COUPLES & MARRIAGE COUNSELING IN SAN DIEGO & ACROSS CALIFORNIA
Every relationship has seasons.
We work with all of them.
Whatever season you're in — the same fight on repeat, a growing distance, a new chapter, or the work of rebuilding — couples counseling gives you a place to do it together. Grounded in EFT and the Gottman Method, with a welcome for every couple.
You know the pattern by now.
You keep having the same conversation, and nothing really changes. One of you shuts down, the other pushes harder, and you both walk away feeling unheard. Or maybe the fighting has gone quiet and turned into distance instead, two people managing a household and a calendar but not quite reaching each other anymore.
It doesn't mean something is wrong with you, or with your relationship. It usually means you've landed in a pattern that neither of you knows how to step out of on your own. That's the work we do together: slowing that pattern down, understanding what's really driving it, and helping you find your way back to feeling like a team.
Relationships take real work. Good tools make the work possible.
Every couple brings its own history, patterns, and goals. Our couples and marriage counseling draws on two of the most researched approaches in the field — Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and the Gottman Method — to help partners communicate more clearly, navigate conflict productively, and build the kind of connection that holds up over time.
Whether you're preparing for marriage, adjusting to a new chapter, or simply wanting to strengthen what you have, counseling offers a structured place to do that work together.
One practice. A team built for every stage of a relationship.
Common Ground Therapy Group brings together three therapists whose training and focus areas span the full arc of committed relationships — from preparing for marriage to raising a family to renegotiating a partnership in midlife.
Our couples work is grounded in the two most researched approaches in the field: Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and the Gottman Method. Every couples therapist at our practice is Gottman-trained, and our team includes a certified educator in the Gottman Institute's Bringing Baby Home program for new and expectant parents.
Premarital counseling — Building strong communication, alignment, and shared expectations before marriage.
High-achieving couples — You're both capable and busy, and the relationship keeps getting whatever's left over. We'll help you make it the thing you protect, not the thing you postpone.
The transition to parenthood — A baby changes everything, including the two of you. We'll help you stay connected through the exhaustion, using the Gottman Institute's Bringing Baby Home approach.
Midlife and blended families — Navigating changing roles, second chapters, and the work of building step-families and new family structures.
LGBTQ+ couples — Affirming counseling for partners of every identity and relationship structure, with a therapist whose focus and training center this work.
When you reach out, we'll match you with the therapist whose experience best fits your goals — and your free 15-minute consultation confirms the fit before you begin.
Our team: Melanie Wolf, LMFT #124745 (founder and clinical supervisor); Brandon Wong, ASW #136131; and Leila Savage, AMFT #160286. Associate clinicians practice under the clinical supervision of Melanie Wolf, LMFT #124745.
AREAS OF FOCUS
Couples Counseling can help you…
Feel like a team again — Stop landing on opposite sides of every problem and start facing them together.
Feel heard, finally — Say the hard thing and have it actually land, for both of you.
Communicate more clearly — Get past the misfires to the real conversation underneath, faster.
Reconnect after drifting — Close the quiet distance and remember why you chose each other.
Rebuild trust — Do the honest work of repair after a breach or a long stretch of hurt, at a pace that's real.
Enjoy each other again — Get back to warmth and lightness, not just managing logistics side by side.
Ready to work on your relationship?
The first step is a free 15-minute consultation to find the right fit — for your goals, your schedule, and your stage of life.
FAQs
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The terms are largely interchangeable — both refer to therapy for two partners working on their relationship. Whether you're married, engaged, or in a committed partnership, the work is the same: communication, connection, and navigating life as a team.
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You don't need to decide — that's part of what the consultation is for.
Reach out through our consultation form and let us know a bit about what you're hoping to work on. We'll recommend the best fit based on your goals and each therapist's focus — and the free 15-minute call is a chance to confirm it feels right before you commit. -
Both are research-based approaches to couples therapy. EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) focuses on the attachment and emotional bond between partners and the patterns that shape it. The Gottman Method emphasizes practical, skills-based tools for communication, conflict, and connection, built on decades of research. Many couples benefit from elements of both.
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Couples sessions are designed for both partners, and that's the standard format. Occasionally a therapist may suggest an individual session as part of the process — that's something you'd decide together.
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Yes. Premarital work uses the same research-based approaches to help couples build strong communication and alignment before marriage.
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Yes — we see couples in person in Mission Valley, San Diego, and via telehealth throughout California.
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Fees vary by therapist. Couples sessions range from $170 to $240 per session, and we'll confirm the exact fee when we match you with the right therapist for your goals. Common Ground Therapy Group is a private-pay practice. We don't bill insurance, but we can provide a superbill for out-of-network reimbursement, and a Good Faith Estimate is available before you begin.
A limited number of sliding-scale spots are available; if cost is a barrier, it's worth asking.