Gottman Method Couples Therapy Denver, CO
Authentic Connections Therapy and Wellness provides Gottman Method couples therapy in Denver and Greenwood Village, with virtual sessions across Colorado and PSYPACT states. All of our couples therapists are trained in the Gottman Method. The Gottman Method is one of the two most researched approaches to couples therapy, built on more than four decades of studying what actually distinguishes relationships that last. Couples often tell us they want communication and conflict management tools, not just conversation. That's what the Gottman Method is built to provide: structured guidance and specific skills you practice together.
What is the Gottman Method?
The Gottman Method is a research-based approach to couples therapy developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, built on decades of observational research with thousands of couples. Rather than starting from theory, the Gottmans studied real couples over time and identified the specific patterns that predicted whether relationships thrived or ended. Gottman Method therapy uses those findings directly: it targets the communication patterns that erode relationships, strengthens friendship and admiration, and gives couples concrete, practiced skills for managing conflict — including the conflicts that never fully resolve.
How Does Gottman Method Therapy Work?
It Starts With a Structured Assessment
Gottman work begins with assessment rather than guesswork. Couples typically complete a joint session, individual sessions, and a detailed relationship questionnaire that maps your strengths and your specific areas of difficulty. You then get a clear picture of your relationship's patterns and a treatment plan built around them — one of the reasons couples often say Gottman therapy feels concrete rather than open-ended.
It Targets the Patterns that Predict Distress
Through decades of research, the Gottmans identified both what builds healthy relationships and what quietly corrodes them. Among the most well-known findings are the Four Horsemen — criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling — the communication patterns most predictive of relationship breakdown. Your assessment shows which of these patterns are active in your relationship, and from there your therapist selects specific interventions you practice together in session, targeting the area doing the most damage first. This work builds concrete communication and conflict management skills while also addressing the deeper relationship wounds driving those patterns. The result is step-by-step guidance you can keep using long after therapy ends.
What If We Feel More Like Roommates Than Friends?
Conflict management is only part of the picture. Gottman therapy also focuses on what the Gottmans call the Sound Relationship House — deepening how well you know each other, building fondness and admiration, turning toward each other's bids for connection, and creating shared meaning. Many couples begin therapy describing the loss of their friendship, and how painful it is to feel like they've lost their closest person. The Gottman Method rebuilds that foundation alongside the conflict work. When you're less afraid that a vulnerable conversation will escalate into a fight, it becomes possible to have the conversations that create real intimacy again.
What Can Gottman Method Therapy Help With?
Gottman Method couples therapy takes a practical, directive approach to most all issues that arise in relationships. Their research heavily focuses on communication and conflict tools. Our therapists with advanced Gottman training in affairs and trauma use the Atone-Attune-Attach framework for affair recovery counseling. Gottman work is also well suited to premarital couples — see our premarital counseling page. Here are a few areas that Gottman method couples therapy can address:
Repetitive conflict cycles — the arguments that never seem to get resolved that you have on repeat.
Communication breakdowns — criticism, defensiveness, contempt, or shutting down. This often leads to feeling like you are speaking different languages!
Emotional distance — feeling more like roommates or co-parents than partners, often connected to living parallel lives and letting life get in the way to connecting.
Intimacy and desire differences — including mismatched libido and loss of physical connection.
Affair and betrayal recovery — rebuilding trust after infidelity.
Parenting and household conflict — getting on the same team about kids, chores, and division of labor.
Money and in-law conflict — the perpetual issues most couples never fully resolve
Premarital preparation — building skills before problems take root
Relationship transitions — new baby, career change, relocation, empty nest
Deciding whether to stay together — clarity work when one or both partners are unsure
What is the Difference Between Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy?
Both are the most-researched and effective approaches to couples therapy, and they work well together. The Gottman Method is more structured and skills-focused: assessment, concrete tools, practice. Emotionally Focused Therapy works with the attachment bond underneath the conflict, helping the couple identify past experiences that are influencing the current conflict cycle. The benefit of seeing a therapist at ACTW is that our therapists are trained in both and will draw on what fits your relationship, rather than forcing you into one model. Couples who want practical tools often gravitate toward Gottman; couples who want to gain better insight to the emotional underpinnings of their relationship patterns and cycles tend to enjoy an EFT approach. Most benefit from both.
Experienced Gottman Method Therapists in Denver
-
Dr. Brittany Woolford
-
Dr. Courtney Crouse
-
Dr. Annalise Floody
-
Dr. Courtney Phillips
-
Dr. Rachel Hughitt
-
Dr. Veronica Scherbak
-
Dr. Kasey Odell
-
Dr. Celeste Tinkoff
-
Meaghan Horsley, MA
-
Karina Ernst, MA
Frequently Asked Questions about Gottman Method Couples Therapy
-
You'll start with a joint session, then individual sessions with each partner, plus a detailed relationship questionnaire. Your therapist then reviews what the assessment revealed and you build a plan together — usually within the first two to four sessions.
-
Criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling: the four communication patterns Gottman research found most predictive of relationship breakdown. Contempt is the single strongest predictor. Therapy teaches communication skills to avoid and change these patterns.
-
Most couples begin weekly and work for around six months, though it varies. The assessment phase takes the first two to four sessions, and from there you and your therapist set the pace together.
-
$150–$225 per session depending on the clinician, with full details on the fees page. To help with the cost of couples therapy, you can use your HSA or FSA card, or we can provide you with a superbill to be applied towards out-of-network benefits.
-
Couples wait an average of six years after problems begin before seeking help. You don't need to be in crisis: the earlier you address a conflict pattern, the less entrenched it is and the faster it shifts.
-
All of our couples therapists are trained in the Gottman Method, several through Level 2, and several have completed the Gottman Institute's advanced training in treating affairs and trauma.
-
It's typical for one partner to be more motivated for couples therapy than the other, and the Gottman Method works well in that situation — its structure and concrete focus often feel more approachable to a hesitant partner than open-ended emotional conversation. What therapy can't do is create change when one person has already decided to end the relationship and isn't willing to look at their own behavior. If you're unsure where your partner stands, a free consultation is a good place to start.
-
Yes, across Colorado and PSYPACT states; the assessments and exercises adapt well to telehealth.
Find Out If Gottman Method Couples Therapy is Right For Your Relationship
Statistically, couples wait six years after issues start occurring before seeking couples therapy. Start the change now and get out of the negative conflict loop you're stuck in with your partner.
If you think Gottman Method couples therapy could be helpful for you, reach out to us! You can use our convenient online therapy scheduling.
We encourage you to get to know a little bit about our therapists, their specializations, and credentials. Get to know our therapists here.
Start your journey toward feeling connected with your partner
We hope to hear from you soon!
Couples Therapy Blog Posts
In-person and Remote Options for Gottman Method Couples Therapy Services in Colorado
We have offices conveniently located on the North Denver (Lower Highlands) , South Denver (Denver Tech Center), and Colorado Springs. Can’t make it into the office? No worries – we’ve got you covered with virtual therapy.
Gottman Method Couples Therapy in Denver Tech Center, Greenwood Village Co
Our Denver Tech Center (DTC) office is located at 5350 S Roslyn St in Greenwood Village. It shares a parking lot with the Landmark near Comedy Works South, Hapa Sushi Grill and Sake, and JING Denver.
Gottman Method Couples Therapy in Lower Highlands, Denver Co
Our Lower Highlands office is located at 2460 West 26th Avenue in Denver. It is right on i25, across the street from the downtown REI, and a few blocks from the Empower Stadium, The Downtown Aquarium, and Elitch Gardens
Gottman Method Couples Therapy in Colorado Springs, Co
Our Colorado Springs office is located at 2720 E Yampa St in Colorado Springs. It is 3 miles from downtown Colorado Springs and an easy drive from the highway.