Premarital therapy for couples who want to deepen their connection, navigate the hard conversations, and build a strong foundation for what comes next.
Start your marriage on solid ground.
VIRTUAL PREMARITIAL THERAPY IN SAN FRANCISCO AND ACROSS CA
Make time for the relationship you’re about to build your life around.
Congrats! You’ve found someone you love, built a life together, and decided you want to keep choosing each other. You’ve figured out routines, handled plenty of everyday life together, and probably learned a few things about how each of you handles stress.
Maybe things are going really well, and you are here because you want to be intentional about building on what you already have.
Or maybe you’re already feeling the pressure as you’re in the middle of wedding planning.
You’re fighting more than usual, struggling with future in-laws, finding yourselves stuck in familiar patterns, or having doubts you didn’t expect to have.
Few relationships shape your life more than the one you build with your partner, influencing how you experience stress, connection, joy, and support. There’s often so much time, energy, and financial investment that goes into planning a wedding, yet far less attention is given to preparing for the marriage itself.
My approach
As a Level 2 Gottman-trained therapist with 14 years of experience, I bring both practical tools and a deep understanding of the patterns that shape how couples relate to one another. Gottman research offers valuable insight into the behaviors and dynamics associated with relationships that remain strong and those that become increasingly distressed over time. That means premarital work isn’t just about talking through a checklist of topics. It’s about understanding what helps couples stay connected, navigate conflict, repair after difficult moments, and continue to feel like they’re on the same team as life changes.
Our work will highlight the strengths of your relationship and the foundation you’ve already built, while identifying areas that could be strengthened.
Key areas we’ll cover:
✓ The meaning of your marriage commitment
✓ Conflict resolution, problem-solving, and co-regulation
✓ Building skills for accountability and emotional availability
✓ Individual identity and autonomy
✓ Effective communication
✓ Differences in attachment styles
✓ Financial goals and expectation
✓ Household roles and responsibilities
✓ Sexual and emotional expectations
✓ Future goals and priorities
✓ Reproductive decisions
✓ Navigating cultural differences
✓ Extended family and traditions
✓ Spiritual life
What you’ll take with you
You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of each other, more confidence talking about important subjects, and practical tools for navigating conflict and staying connected. You’ll also have a better understanding of what helps relationships stay strong, the patterns that can create distance, and how to take care of your relationship when life gets hard.
You’ll also leave with a collection of Gottman worksheets, exercises, tips, and practical tools you can return to long after our work together ends. Think of them as resources you can pull out when you need a refresher, want to have a conversation about something important, or find yourselves stuck in a familiar pattern.
You already have a relationship worth building on. Premarital therapy gives you the chance to slow down, talk about the important stuff, and head into marriage with a stronger foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
In our first session, I’ll learn about what first attracted you to each other, what you love about your relationship, strengths, and areas of interest work on. Afterward, I’ll send you an online Gottman questionnaire to complete.
In our second session, I’ll meet with each of you for half an hour each to learn more about your personal history and experiences.
In our third session, we’ll review a personalized summary I will have written highlighting your strengths, areas for growth, and key relationship themes. This becomes a roadmap for our work and helps clarify a path forward.
After that, we’ll focus on the topics mentioned above and those that matter most to you, while leaving room for issues to emerge naturally. I’m engaged and proactive throughout the process, slowing things down and helping you build awareness in real time.
-
With the Gottman method as part of my approach, our sessions include plenty of practical exercises, tools and worksheets you can take home and continue using together. We’ll also incorporate engaging, sometimes playful exercises that keep the process lighthearted while helping you have meaningful conversations and build skills you can carry into your marriage.
-
You don’t have to wait until something is wrong. In fact, the earlier you start, the more time you have for conversations that matter. I typically recommend beginning several months before your wedding, when you can approach the process thoughtfully rather than trying to squeeze it in alongside the final weeks of wedding planning.
But there’s no wrong time to begin. Whether you’re newly engaged, already deep into wedding planning, or simply want to strengthen your relationship before taking the next step, premarital therapy can help you strengthen your partnership before taking the next step.
-
There’s no one-size-fits-all timeline. I typically recommend 6–10 sessions, giving couples enough time to explore the core areas of their relationship, identify strengths and potential challenges, and develop practical skills for navigating marriage together.
Some couples may benefit from fewer sessions, while others may want more time to go deeper into particular areas.
Take the First Step
Thanks for your interest in working with me. Please fill out this brief form and be in touch within 48 hours to schedule a free 30-miute phone consultation.
