Speaker Specialization: Couples

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Debra is a clinical psychologist with expertise in Jungian psychotherapy, polyvagal theory, and positive psychology. These are the theoretical lenses through which she applies the Sound Relationship House and Gottman interventions. C.G. Jung’s depth work informs “why we want to love and be loved.” Polyvagal theory explains the physiological mechanisms through which our bodies signal when “love is good or bad.” Positive psychology research validates the Gottman 5:1 positivity ratio as necessary for “bringing love back from the brink of hopelessness.” All three theories highlight how the relationship is a “container” devised to incubate mature, transcendent human beings. The Gottman Method shows how to harness this transcendence intentionally.

You can contact Debra directly to learn about her consultation pricing and more through her Gottman Referral Network profile here.

Stacy has a background in adventure therapy and has worked for Outward Bound and has been an adventure guide and climbing instructor. She has also worked for over a decade in agency settings with children who have been abused and neglected.

Her time now is devoted to private practice, doing therapy with couples as well as individuals who have experienced trauma. Stacy does private therapy, marathon therapy, leads The Art and Science of Love weekend workshops, trains therapists in all levels of the Gottman Method, and serves as a consultant for therapists pursuing certification in the method. She particularly loves to help couples heal from affairs using the affair recovery model created by the Gottmans.

Stacy is currently working on creating a new workshop for The Gottman Institute, which is focused on helping single people learn how to use the method in order to create healthy relationships.

You can view her website here.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Stacy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in lovely Ashland, Oregon. She considers herself lucky to have discovered the Gottman Method in Graduate School at Portland State University in 2003. The method gave Stacy the framework and the tools to deal with difficult couples. She passionately pursued certification in the method because of how powerful it is. Getting the news that she had passed certification was one of the best days of her life. It has continued to be a blessing to be in this community of amazing clinicians and she has formed some very close friendships with other Certified Gottman Therapists.

She is now lucky to have the chance to lead you through certification. This is an important process, and developing a trusting rapport with you would be her privilege. Stacy has a background in athletics and she has always found as both an athlete and a coach that positive feedback and encouragement is just as crucial as the feedback on what you need to improve. Stacy is nurturing and positive and she likes to make the process fun and engaging. She wants to make your journey on the Gottman certification track as wonderful as her own was.

In addition to private couples therapy, she is also a certified EMDR therapist working with trauma survivors. Stacy also provide marathon therapy for couples, lead the Art and Science of Love couples workshops, and train therapists in the Gottman Method. In her free time Stacy loves paddle boarding, and being with her dog. Good luck on your journey!

You can contact Stacy directly to learn about her consultation pricing and more through her Gottman Referral Network profile here.

To learn more about Sinead Smyth, visit her website here.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

The consultation process is rewarding and confidence-building as you learn to integrate theory and practice with your own personal clinical style. It can also be challenging, anxiety-provoking, and overwhelming at times. As a consultant and as a long time clinical supervisor, Sinead is a believer in creating a safe and supportive environment early on where you feel free to share your work, learn from mistakes and celebrate successes.

Sinead has been a licensed Marriage and Family therapist for 16 years and am a Level 1, 2 and 3 Gottman Trainer and couples’ workshop leader. In her private practice, she has found her training in Gottman Method to be invaluable in its depth, breadth and practical applications with distressed couples. Consultation is the time where you truly hone your skills and deepen your understanding of the complexity of this approach.

Sinead’s goal is for you to find the consultation process professionally and personally enriching in its combination of support and developing proficiency in the core skills needed for certification. She look forward to supporting you on your journey towards being a Certified Gottman therapist.

“I want to give a HUGE mention that my consultant, Sinead Smyth, was fantastic. She was wonderful in providing clinical guidance, helping me use the Gottman interventions with more skill/finesse, and also providing support in the long process. I have loved working with her and the only downside to now being certified is that our regular consultation ends. Thank you, Sinead!”

You can contact Sinead directly to learn about her consultation pricing and more through her Gottman Referral Network profile here.

Michael Rediger, LICSW is a Certified Gottman Therapist and a Certified Gottman Workshop Leader. Since 2003, he has been a roving therapist at The Art and Science of Love workshops with Drs. John and Julie Gottman. He assisted for many years as a roving therapist at The Art and Science of Love 2 workshops and has been co-leading the workshop since 2014. A presenter of numerous lectures in the community about the research of Drs. John and Julie Gottman, Michael has been a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker since 1997. He has a private practice in downtown Seattle where he works with individuals and couples.

Lisa Lund, LMFT is a Certified Gottman Therapist, Workshop Leader and Trainer.   She and her team at A Couple’s Place offer the Gottman “Art and Science of Love: Weekend Workshop for Couples” four times a year in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Lisa also trains therapists who want to learn the Gottman Method of Couples Counseling. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in North Carolina and in California.  Lisa was trained directly by Drs. John and Julie Gottman and has been a psychotherapist for over 25 years.

To learn more about Lisa, visit here.

As a speaker and presenter he wants to help facilitate, and inspire other clinicians to blend the Gottman Method into their practice and realize the benefits of this wonderful modality. He has enjoyed presenting over 30 times in different Gottman trainings and workshops which include The Art and Science of Love Gottman Workshops as well as teaching Level 1, 2, and 3 Gottman Method to other clinicians, and delivering presentations at the Annual Gottman Conference, and ASL trainings. Along with his business partner, Darren Wilk, he has trained clinicians in Level 3 of the Gottman Method since 2012. His leadership roles and experience at The Gottman Institute includes being a Certified Gottman Therapist, Certified Gottman presenter for The Art and Science of Love, Level I, Level 2, and Level 3 Gottman Method Trainer, Gottman Consultant, and The Art and Science of Love Presenter Trainer.

“It is my goal to help clinicians worldwide gain confidence and skills with the Gottman Method as they become proficient with all the interventions and methods. In my trainings and presentations I create a positive, comfortable, and humour filled, environment which is conducive to learning. It is so gratifying to see clinicians, become excited about the Gottman Method and to know that I had a part in influencing that outcome and helping to grow the Gottman Community. I am so passionate about the Gottman Method that when I first learned about it, along with my business partner, we developed our entire practice, bestmarriages.ca around the Gottman Method.”

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Lawrence has been a Marriage and Family Therapist since 1991. After being introduced to the Gottman Method it has become a passion of his to use it with clients and to help other therapists integrate it into their practice. As a consultant Lawrence wants to help other therapists to blend the Sound Relationship House structure into their practice and realize the benefits of this wonderful modality. It is his goal to help Consultees gain confidence and skills with the Gottman Method as they become proficient with all the interventions. He tries to create a positive, comfortable, and humor filled, environment which is conducive to learning. Along with his business partner Darren Wilk, they have developed their entire practice, bestmarriages.ca around the Gottman Method.

Lawrence has enjoyed presenting several Art & Science of Love workshops as well as teaching Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 workshops to other clinicians.

He looks forward to collaboratively working with candidates as you have fun, learn, and grow together using the Gottman Method.

You can contact Lawrence directly to learn about his pricing and more through his Gottman Referral Network profile here.

While serving as Director of Professional Development at the Gottman Institute, Laura co-developed The Gottman Seven Principles Program together with then Clinical Director, Dr. David Penner, and authored The Seven Principles Companion Workbook. She continues as a Trainer for the program which has trained thousands of people to offer the Seven Principles Program in their communities, across six continents.

Laura is a charismatic and energetic speaker who’s love of life shines through her quirky and quick-witted presentations. Her transparency and authenticity is evident through her use of storytelling and examples of her own struggles in relationship with others. Laura is able to connect with audiences large and small, whether speaking to intimate groups or an audience of 900. Laura lives with her beloved and patient husband and their young son. She is honored to share the power of the Gottmans’ research with audiences around the world.

Key essential components of Gottman Method Therapy are to facilitate mutual acceptance, support emotional regulation, set meaningful goals, and work together confidently in relationships. John’s clinical philosophy is to develop understanding of the context of problems and to approach every challenge non-judgmentally.

Working with other professionals using Gottman Method Therapy nurtures strong collegial relationships through training and consulting. John has consistently encountered sensitivity, support and acceptance in his experience with The Gottman Institute. His commitment is to share the same warm empathy with colleagues expanding their own clinical proficiencies in Gottman Method Therapy.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates – Reach Out For a Discussion*

During more than 30 years in private practice and on faculty at Oregon Health & Science University, John has become very familiar with the problems faced by couples involved in health care, biomedical research, engineering and teaching. His background in clinical psychology is grounded in research-based clinical practice best defined by term “third-wave” of cognitive-behavioral therapy, which emphasizes the understanding the context of problems and approaching them nonjudgmentally. This is also essential in Gottman Method Couples Therapy to help couples with emotional regulation, meaningful goal setting and developing confidence in working together when stuck or surprised by relationship difficulties. It has been a great joy for John to find rich opportunities to integrate this approach with other models of therapeutic change guided by a gentle and humanistic touch.

What has been most gratifying to John about working with colleagues using Gottman Method Couples Therapy is developing relationships with likeminded clinicians committed not only to the well-being of their clientele, but also to nurturing supportive relationships with each other as professionals. This sense of community has deepened since he began taking workshops at the Gottman Institute and became certified in 2008 to offer couples therapy, and soon after that to offer Art and Science of Love workshops and Seven Principles workshops. John has found the principles and applications of Sound Relationship House theory to be robust and flexible. Also, during his training experiences through The Gottman Institute, he has consistently encountered sensitivity, safety and acceptance in the experience of developing not only specific professional skills, but also in growing as a clinician. John’s commitment is to model and share these same kinds experiences from an interdisciplinary perspective with others undertaking the rewarding challenges of attaining and expanding proficiency in Gottman Method Couples Therapy.

You can contact John directly to learn about his pricing and more through his Gottman Referral Network profile here.

In her clinical practice, she specialized in working with couples, alcohol abuse, and trauma, and is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. She was an adjunct faculty member in the Psychology Department of California State University, Sacramento and American River College. Dr. Curtis is a trainer of facilitators in four evidenced based relationship/marriage education programs. She presented papers at various national conferences. She is a wife, mother, step mother, and grandmother.

Alysha graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Women’s Studies and earned a Masters of Social Work from the University of Utah. Alysha began her career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Her experience in the human service field spans twenty plus years and includes directing a homeless shelter in the Washington DC area and working with domestic violence and sexual assault survivors in various settings. A successful private practice in Salt Lake City, Utah set the stage for her current work. After moving to Texas she worked at Family Time Crisis and Counseling Center and became a Social Work Supervisor for students and interns. In 2007, she co-founded what is now known as Couples Counseling and Psychotherapy Associates, a thriving practice that serves Kingwood, Texas and surrounding communities.

Alysha is passionate about helping couples heal from betrayals, enhance their friendships, manage conflict, and create shared meaning in their lives. She has been drawn to John Gottman’s work since the early days of her practice. It was a dream realized to become a Certified Gottman Therapist. She offers four modalities of Gottman Method™ Couples Therapy: Couples counseling, Marathon therapy, the Art & Science of Love Weekend Workshops, and Premarital counseling. Since becoming certified, she has advanced further to become a Level 3 Trainer, now offering all levels of Gottman Method Couples Therapy training to clinicians and provides consultation for therapists working toward certification.

The teaching and public speaking opportunities offered to her through her workshops, training, and consultation have provided her great satisfaction. She is passionate about helping others have the tools they need to have deeply satisfying relationships. She is dynamic and warm in her presentation, providing real-life examples so others know they can apply the skills to their lives as well.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Alysha entered the human service field in the early 1990s. As she entered private practice, Alysha was quickly introduced to the Gottman Method in her search for a means to better serve clients struggling in their relationships. Becoming certified has helped her build skills essential to aiding couples heal from years of hurt and betrayal. To Alysha, enabling more therapists to be trained in the Gottman Method is vital.

Alysha feels driven to do as much as she possibly can in order to help couples as well as therapists seeking to help couples. She is an Art & Science of Love Couples Weekend Workshop presenter and a Level 1, 2 and 3 Trainer. She also provides marathon therapy. Alysha and her colleague, Mary Beth George, have built a practice dedicated to training clinicians and treating couples. She is grateful to be a part of a community of therapists that are devoted to helping couples and she appreciates being able to stay connected with the Gottman Institute and other Certified Gottman Therapists by regularly roving at the Seattle Art & Science of Love Couples Weekend Workshops.

Her advice in getting certified: Jump into the material! Alysha was certified quickly because she immersed myself into the Gottman Method. As a Social Work supervisor, she enjoys helping professionals hone their skills. She would love to help you get certified so you can be a part of this enthusiastic community of therapists, grow your practice confidently and truly help couples heal.

You can contact Alysha directly to learn about her consultation pricing and more through her Gottman Referral Network profile here.

In addition to her work with couples, Kimberly is also a Gottman Trainer and Consultant. She is certified to present all three levels of the Gottman Method Training sequence as well as the Art & Science of Love Weekend Workshop for couples. She also serves as a consultant to clinicians seeking certification in the Gottman Method. In addition to her expertise in the Gottman Method, Kimberly is trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy and integrates it into her work.

Kimberly is an engaging, energetic speaker with a passion for training others in the Gottman Method. She is personable and is able to teach the method in a clear, comprehensible manner. She uses humor in her presentations and shares examples from her own work experience to highlight the concepts being taught.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Kimberly is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over a decade of experience working with individuals, couples, groups and families. She took the Gottman Level 1 Training in 2012 and knew immediately that she wanted the method to guide her work as a therapist. Shortly after getting certified in 2014, Kimberly transitioned her practice from mostly individuals to almost exclusively couples. She utilizes the Gottman Method in her work with couples simply because it is effective. She has seen it work with the couples that walk into her office and the knowledge she gained during her training helped strengthen her own marriage. There is nothing greater than being able to help couples improve their understanding of their partner and themself so that their relationship may flourish.

Kimberly was anxious about entering the consultation process. However, after her first session with her consultant, she realized that she had nothing to be anxious about. Kimberly felt at ease with her consultant and the advice and insights she provided challenged Kimberly and helped her grow as a couple’s therapist more than she ever had. Kimberly’s goal is to provide consultees with the same supportive, collaborative environment so that they can reach their true potential as a Gottman therapist.

In addition to her work as a consultant, Kimberly also leads the Art & Science of Love Weekend Workshops several times a year and presents Level 1, Level 2 & Level 3 of the Gottman Method training sequence.

You can contact Kimberly directly to learn about her consultation pricing and more through her Gottman Referral Network profile here.