Speaker Types: Consultant

*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.

Dr. Ellis specializes in and has a passion for assessing and treating sexual, mental health, and relational concerns across the lifespan (childhood through adulthood). Specifically, she works with individuals and couples surrounding issues of relationship wellness, sexual health, and intimacy. Dr. Ellis regularly hosts couples workshops and retreats. She additionally gives mental health and relationship enhancing presentations to churches and religious organizations in the Los Angeles, California area. She currently serves on the faculty of the Institute for Sex Education & Enlightenment (ISEE) where she teaches courses on child and adolescent sexual development, out of control sexual behavior, and common issues in couples and partner sex therapy.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Mesha is a clinical and forensic psychologist who specializes in working with individuals, couples, and families. She has been in private practice for nearly 20 years. Her years of experience in teaching and serving clients across the lifespan has provided her with a deep knowledge of individual, developmental, cultural, familial, and societal processes that influence the therapeutic process and outcomes.

Mesha has extensive experience working with clients presenting with relationship issues. Whether it is a child/adolescent struggling with peer relationship or romantic partner difficulties, parents struggling to relate to their child(ren), or adults struggling in their intimate relationships. She enjoys helping consultees tease apart presenting and clinical issues, developing effective treatment plans, becoming comfortable with sharing and reviewing videos, and confidently implementing Gottman Method interventions. Her consultative style is characterized by warmth, empathy, humor, and a caring yet direct approach.

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

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

In her 40 years professional career, Lynda worked in community mental health, directed alcohol and drug treatment programs – both free-standing and hospital based – taught at the university level, spoke at professional conferences, consulted with businesses and employee assistance programs, and provided educational seminars for professional and community groups. Her private practice, Menlo Marriage Works, was located in Menlo Park, California where she enjoyed 15+ years collaborating closely with other healthcare professionals.

Early on in private practice, Lynda felt lost when attempting to work with couples. After considering various training programs, she attended Level 1 with John Gottman in San Francisco, and was hooked!

Becoming a Certified Gottman Therapist in 2003 was and is a highlight of her professional career, and Lynda appreciate being able to coach other skilled therapists as they use and begin to experience the power of Gottman Method.

In Lynda’s association with TGI, she also conducted ASL workshops for couples. In “retirement” she has enjoyed full time RV travel but have been fortunate to continue her association with The Gottman Institute and her role as a Consultant and Video Reviewer for therapists in the Certification Track.

Lynda recently settled into a permanent home in the Black Hills of South Dakota, becoming a South Dakota Licensed MFT. Lynda and her husband have 4 grown children and 8 grandchildren.

Dr. Streeter Corbitt is available to facilitate the Art and Science of Love couples workshop both virtually and in-person. She also conducts workshops on using Gottman Communication principles in the workplace and in families. Her personable style and sense of humor is said to put participants at ease so that they can receive and understand the information that is being offered. She is also a regular contributor to media outlets including, print, radio, and television.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Dr. Satira Streeter Corbitt, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Certified Gottman Therapist and the Founder and Executive Director of Ascensions Psychological Services, Inc. She is a 1997 Summa Cum Laude graduate of Wilberforce University and a 2001 graduate of The Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology (Norfolk State, Old Dominion, Eastern Virginia Medical School, and William & Mary) where her concentration was family therapy. She has vast experience in working with individuals and couples and has specialized in teaching and implementing effective, culturally responsive techniques in her community. In 2004, Dr. Streeter Corbitt founded Ascensions to serve the needs of families in Anacostia, the most poverty-stricken area of Washington, DC. Ascensions provides therapy, advocacy, and therapeutic groups for couples, parents, and women. She also facilitates monthly couples retreats on the Art and Science of Love. She has published Black Genius: A Guided Journal through History and Affirmation and has written a chapter for the forthcoming book Black Couples Therapy: Clinical Theory and Practice (Cambridge University Press). She is available to see couples, facilitate retreats, conduct intensive (marathon) therapy sessions, and teach pre-marital classes.

For her work, Dr. Streeter Corbitt has been honored as United Negro College Fund’s “Outstanding Young Alumnus,” Robert Wood Johnson Foundation “Community Health Leader,” and as one of NBC’s “The Grio’s 100: History Makers in the Making.” Dr. Streeter is a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc., Wilberforce University Alumnae Association, and the Association of Black Psychologists. She is the wife of retired Sergeant Major Kevin Corbitt, and the proud mother of Kiye and Kole.

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

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Sabrina believes deeply in the Gottman Couples method of therapy and has been drawn to the practical nature of this method, which is so rooted hard research. After working as a family therapist in a school-based program for several years, she opened her private practice in 2010. In 2017, she began training interns and now runs a small group practice, where all of her clinicians use the Gottman Method as their primary methodology.

Early in her career, Sabrina was originally drawn to working with adolescents in schools. But her work there revealed a recognizable pattern: , she noticed that real change in a child’s life only took place when the parents were on the same page — and working toward the same goal. After that, she tried to refocus her work on couples therapy. In 2012, she attended the Level 1 Gottman Method training and began using the tools taught by Dr.s John and Julie Gottman. She instantly felt a difference in her clients’ results; she suddenly had the tool belt she needed that could make lasting change in couples. It was then that her work with couples really became exciting, rather than daunting. She was so enthusiastic about the method that she completed level 1, 2 and 3 in rapid succession in the fall of 2012, although she quickly realized it would take years to become proficient and fully understand the complexities of Gottman Method Couples work. She finished her certification in 2017 and has gone on to become an Advanced Gottman Trainer to help others in the method. e  Twice she has attended the “Art and Science of Love” couples workshop, presented by the Gottmans. Later, she was a roving assistant as Don and Carrie Cole presented. In 2021, Sabrina began presenting the “Art and Science of Love” herself in Portland, Or. She became a trainer for the Gottman Institute and is now a trainer for Levels 1, 2 and 3, which she absolutely loves doing. Prior to becoming a therapist, Sabrina was a teacher, so her methods of training are based in hands-on, active learning. Many have commented that her teaching style helps them learn deeply as they practice and review constantly throughout the training. 

Sabrina has a sub-specialty in both Affair Recovery and Addiction Recovery, and is also certified in treating trauma through EMDR.  

Sabrina understands how nerve wracking it can be to think of entering the Certification Track. She also remembers the daunting process of editing and uploading the clips, not to mention the thought of someone reviewing them! But she has also found ways to make the process easier, and is committed to giving her candidates the support they need to be successful

Throughout the certification process and in the years that followed, Sabrina has experienced the incredible support of the team and colleagues at the Gottman Institute, and the community of fellow Gottman Certified therapists. Her certification process ended up being one of encouragement, profound growth and excellent support. This is the model she follows as she prepares her people for video submissions, and honing their skills as a relationship therapist.  

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

Primarily working within the local international community, Julie has counselled clients from over 50 countries. At her private practice, she helps distressed and disconnected couples to rediscover and reignite friendship and intimacy, and improve their communication skills.

Julie is the principal Gottman Method Couples Therapy teacher based in Europe and is certified to present all three levels of Gottman Method training, as well as the Art & Science of Love couples workshop. She also serves as a consultant for clinicians seeking certification in Gottman Therapy. She has translated many of the Gottman intervention materials into Dutch.

Ultimately, Julie’s mission is to support couples to become closer and kinder with each other, so they can create safe and loving homes for themselves and their families, hereby positively affecting the world around them. She works on achieving this goal by counseling couples through therapy or workshops, by teaching mental health professionals to integrate the Gottman Method into their own work with couples, and by educating and speaking in local and international organizations and media outlets.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Julie is a Licensed Psychologist based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Since starting her private practice in 2010, her passion has been working with couples. Being located in a very international city, Julie has had the privilege of counselling clients from over 50 countries, allowing her to develop a particular sensitivity and expertise when it comes to working with cross cultural couples. As the first Level 1, 2 and 3 clinical trainer and Certification Track consultant in Europe, Julie aims to establish Gottman Method Therapy as the leading approach to couples therapy across this continent and beyond.

Teaching GMT to mental health professionals from throughout the region continues to be a wonderful and enriching experience. During her first training with John and Julie Gottman, Julie realized they were imparting an incredible set of skills, tools and knowledge that would give her a new way to conceptualize and work with couples that was more helpful than anything she had learned before. Therefore, Julie continued to do all available trainings through The Gottman Institute, including Treating Affairs and Trauma, Bringing Baby Home, Marathon Therapy and the Art and Science of Love. After becoming a Certified Gottman Therapist, she discovered a new passion as a trainer and consultant as well. As a consultant Julie feels privileged to guide consultees through their final step in becoming Certified Gottman Therapists and do so with empathy and positive encouragement. She remembers the nerve-wracking experience of sharing her videos with her own consultant and how she was gently guided to finetune my skills. Julie strives to do the same with her consultees and look forward to supporting the next wave of CGT’s worldwide. Julie offers consultation in both English and Dutch.

*NOT Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Dr. Faith Drew is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Arizona, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and LPC Supervisor in Texas and has been providing individual and couples therapy nearly 20 years. She earned her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Abilene Christian University and her Doctoral degree from Texas Tech University.

She is the former EAP Director of a private Employee Assistance Program where she managed clinical operations, led a team of clinicians and support staff, and consulted on critical incident responses.
She spent time in academia, helping to create a Marriage and Family Therapy Master’s Program and earn the COAMFTE Accreditation designation. In addition, she helped establish the on-site training clinic, which provided therapy at a reduced cost for the community.

Currently, she co-owns two private practices with offices in North Carolina and Arizona with her husband, and fellow Certified Gottman Therapist, Dr. George Bitar, LMFT. In addition to running operations and managing a team for both Connect Couples Therapy, PLLC, specializing in couples therapy, and In Session Psychotherapy, PLLC, specializing in working with individuals using EMDR, she co-presents The Art & Science of Love Weekend Workshop for Couples with her husband and offers couples intensives at her office in Arizona.

She believes in promoting and modeling vulnerability and growth and uses an evidence-based method to improve clinical skills called Deliberate Practice. She values the use of recorded sessions and regularly watches sessions and reviews performance skills – the best musicians, artists, Olympians, and athletes must watch their performance and practice before their main event. She believes as clinicians, we should too.

She has been married for 19-years and is a mom to a 5-year-year old daughter and 10-year-old Westie. She loves traveling, is a foodie-at-heart, can speak Spanish and is learning French.

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

Dr. Don Allen Ph.D. is a Clinical Social Worker in private practice. His corporation is: Columbia Counseling Consulting and Research LLC. His website is: donallenpdh.com. He has a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Maryland and a Ph.D. from Columbia University in New York. Since 2012, Dr. Allen specializes in treating marriages and emotional trauma. He has taught at universities in the past, full time and as an adjunct professor. He is a Certified Gottman Therapist and this year he was welcomed by The Gottman Institute (TGI) as a Master Trainer. Previous specialties included working with children and adolescents and drug/alcohol. He will occasionally continue to see clients in these populations. He has worked in in-patient and out-patient settings. In 2021, he was welcomed into Susan Johnson’s International Center for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT) as a Certified (EFT) Therapist. He is also certified Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and is also a consultant to educate and train fellow clinicians in this modality. In addition to a thriving full-time private practice, Dr. Allen enjoys public speaking and conducting workshops and retreats for the Gottman Institute. He is authorized by TGI to present to the public: The Arts and Science of Love, The Seven Principles training, and Bringing Baby Home, as well as the level 1, 2 and 3 clinical trainings. He works with couples and individuals and also conducts intensive marathon sessions.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

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

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Dr. Bumberry is a clinical psychologist with more than 25 years experience helping couples create connection and deepen their bonds. During the past decade, the Gottman Method, with its clinical clarity and impactful interventions, has been at the center of this work. In addition to being a Certified Gottman Therapist, he is also active in presenting the Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 workshops and serves as a video reviewer.

Being part of this community continues to inform Dr. Bumberry’s practice and enriches his professional life. While there are many rewarding aspects to belonging to the Gottman community, one of the most gratifying is the opportunity to serve as a consultant to clinicians pursuing certification.

Consultation is the central process for helping you integrate the Gottman Method ideas and interventions into your work. In addition to becoming proficient in using the core Gottman Method interventions, understanding their “spirit” is essential in learning to effectively blend them with your own therapeutic style. The process emphasizes using case consultation and videotape review as the most effective ways to provide focused, clinically relevant feedback regarding your work.

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

Vagdevi has over 30 years of experience as a therapist, consultant, and educator. Vagdevi has been a certified Gottman Couples Therapist and workshop leader since 2006. She offers the “Art and Science of Love” weekend workshop for couples, developed by Dr. John Gottman, in Austin and in other cities in the US. A Master professional trainer for the Gottman Institute, Vagdevi has presented to professional and lay audiences in the US, Canada, and India. Vagdevi incorporates mindfulness, neurobiology, and positive psychology into her presentations on relationships, and has published a book chapter on Positive Couple Relationships from evidence based research around the world and several articles on the Gottman method of couples therapy.

Vagdevi is the founder and Executive Director of The Center for Relationships, a community counseling, training, and outreach center that specializes in promoting flourishing relationships in all spheres based on best practices in relationship science. The Center for Relationships has a research program called Love across Cultures, which looks at committed and intimate relationships in different cultures as well as inter-cultural relationships. The outreach and education programs at the center include couples intensives and retreats, groups, and community forums on healthy relationships, conflict management, trust recovery, and parenting.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Vagdevi Meunier, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor at St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas. She has a private clinical and consulting practice in Austin where she specializes in couples and family therapy, couples workshops, training and supervision, and organizational consultation. A native of India, Vagdevi has extensive experience with multicultural psychology, especially eastern influences on psychological practice, and cross-cultural research on relationships. She has over 25 years of experience as a therapist, consultant, and educator and has been full-time core faculty in the Master of Arts in Counseling program at St. Edwards since 2004 where she teaches primarily marriage and family therapy courses.

Her primary clinical expertise is as a Certified Gottman Therapist and a certified Gottman Trainer Workshop Leader. She offers the Art & Science of Love workshop for couples twice a year in Austin and has joined other workshop leaders to offer this workshop for couples in other cities. She is also an approved professional trainer and consultant with The Gottman Institute and has presented nationally and internationally on the Gottman Method including Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 trainings around the US and Canada.

“I have learned much under the guidance of Dr. Vagdevi Meunier who is an exceptional relationship therapist and consultant.”

“I absolutely enjoyed working with Dr. Vagdevi, she is amazing!! “

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

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Trish is a clinical psychologist with special interests in couples therapy, trauma, and the training and mentoring of intern psychologists and therapists generally. She has been working with couples since 1998 and has found the Gottman Method Couples Therapy to be the most successful and reliable evidenced based approach around. She has many years of experience working with war veterans and their partners who present with a complex array of clinical issues in addition to their relationship problems. Trish is an experienced Australian Psychology Board approved supervisor with more than 15 years of training and mentoring intern psychologists to full registration. Her approach is supportive, pragmatic and commonsense mixed with a little creative mischievousness.

Trish was the first certified Australian Certified Gottman Therapist and is an approved Trainer for Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 Gottman Professional Training Workshops and the Art and Science of Love Couples Workshop which she runs regularly around Australia. Trish is passionate about developing a strong professional and well trained network of Gottman therapists throughout Australia, New Zealand and Asia and has established the Relationship Institute Australasia as the mechanism to achieve this.

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