you for providing hope again to what felt like a hopeless situation.  I don't know for certain where things will end up for us, but I do know that we've been given a second chance to make things good.

Evanston & Highland Park, Illinois Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

We were disconnected, living separately in the same space. Not fighting but not being together. Growing further apart over time.

This was our second intensive with Kathy McMahon and I was struck by her preparation and understanding of us through the big big book. She focused on our relationship and how to communicate, guiding us and teaching us in a way that never felt like she favored one or the other. She skillfully avoided who was at fault or who was the problem to “fix”.

As the name “weekend intensive” implies the experience is intensive. This magnitude of experience is required to make life altering changes.

We look forward to being together, we are communicating as well as enjoying each other’s company.          

Even if you don’t think you have the time or the money to do this, make the time and find the resources. This is your life together, this is more important that a trip or a new car.

Boston - Dr. K

Our relationship was strained and we wanted to improve our sexual relations.

Prior to signing up for a weekend intensive with CTI, we were seeing a couples therapist for several months without making any progress solving our core issues.    

My husband discovered CTI through a Google search.

Patricia created a safe and welcoming atmosphere that helped us communicate better as a couple.

We better understand each other's needs and have the tools to communicate more productively.

The weekend intensive with Patricia was exactly what we needed to improve our relationship. 

We have a more positive outlook, a better understanding of our core issues, and improved communication.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

Our relationship was very strained and volatile at times. We wanted to improve knowledge of what happened to cause my husbands infidelity, we needed to reevaluate communication skills and we needed to feel like we could find a place of acceptance.

We have been dealing with this since June 2016 and were still not making progress after two therapists and lots of reading. This almost felt like our last hope and we both needed to see if it could help us even see a glimmer of a chance.

We have tried therapy with two other Licensed Social Workers that had some insight but were not able to really see the bigger picture, the whole picture, like Mike did.

Mike was able to help us discover issues that led to my husband's decisions and his change in character. He also helped me to see why my reactions to everything was a reflection of my past as well. It was like opening a Pandora’s box and for me, the betrayed spouse, has kind of left me floundering right now with sorting it all out. He is also starting to see the full effects of his discovery of work addiction and what it entailed for him personally.

We both appreciated his approach to hearing our story, of respecting our feelings, of helping us to understand our lack of communication style, of evaluating our family histories and how relevant it was to our adulthood and explaining ways It had affected our marriage. He was extremely thoughtful in his evaluations and comments—reintroducing concepts that we needed to keep in mind and he kept us on track, which we really have had issues with. His use of doubling our conversations was so helpful, especially for my husband who admits that he has problems with saying things the way he wants.

I don’t feel as if there was anything we didn’t like about Mike—other than we are in different states. We would both benefit tremendously with being able to continue therapy with him.

Would you recommend your couples therapist and Couples Therapy Inc? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes! Yes! He was so knowledgeable about more than just the marriage. He saw the whole picture—the picture that helped us to see the “why” that caused so many of our issues.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples therapy Inc?

  1. We felt progress—why we have been stuck in neutral, was given some momentum forward.
  2. We discovered a family history of addiction does include workaholics and what destruction that can do to self and family—it isn’t just reserved for alcohol, drugs or sex.
  3. That maybe there is some hope after all for forgiveness and reconciliation of our marriage

Evanston & Highland Park, Illinois Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

How would you describe your relationship before you called Couples Therapy Inc.? 

We were in trouble. We weren't communicating that effectively. We both needed to reflect on our method of dealing with difficult topics, understand how our partner responds to our style and learn tools to get the most effective means of dialogue going. We were concerned that the therapist would take sides or use theoretical concepts that wouldn't work in practice. Instead, we learned a lot more about each other, how to communicate more effectively, and tools to avoid slipping into old destructive habits. What we left with:

(1) Understanding your partner's response to stress - tough topics

(2) Understanding how to communicate effectively given these long-held response mechanisms, and

(3) Leaving with a feeling of optimism for our future IF we continue the hard work done over the intensive weekend.

I liked all aspects of Dr. Gorman's approach to us individually and as a couple. Her sense of humor and balanced approach in listening and guiding were exactly what we needed. She is a gem.

Bottom line:  The intensive approach, although difficult and exhausting, is the best way to get on track. I can't imagine trying to do what we did over several weeks of one hour sessions.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

We hesitated starting couples therapy because of the money and an unknown therapist. We wanted to improve issues with intimacy, communicating, conflict resolution, and quality time. With other couples therapy in the past, we would get stuck often. We couldn’t seem to progress. It was always about putting out fires, never learning or growing.

Jenny Fang was intuitive, used different modalities, and pointed. She taught me so much. She would show me how to talk to my partner. We’ve mega shifted! It’s like we are starting new with helpful tools. Trauma is there but we are aware of it now. We’re making different choices. Jenny tapped in to deep parts of us that are problematic and keeping us wounded.

This deep work is what we needed to breakthrough.

What three benefits resulted from working with Couples Therapy Inc?

-We shifted out of being wounded 24/7 so we could start the real work

-Learned about our trauma and tendencies

-Tools to talk! Especially in conflict. Also, the secrets to making my husband feel loved.

Jenny is a superstar. She’s so smart and really gives a s---. She’s changed our lives and we are profoundly grateful.

Orange County California Couples Retreat - Jenny Fang

Our relationship was very bad. We were trying to figure out if we would divorce.

After this intensive we have now reached an agreement on how to be with each other. We communicate better. We have a clear idea what to do. The weekend provided structure for us and some good tools to use when we argue.

We have a good plan for the next six months.

Las Vegas, Nevada Couples Retreat - Dr. Scott Wolfe

Our relationship was positive and in recovery, but we still struggled with deep attachment wounds we had individually and later, between us. We are both earnest and comprehensive in the life we are seeking together. We have many new tools to work through together. We are learning how to communicate amygdala-to-amygdala. The Gottman practical skills are also a useful framework for day-to-day conflict. We are still internalizing bigger messages about our own development and how that fits into our marriage.

Who was your couples therapist? Excellent. We appreciated Dr. McMahon's direct approach, breadth of knowledge and ability to see our situation from a new and fresh perspective.

Most: She knows what she is doing in complicated situations and has the confidence to address issues she sees in a direct way. Least: We needed more time to digest in pieces.

The weekend format was great and is likely the best format for couples that need very intensive and consistent intervention. However, the BEST format for us would be 3 hours every two weeks for 12 weeks or something like that. Our issues are intense, but we are not in crisis. I think we do best when we can work intensely, close that down, break for several days/week, process, distil our questions down to one or two and then come back to answer those. We fatigued, but I think the issues still have energy. Our issues were marathons - not sprints.

What changes resulted?

1. A fresh perspective on our unique issues. 2. New skills to practice and utilize tailored specifically to our relationship. 3. Hope.

What follow-up services would be helpful?

A summary of Dr. McMahon's impressions for each individual and then the couple/marriage. Three paragraphs of her straight impressions and advice. No nonsense. Big picture. Summary.

I would recommend Dr. McMahon without hesitation.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

How would you describe your relationship before you called Couples Therapy Inc.? What were the core issues you wanted to improve?

I was hesitant about spending a substantial amount of money with no results.  However, our relationship was almost over. We had poor communication and high-stress levels. This was more of a scientific approach.  Dr. K  was very neutral and explained things very well.  It's only been a week but our relationship has definitely improved. We have better communication and understanding each other better and the stress level between us has also decreased. I had no hope before going to see Kathy.  Now I know we've got a chance to mend our relationship. 

I would definitely recommend Couples Therapy Inc.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

From a note recently sent to Angela (shared with permission):

I’m really writing just to say hi and thank you. Finding you saved our marriage in the hardest time. I know this may sound crazy but I went to a medium recently and he actually mentioned how he saw your impact on my life and marriage. Obviously I agreed! You have such a gift and talent and I’m very grateful we found you when we did.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

There was a distance between us that needed to be investigated and repaired.

Dr. Gorman was very helpful and did not favor one of us over the other. She was able to identify the big issues and help us focus on them, she did a good job. It really digs deep and gets to the bottom of issues. We did learn a lot and came away with some tools that should help us in the future.

We now have a better understanding of each other, tools to work within the future, and a resource we can call on in the future if we have more problems. We are both very glad we did it.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Definitely worth trying.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

We were in a rough place trying to forgive the other for past issues.

We previously tried couples therapy, but for 1 session only. I was not pleased; the therapist did not help us but just regurgitated things/reasons/ understandings that we had already discussed on our own.

We were looking for a non-religion-based marriage intensive* and worked with Dr. Doug Burford.

It was very slow-paced. There was no excitement or fast-paced chaos and more open conversation. We are trying to remember the positives and reiterate the positives as we discuss issues/negatives. We are also having weekly check-in meetings.

It is always helpful to seek outside support and guidance and possible new ways of handling problems. You have nothing to lose but a lot of information and strategies to gain.

*Note from the director: Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, Dr Burford is a wonderful clinician and offers both secular and Christian-based intensives.

Overland Park, Kansas Couples Retreat - Dr. Burford

What hesitation did you have about starting couples therapy with us?

Not much, it was geographically close. We hadn't tried couples therapy before. We had no personal referrals. But we needed therapy to resolve issues that were problematic with this relationship. My husband's former wife and the direction of the relationship were core issues we wanted to resolve.

What specific qualities did you like about this therapist?

Partner One: We like Jenny from the introductory phone call. She was warm, insightful, and made some great interpretations that opened things up as a couple.

Partner Two: Jenny was pleasant and knowledgeable and was able to get to some areas of discussion which were hidden to us before.

What changes resulted in your marriage from the work you did?

Partner One: It's a little early to tell but we seem more patient with each other. We have more patience and we're expressing more emotions.

We received tools and had an opportunity to use one.

Orange County California Couples Retreat - Jenny Fang

We just got married so we didn't have any huge issues to work through, but wanted to improve on communication and conflict management.

We had 1-2 sessions of couples therapy pre-COVID but didn't get far because COVID hit, and we did not return.

We liked Couples Therapy Inc because of the great reviews and the Gottman method. I was concerned that I wouldn't like the therapist or that it wouldn't be helpful.           

Dr. McNulty was incredible. He had a great way of relating our emotions and struggles with things from our past or our childhoods, which led us to a much deeper understanding of where the other partner was coming from. Also, when we struggled to articulate feelings, he asked permission to "double" as us and would narrate what he thought we were trying to say, then check in with us to see if that was accurate. He was always so spot on in understanding what feelings we were trying to articulate and also in communicating it in a way that our partner would be receptive to.

We have dealt with a few small conflicts so far using the techniques Dr. McNulty taught us and have resolved issues so much faster than we used to. We also do weekly State of the Union meetings, that are such a great way to check in with each other.

I've already been telling all my friends how amazing our weekend with Dr. McNulty was for our relationship.

1) We are so much better at resolving conflicts before they turn into bigger arguments, 2) we have a much better understanding of why we both react in certain ways, and what each other's triggers are and how to avoid them, and 3) we have much more empathy for each other in conversations.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Just do it - even if there are no large issues (trauma, infidelity, etc.) that you need to work through, there are always better ways to communicate and handle conflict with your partner and we have benefitted so much from our experience.

Couples Retreat - Dr. Mike McNulty

Our relationship was rough. We had no idea how to communicate.

I was concerned that it was going to be a lot to take in within 2 days.

Dr. Kathy McMahon knew her stuff. Anything we threw at her she had already dealt with and knew how to approach it. It’s only been a few days since we went but there have already been a few positive changes. When we don’t agree on something we can talk it out like adults.

 It was expensive but well worth the happiness it brings both of you.

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?

Just do it. It’s so worth it. It’s like a breath of fresh air not having to walk on eggshells.

Boston / Berkshire Retreat - Dr. K

Our relationship was cold and icy. We didn't fight much, if at all, and we lived our lives like roommates and had a difficult time opening up and getting past the boredom and dullness of a 7 year marriage with kids. Havi Klifeld was amazing! I felt very comfortable with her from the start - like I've known her my entire life or like she could be a best friend. She was very warm and inviting and really took the time to listen to my partner and I. Havi is very professional and she knows her material well. Other therapists my wife and I visited tried to teach us material from Gottman, but it wasn't presented well and it was lost on us. Havi is an excellent teacher. Couples Therapy Inc, in many respects, was our last effort to repair our relationship. However, it should have been our FIRST choice. If we had led with Couples Therapy Inc, we would have repaired our marriage years ago and with much less pain and suffering. I can't express how impressed my wife and I are with Havi. She's really amazing!

Los Angeles Couples Retreat - Havi Kligfeld

We were at a place where we could not connect, anytime we tried to discuss difficult topics or express our feelings we would argue, get defensive and attack one another. We were both questioning if this marriage would work long term.

We had been to 3 sessions [of previous couples therapy] and we had not made much progress

The reviews and the idea that we could work on a lot of issues and learn skills quicker and more intensively [made us choose Couples Therapy Inc].

Jenny Fang was able to connect with me and my husband in a very positive way and quickly and easily establish trust from both of us. There was space for my feelings to be heard and validated, we understand each other better, we have a new outlook on our relationship and how we navigate it together.

We are connected in a new and more positive way. We are daily practicing the skills that we learned and have a new and deeper commitment to our relationship.

Jenny was fabulous she really helped my husband and I connect and restore our love for one another

What would you say to couples that are considering working with Couples Therapy Inc.?         

Do It!!! It is worth it.  100 percent

Jenny Fang

Previous couples therapy brought some improvement but not as much as desired.         

We liked CTI for the Gottman method (strongly research-based) and the time frame (greater opportunity to follow-up on issues that arise).

Dr. Gorman was excellent at facilitating conversation, drawing out more when needed, and ensuring both partners had time to both address and listen to concerns.

[We now have] increased passion/romance, improved understanding of the "why" behind our individual reactions/approaches, and significantly increased connection.  

We already feel much closer and are focusing on what makes us "us".

The approach just makes so much sense; focusing on the positive and building strength within the relationship.

Amherst MA Couples Retreat - Dr. Gorman

I was very troubled by my partner's affair and we were unsure how to work at healing from this. We tried couples therapy with two different therapists, one actually detrimental and one neutral but not affair specialized.

Angela Voegele is incredibly talented, warm, comforting, and insightful. Her sex therapy experience was also a very helpful combination.

Angela is simply amazing.

We feel so lucky to have had her as our therapist. We took very significant steps forward in healing and understanding how this happened. We learned tools to navigate this as well.

This is the best couples therapy we've ever had.

Extremely talented therapist, very well structured intensive, lots of resources to access in continuing the work on our own post-intensive.     

If you think there is even a chance that you want to repair your marriage do this immediately.

Washington DC Retreat - Angela Voegele

Our relationship was troubled. We had begun couples therapy weekly regimens prior to attending Couples Therapy Inc. It didn't feel that we did much or progressed much in our weekly sessions. Also, the therapist seemed to have to be reminded of our problems because she didn’t seem to remember anything about us each week.

Dr. Doug Burford, was very kind and easy to talk with. He was great at promoting spiritual involvement without feeling preached to. And he listened to what we have done and adjusted anything he needed to meet our needs.

He was absolutely great. We feel confident in our new tools and skills that Dr. Doug has taught us. He finds ways of conveying information and skills in a way that sticks and always you to reinforce and build on them. We have improved our conflict communication and resolutions. We can express our feelings in a productive manner without using bad phrases or words. And we feel stronger that we can face future challenges together as a team.

We feel we are now capable of continuing healing and communicating without hurting each other. We have new tools and don’t fear a potential conflict.

We had an amazing experience with Couples Therapy Inc. The whole process has helped us so much. My husband and I feel like we have a renewed relationship or new in general. We know each other on a deeper level that we never knew existed and now we can pursue getting stronger.

Overland Park, Kansas Couples Retreat - Dr. Burford


A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.        ---Mignon McLaughlin