This page is designed to help explain my approach to relationship counselling, which is called Gottman Method Couples Therapy. I will also share about what to expect in online couple counselling. I’ll try to answer as many questions here as possible. If you need more information, please visit my FAQ page, or send me a message using the contact form.
What is Gottman Method Couples Therapy?
Gottman Method Couple Therapy is a structured, emotion-focused and evidence-based therapy. Intervention strategies are based upon Dr John Gottman’s four decades of scientific research. Dr Gottman and his wife, Dr Julie Gottman, have studied couples and how they move through time together. They have discovered and measured what makes relationships work well, and what makes them perform poorly. They call these two types of outcomes, the “masters and disasters” of relationships. Dr John Gottman is Gottman Method Couple Therapy is a structured, emotion-focused and evidence-based therapy. Intervention strategies are based upon Dr John Gottman’s four decades of scientific research. Dr Gottman and his wife, Dr Julie Gottman, have studied couples and how they move through time together. They have discovered and measured what makes relationships work well, and what makes them perform poorly. They call these two types of outcomes, the “masters and disasters” of relationships. Dr John Gottman is
Gottman Method Couple Therapy is a structured, emotion-focused and evidence-based therapy. Intervention strategies are based upon Dr John Gottman’s four decades of scientific research. Dr Gottman and his wife, Dr Julie Gottman, have studied couples and how they move through time together. They have discovered and measured what makes relationships work well, and what makes them perform poorly. They call these two types of outcomes, the “masters and disasters” of relationships. Dr John Gottman is
famous for using his research to predict the likelihood of divorce with almost 94% accuracy. He believes that relationship success can be measured and happiness in the relationship can be improved over time. Using the Gottman Method, I can help you discover how to become a master of your own relationship, so you can both enjoy a loving, fun, and pleasurable marriage.
It might be OK to start an individual therapy session with “tell me a little bit about yourself”, but that doesn’t work for couple therapy. Couples usually arrive in my virtual office feeling a sense of overwhelm, distress or grief. The assessment process involves conducting a detailed analysis of the relationship. Every couple has strengths as well as weaknesses. Knowing exactly where the couple is struggling, means I can begin to support the marriage in a more focused way. It means that couples spend less time and money working with me and hopefully, feel happier, sooner.
After the assessment, I’ll invite you to work through a series of relevant interventions to support your relationship. As you gain confidence with these interventions, you can begin to do them at home. It’s then when you’ll really begin to feel the positive effects. Most of the tools that I’ll share with you are actually pretty simple. But when you get the right tools at the right time, the tide in your relationship begins to turn from an ocean of conflict, into a sea of tranquillity.
I’ve trained with the world’s experts in couple therapy
I feel very privileged and honoured to have trained directly with Dr’s John and Julie Gottman, who are leading world experts in marriage therapy. I travelled halfway around the world, but I wanted to learn from the people who know relationships best. This was an investment in me, and so, take it as an investment in you. I’ll bring the best of who I am, with all my skills and experience into my couples work with you. In fact, I’m just one of six couple therapists who offer Gottman Method Couples Therapy in Switzerland. My aim is to help resource your relationship to weather the storms of conflict and difficulty so that you can emerge stronger and more resilient as a couple.
Work with me
I’m a native English-speaking couple therapist, offering online couple therapy in Zurich, Geneva and across Switzerland. I have extensive experience working with both expat and multicultural couples. As a former expat, I understand the unique challenges faced by couples living aboard. I use a warm, compassionate and focused approach in my work. My aim is to provide high-quality couple counselling so that my couples can enjoy a happy and healthy relationship. I also seek to empower couples to be their own relationship expert by teaching them how to apply the exercises we do together in session.
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My own couple therapy journey
We all need support and every meaningful relationship goes through its struggles. This is how I discovered the field of marriage counselling. About 3 years into our marriage, with a young family, my wife and I sought couple counselling with a skilled therapist who was trained in the Gottman Method. She helped us through a difficult time in our relationship. As a client partaking in relationship therapy, I can attest to its effectiveness. We worked through our struggles and are happily married in a loving and mutually supportive relationship ever since. Relationships never stand still. One has to invest time and energy into them to make them work.
EMDR & Brainspotting for couples
I also offer EMDR and Brainspotting sessions to my couples. They are highly effective forms of trauma therapy. Simply get in touch if you’d like to learn more.
What’s the difference between couple therapy and marriage counselling?
It often depends on where people are from. I personally do not make a distinction. It doesn’t matter what you call relationship therapy, ultimately it’s about obtaining professional support for you and your relationship.
Where can I find couples therapy near me?
Whether you’re looking for English-speaking couples therapy in Zurich, or couple therapy in Geneva, regardless of the location, I’ve got you covered. That’s the beauty of online relationship therapy. I offer services right across Switzerland, and beyond.
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What’s the difference between Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), and Imago?
All three are different and effective forms of couple counselling in my opinion. They have some similarities, in that they are all emotionally-focused. Each one invites the couple to go inwards and share the more vulnerable and painful parts of themselves – their emotions. The Gottman Method focuses initially on assessment. This helps the marriage therapist to understand the unique challenges of each relationship, and the therapy is tailored exactly to it. I find that couples really enjoy the assessment process. It’s a rare opportunity to dive deep into understanding your relationship dynamics. It also ensures that areas of challenge in the relationship are addressed. The Gottman Method is also dyadic. I encourage couples to speak with each other, rather than to me, about how they are feeling. As a result, clients begin to learn how to communicate more effectively with each other. Finally, I believe the Gottman Method is about empowering couples to take charge of their relationship. Couples take the exercises which they learn in the session and use them at home. Essentially, they become their own couple counsellor!
What to expect in online couples therapy?
As described previously, the initial sessions are based on assessing the state of your relationship. First, I interview you together as a couple. Then I see each of you for an individual session, where you get to share more about early life events and your experience of the relationship. We then move into the more formal marriage counselling process, where I invite the client to move away from talking about what’s wrong with their partner and the relationship and move into talking about themselves. I’ll invite you to talk about your feelings and your needs – basically, to move into vulnerability. When both people can do this, effective marriage therapy takes place.
How does online couples therapy compare to working in person?
Although Covid-19 brought about huge changes in how couples access marriage therapy services in Zurich, Geneva and right across Switzerland, I’ve been offering online couple therapy long before the pandemic. I’ve had consistent feedback around the convenience and ease of doing relationship counselling from the comfort of the client’s home. There’s no time spent travelling to and from sessions etc. Having online sessions also means that you can book at a time that suits you. In my experience, relationship counselling lends itself well to online work. While it’s emotionally-focused and relational in its nature, it can be practical too. I see couples enjoying similar results as compared to in-person sessions.
My partner won’t agree to come to couples counselling – How can you help?
Usually, couples enter marriage counselling after a crisis event, or else things have been building up for a long time. Someone then decides that it’s time for outside professional support. It’s normal that is led by one person. It’s also common for one person not to wish to attend online couple counselling. The reasons are vast, but here are some of the common ones. The person might believe that they are at fault and that the therapist will blame them for the relationship difficulties. A good therapist will never make one person responsible for the problems in a relationship. It’s always a dynamic between two people. Some people don’t believe that therapy will help. That’s OK. You don’t have to believe in the process, you just need to be willing to participate. I will support you. You should begin to feel the benefits within a few sessions. Finally, some clients are private people. They simply don’t wish to involve anyone in the relationship or seek outside help. I honour and respect this. It takes great courage for a couple to speak with a third party about the difficulties they are facing. I have been to marriage therapy myself. I know how vulnerable and exposing it can be. I also know that it can help you both to feel understood and cherished in the relationship. If your partner is apprehensive about coming to relationship counselling, why not invite them to read this section? They can watch my videos to get a sense of me as a person.
Has my relationship failed if we need online relationship counselling?
I don’t believe so. All relationships experience difficulty at various times. Things are rarely plain sailing. Any couple includes two very different people who’ve decided to spend their lives together. Differences are part of the reason that leads to conflict in relationships. Conflict per se is not usually the issue, however. It’s how couples manage and navigate conflict that makes all the difference. Did you know that, according to Dr John Gottman, it takes most couples an average of six years of being unhappy before they reach out for the professional support of an online marriage therapist?
Are you ready to get professional support for your relationship?
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Does couples therapy make things worse?
I usually find in most cases that within a short period of time, couples begin to experience positive results in online marriage counselling. This is not always the case. If couples are experiencing high levels of conflict and trauma, marriage counselling can initially be a more difficult experience. This usually subsides when partners learn new tools to express their feelings, communicate needs and so on. However, not all couples in counselling decide to stay in the relationship. Sometimes things are just too far gone. I always do my best to support couples to work through difficulties. I can also help couples to recognise when it might be time to end a relationship, and how to navigate a break up in a kind and caring manner.
Is marriage therapy covered by insurance?
For potential reimbursement by your health insurance please refer to your insurance company and plan. While I don’t deal directly with insurance companies I am very happy to provide receipts where necessary.
Is couples therapy effective?
Like anything, online marriage counselling is effective when both parties are willing to show up for the relationship and take responsibility for their role in improving it. I speak a lot about willingness, and the need to “cross the road” – basically, becoming genuinely interested in what it’s like for your partner. If both people can do that, healing can happen.
How much does couples therapy cost?
The costs vary according to the service. I offer 1 or 2-hour sessions. I also offer 1 or 2-day intensive couple therapy sessions. To learn more, please visit my fees page.
Most couples wait too long…
Most people wait too long before they seek the help that they need. If you are browsing this page, chances are that it’s time for you to take some action.
Does your relationship need support right now?
Don’t worry. Help is at hand! You can book online, instantly, by simply visiting my booking page.
Are you ready to start online couple therapy ?
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