All relationships take work. Learn how to make love last a lifetime.
We Specialize in Couples Counseling
Couples seek counseling for a myriad of reasons, ranging from setting a good foundation with premarital counseling to repairing a relationship in crisis, and anything in between. Choosing a therapist can be a daunting task and more often than not is accomplished by meshing schedules and insurance plans, rather than determining the skill level of the therapist. Couples Counseling and Professional Training Associates covers all bases.
Alysha Roll, LCSW and Mary Beth George, LPC, founders of Couples Counseling and Professional Training Associates, both are certified in Gottman Method™ couples therapy and are Master Trainers and Consultants for The Gottman Institute. Developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, this method of intervention is based on four decades of research. John Gottman is bestselling author of numerous books, including The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. Travelling to Seattle, home of the Gottman Institute, Alysha and Mary Beth have had multiple opportunities to train with the Gottmans as well as other Certified Gottman Therapists.
A Research-Based Type of Therapy
Gottman Method™ Couples Therapy guides the practitioner in assessing the unique strengths and stressors that impact the bond between two people. By extensively studying the interactions between couples, John Gottman has been able to determine what behaviors are associated with relationships that last and those that end in divorce. From this research the Gottmans have developed a wide range of effective interventions, including:
- Re-igniting the flames of fading romance and friendship
- Bridging the chasm of emotional distance and building a culture of appreciation
- De-escalating volatile arguments and gridlocked fights
- Eradicating criticism, defensiveness, contempt and stonewalling
- Healing from affairs and other breaches of trust
- Building shared meaning, values and symbols for long term connection
By utilizing this powerful, scientifically backed approach, Alysha and Mary Beth offer hope and healing to couples. They offer four modalities of Gottman Method™ Couples Therapy:
- Couples Counseling (in office or online)
- Marathon Intensive Therapy/Marriage Retreat
- The Art & SCIENCE of Love Weekend Workshop
- Premarital Counseling
How It Works
Traditional weekly couples counseling, marathon/intensive therapy and premarital counseling all begin with an in-depth assessment process that includes several phases:
- An initial joint session where the couple has an opportunity to share with the therapist the history of their relationship, highlighting the seminal moments that led to the current state of distress
- Confidential online questionnaire created by the Gottman Institute that identifies the couples strengths and challenges
- Individual sessions with each partner, allowing them to share their personal history and perspectives with the therapist
- A feedback session in which the therapist shares her observations of their relationship struggles, as well as the development of goals for couples counseling
Make an Appointment
If your relationship is in distress, don’t wait to make an appointment. Research has shown that it usually takes six years from the first sign of trouble in a relationship to the commencement of couples therapy. While help is available at any stage of the relationship, it is wise to intervene early.
Please visit the biography pages of Mary Beth George and Alysha Roll to learn more about them. They each schedule their own appointments.
