Gottman Method Couples Therapy in Baltimore
Research-Based Support to Strengthen Your Relationship
When conflict feels constant, communication has broken down, or emotional connection has faded, many couples reach a point where they need practical skills and a research-based approach to create lasting change.
The Gottman Method for Healthy Relationships is a form of couples therapy that derives from decades of relationship research by psychologist John Gottman and Julie Gottman. The Gottman approach is built on scientific observation into how couples interact and what patterns lead to relationship problems or success. This approach teaches couples to use techniques that happy, stable, long-term couples have used successfully.
At the Baltimore Therapy Group, our couples therapy and marriage counseling services are provided by Gottman trained therapists who use evidence-based couples therapy using the Gottman Method. This theoretical orientation helps couples rebuild trust, deepen intimacy, and communicate in ways that actually work.
Baltimore Therapy Group Accepting New Patients
Meet the Baltimore Therapy Group's
Gottman Couples Therapy Specialists
Andrea Castelhano, PsyD
LIcensed Psychologist
Gottman Therapist in Baltimore
Andrea is a Gottman trained therapist who works with couples to strengthen emotional connection. She uses the Gottman techniques to help couples understand how individual struggles create disconnection between partners and teaches them to become sources of comfort for each other.
Cassandra Ekstrom, LCSW-C
Licensed social Worker
Gottman Therapist in Baltimore
Cassie is a Gottman trained therapist who works with couples struggling with communication breakdowns and conflicts. She brings a direct approach to helping couples therapy clients access deeper feelings driving conflicts. Cassie uses Gottman techniques to help partners stay emotionally connected.
Elise Swanekamp, LGPC
Licensed counselor
Gottman Therapist in Baltimore
Elise is a Gottman trained therapist who works with couples experiencing communication difficulties. She uses the Gottman Method to help partners understand attachment fears and unmet needs driving reactive patterns while guiding them toward expressing vulnerability.
Zak Fusciello, LCPC
licensed counselor
Gottman Therapist in Baltimore
Zak is a Gottman trained therapist who works with couples experiencing conflict and disconnection. His warm style helps partners take emotional risks. Zak uses Gottman Method principles to help couples understand attachment fears driving reactive patterns and develop new habits of connection.
What is the Gottman Method?
The Gottman Method was created by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, co-founders of The Gottman Institute in Seattle. John Gottman is an American psychologist known for his research on divorce prediction and marital stability. Through decades of research in the "Love Lab," Gottman analyzed how couples interact to understand what contributes to relationship success.
Gottman has published over 190 papers and authored 40 books on relationship science, including work on why couples divorce and how to prevent it. His research forms the foundation of the Gottman approach making it the "Gold Standard" in couples therapy because it is strengths-based, research-driven, and practical.
The Gottman Method is a broad-based treatment serving all couples, at any age, and in any stage of relationship. The approach focuses on developing skills for partners to maintain fondness and admiration, turn toward each other, and manage conflict constructively.
The Sound Relationship House
This approach is based on the Sound Relationship House theory, which includes nine components:
Build Love Maps: Understanding your partner's inner world. Love Maps help partners stay connected to each other's psychological world.
Share Fondness and Admiration: Expressing appreciation and respect.
Turn Toward: Responding positively to bids for connection.
The Positive Perspective: Maintaining a favorable view of your partner.
Manage Conflict: Learning practical skills to handle disagreements constructively.
Make Life Dreams Come True: Supporting each other's goals.
Create Shared Meaning: Developing shared values and rituals that give deeper meaning.
Trust and Commitment: Building reliability and choosing your relationship.
The Gottman Method Assessment Process
A Gottman trained therapist begins couples therapy with a structured assessment. The Gottman assessment process consists of three sessions lasting approximately four hours total.
Session 1: Couples meet together to share what brings them to therapy and discuss a common disagreement. The therapist observes communication patterns.
Session 2: The therapist meets separately with each partner to understand individual perspectives and how backgrounds influence the relationship.
Session 3: The therapist shares assessment results and discusses potential goals, creating a treatment plan.
The assessment includes questionnaires using Affective Software, similar to what you would experience inside a Gottman couples therapy session at our practice. The Gottman Method emphasizes that therapy sessions are conducted with both partners together, and therapists do not keep secrets.
Key Gottman Method Principles
“The Gottman Method is applicable to couples at any stage of relationship, regardless of background or issues. Whether you’re newlyweds, parents maintaining connection while raising children, or long-term partners stuck in negative patterns, the Gottman Method provides a framework. The assessment and treatment plan are tailored to each couple’s challenges. Gottman Method couples therapy requires commitment and work, but the practical skills become tools you’ll use throughout your relationship.”
The Magic Ratio
Gottman's research indicates successful relationships require five positive interactions for every negative one. The Magic Ratio means ensuring positive moments far outweigh negative ones.
The Four Horsemen
The Gottman Method identifies four destructive communication patterns: Criticism, Defensiveness, Contempt, and Stonewalling. Gottman trained therapists help couples recognize and change these patterns.
Softened Startups
The method promotes using softened startups to approach discussions gently, a key theme in our writing on what happens in couples therapy sessions. How you begin a conversation determines how it ends.
Repair Attempts
The Gottman Method provides tools for repairing damage from disagreements, reducing resentment and illustrating what to expect from marriage counseling when working on your relationship.
Turning Toward Bids
Turning Toward Instead of Away teaches couples to respond positively to small daily bids for connection.
Gottman Method Techniques
Gottman trained therapists teach specific techniques:
Active Listening: Nodding, affirming, and paraphrasing to make partners feel heard.
Effective Communication: Expressing feelings without blame (using “I statements”), reducing defensiveness.
Stress-Reducing Conversations: Discussing external stressors without solving relationship issues, promoting empathy.
Building Love Maps: Understanding each other's inner worlds.
Rituals of Connection: Establishing regular moments that strengthen connection.
The Gottman Method teaches couples to listen with empathy and speak with clarity. These practical skills couples can practice between sessions gradually create new patterns.
Getting Started with Gottman Method Couples Therapy
“The Gottman Method stands apart because it’s built on over 40 years of research into what actually works. This research revealed that successful relationships require a ratio of five positive interactions for every negative interaction such as criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling, what Gottman calls “The Four Horsemen.” Gottman trained therapists teach techniques that research has shown help couples strengthen friendship and manage conflict constructively.”
At the Baltimore Therapy Group, our Gottman trained therapists provide couples counseling in Baltimore, MD using the research-based Gottman Method. Located in Towson, Maryland, we serve couples with both in-person therapy and online options, including online premarital counseling using the Gottman Relationship Checkup.
When you contact us for Gottman Method couples therapy, we'll schedule your assessment. The assessment gives your therapist comprehensive understanding of your relationship dynamics. Together, you'll create a treatment plan focused on building skills necessary for healthy relationships.
The Gottman Method helps couples rebuild trust, improve communication, resolve conflict, and create deeper intimacy and shared meaning. Couples therapy provides a safe space for partners to express feelings and understand perspectives. Our Gottman trained therapists support couples in creating stronger, more connected relationships.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gottman Method Couples Therapy in Baltimore
How do I find a certified Gottman therapist in Baltimore?
Use the Gottman Referral Network to find certified Gottman therapists who have received training through The Gottman Institute. Certified Gottman therapists complete advanced clinical training levels and work with a certification consultant to demonstrate mastery of Gottman relationship building techniques. At the Baltimore Therapy Group, our Gottman trained therapists have completed formal training in Gottman therapy and use these evidence-based approaches with couples.
What is the difference between a Gottman trained therapist and a certified Gottman therapist?
A Gottman trained therapist has completed the foundational two-day workshop or Gottman training programs, while a certified Gottman therapist has reached advanced clinical levels through extensive training in Gottman approaches, supervised practice, and consultation. Certified Gottman therapists work at the advanced clinical level under supervision of a certification consultant and must demonstrate proficiency helping couples dig deeper into relationship patterns. Both provide valuable support, but certification indicates experienced clinicians who've achieved mastery. The Gottman Referral Network database puts certified therapists as the primary resource for finding highly trained professionals.
Is the Gottman Method backed by research?
Yes. John and Julie Gottman built the Gottman Method on over 40 years of research studying human relationships and what Gottman found predicts relationship success or failure. Their research at the Future Institute (often called the "Love Lab") observed couples worldwide and identified patterns in healthy relationships. This research revealed the importance of positive interactions, managing conflict constructively, and maintaining relationship health through specific skills. Mental health professionals and experienced clinicians recognize Gottman therapy as evidence-based because it derives from empirical research, making marriage work through proven techniques rather than theory alone.
Do both partners need to attend Gottman Method couples therapy?
Yes. Gottman Method couples therapy requires both partners to attend sessions together (except during individual assessment meetings). The approach focuses on improving the relationship between partners, not individual therapy. Gottman trained therapists observe how partners interact, talk honestly about concerns, and practice new communication skills together. While seeking professional help individually can address personal issues, Gottman therapy specifically strengthens the couple's bond by teaching both people Gottman relationship building techniques simultaneously, creating shared meaning and connection that requires active participation from each person.
How long does Gottman Method couples therapy take?
The initial Gottman assessment process typically takes three sessions over approximately four hours total. After assessment, therapy length varies based on relationship challenges and goals. Some couples attend weekly sessions for 12-20 weeks, while others continue longer or return periodically. Gottman trained therapists in private practice create individualized treatment plans. The Gottman Institute's two-day workshop format also exists, though ongoing therapy with experienced clinicians typically provides deeper support for relationship health. Progress depends on both partners' commitment to practicing Gottman relationship building techniques between sessions.
Can the Gottman Method help if we've tried other couples therapy?
Yes. Many couples find Gottman therapy helpful after other approaches didn't create lasting change. The Gottman Method differs because it's based on research into what actually improves relationship health rather than theory. Gottman found specific patterns—like maintaining five positive interactions for every negative one—that predict success. Certified Gottman therapists and experienced clinicians teach concrete skills from this research. If you've seen many therapists without progress, seeking professional help from someone with advanced clinical training in Gottman approaches through the Gottman Referral Network may provide the structure and techniques needed to make marriage work.
What issues can Gottman Method couples therapy address?
Gottman therapy addresses most relationship challenges including communication breakdowns, frequent conflict, emotional distance, trust issues after infidelity, parenting disagreements, and sexual intimacy concerns. The approach works for couples at any relationship stage—newly married, long-term partners, or considering separation. Mental health professionals trained in Gottman techniques help couples worldwide strengthen relationship health regardless of specific issues. While Gottman trained therapists teach skills applicable to human relationships broadly, certified Gottman therapists at the advanced clinical level can dig deeper into complex patterns. Gottman therapy helps partners talk honestly and create shared meaning.
What happens in the first Gottman therapy session?
The first session begins the assessment process where Gottman trained therapists meet with both partners together. You'll discuss what brings you to therapy and share concerns about your relationship. The therapist observes how you talk honestly (or struggle to) and how you manage conflict together. This initial session establishes safety for both partners to share perspectives. Experienced clinicians use this session to understand relationship dynamics and begin building trust. After this joint meeting, individual sessions follow where each person can dig deeper into personal perspectives before receiving feedback and creating a treatment plan focused on relationship health.
Does The Baltimore Therapy Group have Gottman trained therapists?
Yes. Baltimore Therapy Group has multiple Gottman trained therapists who provide Gottman Method couples therapy. Our therapists have received training in Gottman approaches and use evidence-based techniques to help couples improve relationship health. While we have Gottman trained therapists, we recommend checking the Gottman Referral Network if you specifically need a certified Gottman therapist at the advanced clinical level. Our private practice serves couples worldwide through both in-person and online sessions, offering flexible options for seeking professional help using Gottman relationship building techniques to strengthen healthy relationships.