Speaker Expertise: Level 2 Training

John was the first Social Worker in Australia to become a Certified Gottman Therapist, Level 3 Trainer and Consultant. This means that John has completed all levels of training and mentoring available through the Gottman Institute in Seattle, USA and can now provide training to other therapists in this modality as well as provide couples with world-class couple workshop experiences. He is one of only a small group of therapists in the world to hold this standing.

John is a certified presenter for all levels of Gottman therapist training and The Art and Science of Love Couples Workshop. He has completed his Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment and has delivered a broad range of training both accredited and non-accredited. He is an engaging and energic speaker committed to promoting an excellent learning environment and experience for participants

John is also completed training in several therapeutic modalities such, Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Gestalt Therapy

Over the last 20 years, John has provided a range of psycho-educational group programs for the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the Australian Defence Force to Australian veterans and their families in areas such as trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and resilience. He has provided training to therapists and human service organisations in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, USA and New Zealand.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

John has had a wonderful journey working with couples and families for over three decades. He is a Mental Health Accredited Social Worker and has completed a Masters in Gestalt Therapy. After years of conversations with his business partner they established the Relationship Institute Australasia in 2012. Their guiding principle is to use Gottman Method Couples Therapy to help people build, repair and rejuvenate strong, sustainable relationships. To this end John has been delivering Gottman training to therapists across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, including Gottman Level 1, 2, 3 and the Art and Science of Love Workshop, as well as working as a relationship therapist in a busy private practice.

John has also continued to have a strong engagement in working with Australian Veterans and has a focus on trauma and PTSD for both the individual and in relation to the impact on relationships and families. The Gottman Consultation process is an exciting and challenging learning experience that greatly improves the consultees capacities, skills and confidence in working with couple. John believes in creating a safe, supportive and growth orientated climate within the consultation that promotes learning.

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

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.

Dr. White is also a Couples Workshop Leader and offers The Art and Science of Love and The Seven Principles Workshop to couples. He has served on faculty in numerous Marriage and Family Therapy training programs and has served as a Site Visitor for COAMFTE. He is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and an LMFT Supervisor in Texas and New York.

Dr. White values being a part of The Gottman Institute because it continues to help him grow and deepen his clinical practice, as well as connecting him to an international network of therapists who implement the Gottman Method in a variety of contexts with a diverse set of couples. He also has the privilege of serving as a consultant to clinicians pursuing certification with The Gottman Institute. Consultation is a collaborative process that seeks to help you become proficient in utilizing Gottman Method interventions.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Jeff is a marriage and family therapist and pastoral counselor with more than 15 years’ experience helping couples create connection and deepen their friendship. Since 2004, the Gottman Method has been a foundational part of his approach with couples. Recently, Jeff has explored ways to integrate the Gottman Method into couples’ spirituality, as well as points of connection between the Gottman Method and emotion-based approaches.

In addition to being a Certified Gottman Therapist, he is also active in presenting the Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 workshops and has delivered these trainings in multiple locations across the US and in Asia. Jeff is also a Couples Workshop Leader and offer The Art and Science of Love and The Seven Principles Workshop workshop to couples. He has served on the faculty in numerous Marriage and Family Therapy training programs. Currently, Jeff is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and an LMFT supervisor in Texas and New York.

Being part of the Gottman Institute continues to help Jeff grow and deepen his clinical practice, as well as keeping him connected to an international network of therapists who implement the Gottman method in a variety of contexts with a diverse set of couples. Jeff also has the privilege of serving as a consultant to clinicians pursuing certification with The Gottman Institute.

Consultation is a collaborative process that seeks to help you become proficient in utilizing Gottman Method interventions. He believes it is vital that you effectively integrate the interventions into your own therapeutic style so that the Gottman Method is always delivered with authenticity. The consultation process utilizes case presentations and videotape review as the most effective ways to provide helpful feedback to support your growth in the Gottman Method.

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

In addition to being the Clinical Director at The Gottman Institute, Dr. Cole is also a Level 3 Trainer. He offers all levels of training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy for therapists throughout the United States. He also serves as a consultant for therapists completing their final training in Gottman Method.

Dr. Cole has authored a number of workshops including: The Unique Challenges of Second Marriages, Ethics in Couples Therapy, Domestic Violence and Law Enforcement and Living as God’s Family: Relationship Enhancement for Congregations and has presented to a wide range of audiences including, The American Association of Pastoral Counselors and the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology. As an ordained Lutheran Pastor and Native American, Dr. Cole has served on the Board of Directors of the Oaks Indian Center where he helped design programs for staff training and family restoration. As approved presenters for The Gottman Institute, the Coles present The Art and Science of Love Workshop to couples three times a year.

Highly experienced as a speaker, Dr. Cole is known for his humor and down to earth approach. People find his conversational, energetic style engaging and easy to follow. He has appeared as a guest on U.S. local and national television programs. He has appeared in numerous publications on behalf of the Gottman Institute including: Cosmopolitan, Men’s Fitness, Men’s Health and Reader’s Digest. Most recently he co-authored 3 articles for the Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy with Dr. John Gottman and Carrie Cole.

Bringing help to couples has been a long standing goal for Don’s work, but until he learned and began to use the Gottman Method he found himself frustrated more often than not. The research based theory and techniques give me a sense of confidence even when dealing with highly conflicted or emotionally distant couples. Don has also been personally enriched by his ongoing participation with The Gottman Institute. He is a frequent rover at Art & Science of Love workshops in Seattle and also presents that workshop to couples in Texas.

Don is a Trainer in the Gottman Method and has had the privilege of helping other therapists learn the theories and techniques from which he has benefitted so much. Don’s experience with his consultant was warm, accepting and challenging and was an essential part of his being truly able to integrate and use the Gottman Method. As a consultant Don seeks to bring that same helpful approach to others.

“Thank you deeply to my consultant, Don Cole, for all the guidance, patience, and especially the way he corrected me without knocking me down.”

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

Dr. Choi currently conducts Level 1 through 3 trainings in the Gottman Method, as well as giving supervision leading to certification. In addition, she gives professional workshops on trauma, resilience, neuropsychology, and attachment wounds. Dr. Choi had her own daytime TV talk show, “Dr. Choi’s Family Clinic”, on KBS, one of the three major networks in Korea, and has appeared on all major networks. She has made more than a dozen TV documentaries on marriage, parenting, lifespan development, and education. Her recent TV documentary on motherhood was awarded The Best Program Award from the Ministry of Gender Equity and Family and she was chosen as one of the three most influential women in Korea in 2012.

Dr. Choi has written several bestsellers, including a book co-authored with Dr. John Gottman on Emotion Coaching. She also gives public talks to wide range of audiences, including parents, educators, professionals, military, and government officials. Recently, she gave talks to the entire staff and employees of the Blue House (the White House of Korea) and the Ministry of Education on public policy to enhance the quality of life for children of high risk families and communities. Dr. Choi is the Co-Founder and Co-Director (with her husband) of Handan Center for Happiness which offers workshops for parents, teachers and therapists. The Center also offers “Seeds of Happiness”, a free social service program, teaching Emotion Coaching and the Gottman Couples Workshop to underprivileged couples. She and her husband Peck hope to make this world a happier place for all, especially for children.

Dr. Carrie Cole trains other therapists in the Gottman Method of Couples Therapy by conducting Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 trainings yearly. She is also a consultant for the certification program. She has led The Art and Science of Love weekend workshop for couples multiple times a year in Houston since 2008. Carrie was a presenter at the 2008 Gottman Annual Conference, the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2012, and appeared as a guest on the Debra Duncan Show in Houston, TX. In addition to leading workshops and training other therapists, Carrie has co-authored a number of workshops including: The Unique Challenges of Second Marriages, Ethics in Couples Therapy and Living as God’s Family: Relationship Enhancement for Congregations. She has been interviewed and quoted in several newspapers and magazines including The Chicago Tribune, Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Real Simple, Women’s Health, Woman’s World, Verily Magazine, Catster Magazine and ME Magazine.

As a public speaker Carrie is warmly dynamic and provides an engaging experience for her audience. The information that she presents is practical and helpful for a variety of audiences. Her primary goal is always to leave her audience with a sense of hope and optimism about the most important thing in life, which is having positive relationships with others. Through her presentations, Carrie frequently demonstrates humanism by having the courage to demonstrate how she has worked through her own conflicts in her relationships with others. For more information, explore her website.

*Not Accepting Certification Candidates*

Dr. Carrie Cole has been drawn to John Gottman’s research since graduate school, as her greatest joy is working with couples. Carrie and her husband opened the Center for Relationship Wellness in 2006 with the intention of specializing in couple relationships using Gottman Method Couples Therapy. Her own consultation process was very helpful in her development and confidence. The interventions are powerful and helpful to couples, and they provide guidance and clarity for the therapist. Carrie’s goal is to help Consultees gain confidence in the use of Gottman Method Couples Therapy in a safe, supportive, collaborative environment.

Carrie has been a supervisor in the State of Texas for over 10 years and loves helping colleagues develop and achieve their professional dreams. I believe in giving feedback in a thoughtful, empathic, and relational way. In addition to being a consultant for The Gottman Institute, she is an approved Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 Trainer, and an Art & Science of Love Workshop Leader. Carrie also does Marathon therapy with couples.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Caralee is a fully immersed Gottman Couples therapist and loves the emphasis on research from the beginning. She is a “show me the research” gal! As an LCSW, Caralee was first licensed in CA in 2002, then in CO in 2004. After working part time at an agency, she opened her private practice. In 2019, she expanded to a small group practice, where all of her fabulous clinicians use the Gottman Method as their primary methodology.

Caralee originally thought she would be working with children and adolescents, but soon learned that when the parents’ aren’t doing well, everything else was much harder. She searched for reliable, evidence based ways to work with parents/couples and found Dr. John Gottman in 2003, when she attended a Level 1 training with him. Caralee was hooked! Suddenly, couples work seemed doable and not so overwhelming! She used Level 1 for 6 years before taking Level 2 and then moved steadily towards being certified in 2013. Because Caralee had used the model for so many years, she finished certification in a relatively short time – less than a year. She always encourages people to use the tools, immerse yourself in the method, get familiar with it before entering the Certification Track, because of her own experience.

She had the opportunity to rove in Seattle a number of times, as the Gottman’s presented the “Art and Science of Love” couples workshop, and in 2014 Caralee was the first to bring it to CO, where she has presented it several times per year ever since. In 2017 she began training clinicians in the Gottman Method. She is a trainer for Levels 1, 2 and 3, which she loves doing – especially in person! In 2019, she took the trainings and the ASL to HI, as well.

Caralee has a sub-specialty working with couples in recovery for sexual compulsions/addictions/betrayals and is Certified in Partner Betrayal Trauma. She is a Certified Sex Addiction Recovery Therapist (SRT) through AASAT since 2014. Caralee is trained in EMDR and uses it frequently in her practice. She is also Certified in Discernment Counseling (2020) through the Dougherty Relationship Institute for “couples on the brink” of separation/divorce.

Caralee was nervous to start the Certification Track! As a verifiable “technophobe”, the idea of recording her sessions, editing, and sharing them was intimidating in itself, not to mention having someone else critique her work. However, she had a great experience, with a lot of support and encouragement, as well as clear guidelines on what to focus on to successfully reach certification. Caralee’s years as part of The Gottman Institute community has reinforced the supportive, encouraging experience she had with her consultant. Caralee’s hope is to offer an equally supportive, encouraging, and helpful experience to those with whom she consults, and continue to pass on the spirit of The Gottman Institute, from which she has so greatly benefited.

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

Dr. Navarra developed the Couple Recovery Development Approach (CRDA), a relational model of addiction assessment and treatment based on his research at Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto, California. Integrating CRDA with the Sound Relationship House model Dr. Navarra designed a two-day workshop for recovering couples, Roadmap for the Journey, and a one-day training workshop for therapists and counselors, Couples and Addiction Recovery. Dr. Navarra and Dr. John Gottman are collaborating on a randomized clinical trial of the CRDA model in treatment programs. Dr. Navarra teaches graduate classes on addictive disorders at Santa Clara University.

*Accepting New Certification Candidates*

Robert has been in private practice for over 25 years, and now work primarily with couples. He is an Art & Science of Love Workshop Leader, and a Gottman Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 Trainer. He has had the privilege to co-author a book chapter with Dr. John Gottman, titled “Gottman Method Therapy: From Theory to Practice”, in Case Studies in Couple Therapy: Theory-Based Approaches (Carson & Casado-Kehoe, Eds., 2011).

As a Research Associate at Mental Research Institute (MRI) Robert co-founded Center for Couples in Recovery and developed the “Couple Recovery Development Approach” (CRDA), based on original, ongoing research over the last 10 years at MRI. In collaboration with Dr. John Gottman and the Relationship Research Institute and blending research models, Dr. Gottman and Robert presented a workshop, training therapists and addiction counselors in this relational approach to addiction recovery and collaborated in designing a CRDA weekend workshop for couples recovering from addiction that is now being offered in several treatment programs. CRDA will be studied in randomized clinical trials looking at outcomes of working with couples in early recovery verses standard individually-oriented recovery approaches.

“Dr. Bob Navarra was a wonderful consultant and his wisdom, kindness, and encouragement were invaluable.”

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.