Couples and Family Therapy

What Is the Gottman Method?
"The Gottman Method for Healthy Relationships is a form of 
couples-based therapy and education that draws on the 
pioneering studies of relationships by psychologist John M. Gottman and 
clinical practice conducted by John Gottman and his wife, psychologist 
Julie Gottman. Nearly 40 years of research have led John Gottman to 
identify the elements it takes for relationships to last—among all types 
of couples across all phases of life. There are nine components of what 
the Gottmans call The Sound Relationship House, from partners making 
mental maps of each other’s world to learning how to break through 
relationship gridlock. One of the reigning insights of the science-based 
approach is that in the dynamics of relationship systems, negative 
emotions like defensiveness and contempt have more power to hurt a 
relationship than positive emotions have to help a relationship. As a 
result, the structured therapy focuses on developing understanding and skills so that 
partners can maintain fondness and admiration, turn toward each other to 
get their needs met (especially when they are hurting), manage conflict, 
and enact their dreams — and what to do 
when they mess up (because everyone does)."  (Psychology Today)