For partners
Couples therapy that moves the needle.
Evidence-based couples work drawing on the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), attachment-based approaches, and sex therapy for partners who are stuck in the same argument, rebuilding trust after rupture, or relearning how to be close. Telehealth across California, with weekend availability and in-person sessions in Walnut Creek.
TL;DR
Couples therapy at our practice integrates the Gottman Method (Christina Mathieson's primary frame, Level 2 trained), Emotionally Focused Therapy and attachment-based work (Michelle Cortez's primary frame), and a trauma-informed lens to couples work (Jalyse Stewart, who also offers weekend sessions). Sex therapy is woven in when intimacy is part of the picture. Most couples see meaningful shifts in 8–12 sessions; affair recovery and long-standing avoidance take longer. Online across California, plus in-person sessions in Walnut Creek.
Good fit if
- You're looping through the same fight with different content each time
- Intimacy or sex has flattened and neither of you knows how to reopen it
- Trust is shaken after infidelity, a big lie, or a long avoidance
- You're transitioning (marriage, baby, job, move) and you're not landing together
- You're LGBTQ+, non-monogamous, polyamorous, or kink-involved, and tired of educating your therapist
- One of you is thinking about leaving and isn't sure
Not a fit if
- Either partner is in active untreated substance use or ongoing affairs (we can refer to a better-fit specialist)
- There's ongoing domestic violence (we refer to DV-specialized trauma and safety resources)
- You're looking for a therapist to adjudicate who's right, couples therapy works when both partners want to understand, not just win
Not sure which column you're in? Book a free consult. If we're not the right fit, we'll help you find someone who is.
What the work looks like
How we actually work together.
We start with a full intake: the story of the relationship, what's happening now, what each of you most wants from the work. Some couples do this together; others start with a brief individual session each so we can hear both sides without interruption.
From there, the framework depends on which clinician is the right fit for you. The Gottman Method is Christina Mathieson's primary frame, with structured tools for conflict, friendship, and intimacy based on 40+ years of research on what actually predicts relationship outcomes. Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is Michelle Cortez's primary frame, working on the attachment patterns underneath the content of your fights (more on that in our piece on conflict resolution and communication). Jalyse Stewart brings a trauma-informed lens to couples work and offers weekend sessions, useful when one or both partners are carrying trauma that's showing up in the relationship or when weekday schedules don't allow weekly therapy. Sex therapy integrates when desire, pleasure, or intimacy is part of what needs attention. If one partner is on the fence about staying, discernment counseling is usually the right starting point.
Most couples see meaningful shifts within 8–12 sessions. Deeper work, affair recovery, long-standing avoidance, rebuilding from years of disconnection, often takes longer. We'll check in periodically about whether we're making the progress you came for.
Modalities we draw from
Wondering if this is the work you need?
Free 15-minute call. We'll figure out together if we're the right starting point.
Book a Free ConsultWondering about cost? See what therapy costs in California.
Who on our team does this work
4 therapists who specialize here.
Christina Mathieson
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) #115093
Human sexuality, couples work, ADHD and neurodiversity-affirming therapy, and affirming care for individuals navigating relationships, identity, and life transitions.
Michelle Cortez
Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) #146795
Supervised by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093
Couples work informed by attachment theory and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) approaches; anxiety and OCD using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP); ADHD and neurodivergent clients who do well with structure, accountability, and homework between sessions; cultural identity, relationship challenges, and the weight of carrying trauma quietly. Relational and culturally responsive at heart.
Jalyse Stewart
Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) #153712
Supervised by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093
Trauma-informed therapy for women healing from childhood sexual abuse, complex trauma, and what a lifetime of carrying other people's weight does to the nervous system. I also work with neurodivergent clients and trauma that intersects with grief, anxiety, or chronic overcompensation.
Tina Masoudi
Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) #155851
Registered Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) #19568
Supervised by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093
Trauma-informed therapy for young adults navigating anxiety, grief, identity, and life-stage transitions, with previous clinical experience at a college counseling center. Also works with couples, families, first responders, and clients impacted by the justice system. Optional Christian counseling for clients who want faith to be part of the room.
FAQ
Common questions about couples therapy.
Do you work with same-sex and queer couples?
+
Yes, affirmingly. The work follows the same evidence-based frameworks as any couples therapy. You won't have to come out again or cover the basics, and we stay curious about the specifics of your structure and experience. There's a lot of variation within every relationship configuration.
What if my partner won't come?
+
You can still do meaningful relationship work in individual therapy. Many clients start there, shifting their own patterns, communicating more clearly, and often the partner joins later. Sometimes the work is about deciding whether to stay.
Do you work with non-monogamous and polyamorous partners?
+
Yes. Our approach is non-monogamy-affirming and kink-affirming. We work with structure, communication, and attachment across any configuration you're practicing, including ethical non-monogamy (ENM). Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093, and Michelle Cortez, AMFT #146795 (supervised by Christina), both work extensively with ENM, polyamory, kink, and BDSM-affirming individual and couples care.
How many sessions before we see results?
+
Most couples notice meaningful shifts within 8–12 sessions. Some patterns, especially affair recovery and deep avoidance, take longer. You should feel something moving within the first few sessions; if not, we'll revisit approach.
Who on the team does couples therapy?
+
Three of our clinicians work with couples, each with a distinct frame. Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093, leads couples work with the Gottman Method (Level 2 trained) and integrates sex therapy where intimacy is part of the picture. Michelle Cortez, AMFT #146795 (supervised by Christina), works primarily through EFT and attachment-based approaches, with strong experience in ENM, polyamory, and kink-affirming care. Jalyse Stewart, AMFT #153712 (supervised by Christina), brings a trauma-informed lens to couples work, particularly when one or both partners are carrying trauma that surfaces in the relationship. Jalyse also offers weekend sessions, which can be a difference-maker for couples whose weekday schedules or childcare make weekly therapy hard to sustain.
Do you offer weekend couples therapy sessions?
+
Yes. Jalyse Stewart, AMFT #153712 (supervised by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093), offers weekend appointments. Most evidence-based couples work assumes weekly sessions, so weekend availability matters when both partners have demanding weekday jobs, shift schedules, or childcare that makes a weekday slot unsustainable. Telehealth across California.
References & further reading
- Gottman & Levenson (1992), Marital processes predictive of later dissolution: behavior, physiology, and health, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Peer-reviewed research
- Wiebe & Johnson (2016), A review of the research in Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples, Family Process, Peer-reviewed research
- Gottman Method, overview of four decades of research, The Gottman Institute
- International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy, ICEEFT
- APA: Marriage and relationships research, American Psychological Association
- Brené Brown on Empathy (RSA Short), Brené Brown / RSA
- Brené Brown on Blame (RSA Short), Brené Brown / RSA
- ACT With Love by Russ Harris (ACT for couples), Russ Harris, MD
- Come Together by Emily Nagoski, PhD, Emily Nagoski, PhD
- The New Monogamy by Tammy Nelson, PhD (infidelity recovery), Tammy Nelson, PhD
- The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman, PhD, John Gottman, PhD
- Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson, EdD (EFT founder), Sue Johnson, EdD
- The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel, MD & Tina Payne Bryson, PhD (for parents), Daniel J. Siegel, MD & Tina Payne Bryson, PhD
- Fair Play by Eve Rodsky (domestic labor & partnership), Eve Rodsky
- Mating in Captivity by Esther Perel (desire in long-term relationships), Esther Perel
Last clinically reviewed: May 9, 2026 by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093.
Free monthly workshop
Underneath the Resentment: Attachment Wounds, Blame, and the Way Back to Each Other
Friday, June 19, 2026 · 10:00 AM PT · Zoom · Free
From the blog
Gottman's Four Horsemen: How Criticism, Contempt, Defensiveness, and Stonewalling Predict Divorce
The Four Horsemen are the four communication patterns John Gottman's research found can predict divorce with around 90 percent accuracy. Here's what each one looks like, the antidote for each, and what changes in couples therapy.
How to Set Boundaries in Relationships Without Turning Them Into Ultimatums
What therapists actually mean by a boundary, the most common mistake that turns boundary-setting into a power struggle, and what makes the work go sideways or land cleanly in real relationships.
Discernment Counseling: What to Do When One of You Wants Out and the Other Wants to Stay
When one partner is leaning out and the other wants to stay, regular couples therapy often fails. Discernment counseling, a short, structured approach designed exactly for this bind, helps both of you get clarity before committing to a direction.
Related
Sex Therapy
Comprehensive sex therapy for desire, pleasure, pain, disconnect, and everything we don't have good words for.
Learn moreEMDR Therapy
Structured bilateral stimulation therapy for processing trauma so it stops replaying in the background.
Learn moreIndividual Therapy
One-on-one therapy for anxiety, depression, identity, trauma, and the patterns you can see but can't yet shift.
Learn moreLGBTQ+ Affirmative Therapy
Affirming, identity-aware therapy for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples, including non-monogamy and kink-aware work.
Learn moreReady to talk it through?
Free 15-minute call. We'll figure out if couples therapy is the right work for where you are, and match you with the right person on our team.
Book a Free Consult