Mission Statement

We do that first and foremost by talking to the public about what evidence based couples therapy is, and who is skilled enough to practice it. We promise that our clinicians will be knowledgeable about science-based findings on helping couples. Other principles:

Tell the truth

We are outspoken critics about the way marriage counseling is practiced today. What passes for therapy with couples to this day continues to be insurance-driven and too often utterly ineffective.

It would be great if health insurance companies covered couples therapy, but they simply don't. 

If a well-meaning but ill-advised generalist tries to fix the square peg (couples therapy) in the round hold (individual therapy allotment), they'll end up doing poor treatment in half the time required to do it. 

We promise that our services will be more effective than a generalist practitioner using a  45-minute" approach. Using at least 80-minute sessions are needed when practicing couples therapy.  

Have ridiculously high standards

After sifting through, on average, a thousand resumes each year, we know saying that most therapists are "well-versed" in today’s most successful relationship counseling approaches is flat-out wrong.

The determined or lucky graduate student has taken a single (overview) course in it. Fewer still have developed skills under a trained eye. Attending costly post-graduate training institutes, devoting your practice to it, and endlessly refining your skills make a great couples therapist. Few practitioners do that. 

Do an extensive assessment before therapy starts

When we began, it was commonly accepted "wisdom" that clients would not fill out assessment instruments until after they established a "good working relationship" (jargon for "the clients have to trust you"). We have proved that to be wrong. We started out expecting each partner to fill out 800-1000 questions before we even meet. And our clients willingly did it.

Couples come in needing help now, not in 3-4 weeks after you manually gather basic data from them. When you do an extensive assessment beforehand, you hit the ground running in treatment.

Link assessment with treatment; don't do one without the other

We promise not to do a single hour of "therapy" without doing a thorough Assessment ("State of the Union") first.  We believe you deserve that level of care before we impact the heart of your family.

Offer an easy-to-access approach using a comprehensive package

An "easy-to-access" therapeutic approach means that couples can do this journey in larger, more concentrated chunks of time. This make the therapy more effective because it doesn't get watered down and everyone stays focused on the task at hand. We offer that both in-person and in online couples therapy.

Be "Marriage Friendly." Cherish relationship bonds

While we value personal development, we believe most people do that within relationships, not as isolated individuals. We promise to be the last person in the room giving up on you, or your relationship.  "Marriage Friendly" means we believe in intimate relationships, and we will help you to maintain those connections.*

Keep the momentum going

Relapse prevention is a cornerstone of evidence-based couples therapy. It strengthening the work and preventing backsliding--a common ailment in couples therapy. We make available our science-focused follow-up course at no charge to couples who complete our comprehensive couples therapy. We also offer online and in-person follow-ups with your couples therapist. They know a lot about you, so follow-up is easier.

Prefer to continue at home locally? 

We'll supply the needed info to a local couples therapist at no charge.