A truly inspiring workshop, Level 1 Training will give you new insights into treatment for couples who struggle, using proven assessment techniques and intervention strategies.

Our practical, emotion-focused, and highly effective approach is based on Drs. John and Julie Gottman’s four decades of research with more than 3,000 couples. It is the most extensive study ever done on marital stability and divorce prediction.

Available online and in virtual and in-person training events. Training events are offered and scheduled by Certified Gottman Therapists, Gottman Master Trainers and Gottman Workshop Presenters and can be virtual synchronous or in-person. Please confirm the details for your training event on the individual registration pages.

Training Description

In this workshop, you will be provided with a research-based roadmap for helping couples compassionately manage their conflicts, deepen their friendship and intimacy, and share their life purpose and dreams based on the Sound Relationship House Theory.

You will be introduced to Dr. Gottman’s breakthrough research on thousands of couples to understand the difference between the “Masters” and “Disasters” of relationships. If you are not already doing assessment, this training will teach you how to assess a relationship’s strengths and areas of concern using empirically validated questionnaires.

You will view original videos of real couples from the famous Gottman “Love Lab,” as well as videos of Dr. Julie Gottman demonstrating assessment and interventions in a case example from her private practice.

What will I learn in Level 1?

You will learn research-based strategies and tools to help couples successfully manage conflict. You will gain skills to empower partners to dialogue about their worst gridlocked issues by uncovering their underlying dreams, history, and values. You will gain tools to help couples process fights and heal their hurts, and techniques for partners to deepen their intimacy and minimize relapse. Click here to read the full workshop outline.

Who is this training for?

This training is for mental health providers, allied professionals and clergy, students and interns, family clinic staff, professors/teachers of couples therapy, researchers in the social sciences, and employee assistance professionals. There are no prerequisites.

What is included in the price?

Included in the registration price is a clinical training manual, which contains the core Gottman Method Couples Therapy assessments and interventions. You will be awarded a Certificate of Completion with an assessment score of 80% or better from The Gottman Institute.

  • 300-page digital Level 1 Clinical Training Manual
  • Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1 Training Certificate of Completion
  • Up to 11 CE Hours available
  • Videos for online lectures and interventions included
  • Eligibility to continue to Level 2 Training

Training Objectives

At the completion of this training, you will be able to:

  • Summarize the research that allows us to predict future relationship stability.
  • Describe the seven levels of the Sound Relationship House Theory.
  • Conduct a couple’s therapy assessment using elements of the couple’s narrative, the Oral History Interview, written questionnaires, observations of conflict and individual interviews.
  • Describe two interventions to help strengthen a couple’s conflict management.
  • Describe two interventions to enhance a couple’s friendship system.
  • Describe two interventions to explore a couple’s system of shared meaning.
  • Explain why physiological self-soothing is essential for a healthy relationship.
  • Create a therapeutic contract with a couple, discuss and decide on goals and include a summary of the couples strengths and areas that need improvement.
  • Describe the Philosophy of Therapy and including assumptions, overview of techniques and goals of therapy.
  • Describe the Rapoport Intervention and when to use it.
  • Describe the process of therapy, including the structure of a session.

Training Reviews

More than 50,000 clinicians worldwide have completed Level 1 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Here’s what some of them have said about the training.

“This was the best seminar I have ever attended. It not only provided me a wealth of valuable tools in my practice, but challenged some ideas I have held.”

– Anonymous evaluation from Houston, TX

“I particularly enjoyed the excellent clinical films and found them especially useful in understanding the assessments and interventions that were taught. Appreciated seeing actual examples of sessions and examples of different ideas/thoughts of what to say and how to implement interventions.”

– Anonymous evaluation from San Francisco, CA

“This was the single most useful conference I have attended in twenty-three years of clinical practice. Clear, concise, useful! Thank you so much for your presentation, your work, and your humor.”

– Anonymous evaluation from Seattle, WA

“You have convinced me that your methods and interventions are intelligent, responsible, and compassionate. I believe they will endure over time as a true gift to children and families.”

– Anonymous evaluation from Chicago, IL