Couples
Therapy That
Works
in San Francisco

Better Methods. Better Lovin.

Better Methods. Better Outcomes. Better Lovin.

Empathi's therapists provide hope
to couples in San Francisco

Struggling with your partner is despairing and exhausting.

Sometimes it can seem hopeless. The good news is, we really know how to help you get unstuck!

Empathi’s Methods are proven to help.

We are extremely selective about which therapists are invited to join our practice.

Each of our therapists are trained to use our proprietary blend of the Empathi Method and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). We’ll help you understand both your intrapersonal and interpersonal struggles in a way that guides you to communicate better, repair after fights, and feel more deeply and securely connected.

We are extremely selective about which therapists are invited to join our practice.

Clinical research shows that 86% of couples improve after a brief period of EFT guidance, and 73% have maintained their improvements when we check back two years later.

With Empathi Couples
Counseling You Will…

Stop having the same argument(s) over and over again
Return to a deeper level of intimacy
Recover from an infidelity or another breach of trust
Work on your relationship even though your partner doesn't seem available
Feel more secure in your sex life
Navigate life transitions from a place of connection and understanding of each other
Reduce the frequency and intensity of communication breakdowns

There’s no quick fix for repairing a relationship — if there were, no one would suffer in love — but there is a process that works.

Stop struggling. Book your call now.

Best Couples Therapy in San Francisco, CA | Empathi.com

Discover why Empathi couples therapy is right for you.

Do I need Empathi couples therapy?

When a relationship is new, a couple feels like they’re on top of the world. The sky seems brighter, the flowers bloom more vibrantly, and food even tastes better. It feels as if everything was made just for them.

But the passage of time takes a toll on the vibrancy and magic couples once felt. They have fights and hardships, and they have jobs, friends, and family outside of the relationship that redirect their attention. After a while, what was fresh and invigorating begins to feel routine, or worse: painful.

If you’re in a committed relationship or marriage that seems like it has become stuck or stalled, that doesn’t mean it’s the end. Quality couples therapy can help restore vitality and joy to your relationship. Reach out to Empathi today and start to make the world around you bright again.

Do I need Empathi couples therapy?

But the passage of time takes a toll on the vibrancy and magic couples once felt.

Soon couples have fights and hardships, as well as jobs, friends, and family outside of the relationship that redirect their attention. After a while, what was fresh and invigorating begins to feel routine, or worse: painful.

Can a couples therapist near me help my relationship?

Are you looking for couples counseling in San Francisco, CA? You’re not alone. Many couples go through periods where they feel stuck and all they want is to feel unstuck. It might feel like you’re the only couple having issues, but thousands of partners are experiencing the same struggle, and more are reaching out for help every day.

It may also be encouraging to know that we help couples who encounter a wide variety of obstacles.

Here are some of the issues our clients in San Francisco have

Division of goods or finances

If a couple lives together, conflicts sometimes arise regarding what belongs to whom. This is likely to be more prevalent in times when a couple is experiencing contention in other areas of their relationship.

We can help you see through these issues to come to an agreement regarding your material possessions.

Division of responsibility

When a couple shares a home, there can be contention over the distribution of necessary tasks. These issues appear especially frequently when a couple has children.

Quality counseling can give you tools to help you to reach agreements on the household division of responsibility.

Loss of intimacy

Married and unmarried couples alike sometimes experience a slowdown in romantic and physical connection as stresses compile and time puts distance between them and who they were at the outset of their relationship. This is a common issue that can cause friction between partners.

High-quality couples therapy can help your romance blossom once again.

Conflicting priorities of marriage

Unmarried couples can sometimes find themselves in disagreement over the topic of marriage. This frequently occurs around the necessity of marriage or when one partner feels ready to move forward and the other doesn’t believe that it’s the right time.

With the guidance of the right couples therapist, together you and your partner can come to an agreement on the decision on when and if to get married as a team.

Disagreements about parenting

Couples with children or prospective parents sometimes have conflicting principles when it comes to raising children. This can be an especially troublesome issue, considering the stakes are the futures and wellbeing of their children.

With some work on your part, an experienced couples counselor can help you and your partner to see eye-to-eye about your present or future kids.

What if I've tried couples therapy in San Francisco before?

If you’ve seen a relationship therapist in the past and it hasn’t worked for you, it might be because they didn’t have the expertise to address your specific issue or their communication and treatment style didn’t resonate with you.

Our expert professionals have experience guiding partners through an array of issues.

Here's why our approach works

Our relationship therapy is provided by experienced couples therapists who use established methods to walk you through rebuilding your relationship.

Restoring faith in each other

Trust is the cornerstone of any relationship. Some people find it difficult to trust others for a variety of reasons. We apply attachment theory to guide you through putting the trust that may have been missing all along into your relationship.

Dismantling negative behaviors

Damaging habits and addiction can tear at the fabric of a couple’s bond. These habits can chip away at trust and intimacy and do serious harm to a committed relationship. Experiential psychotherapy methods get at the root of addictive and harmful behaviors.

Reframing conflict

It’s not unhealthy to disagree from time to time. However, persistent conflict can over-stretch or damage a relationship. Through emotionally focused therapy (EFT), Empathi turns conflict into communication. 86% of couples who’ve gone through EFT see real improvement right away, and this improvement continues long-term for 73% of couples.

Will it be difficult to start couples therapy near me?

Starting couples counseling can be scary. Many people don’t know what to expect from their therapist. Some people might not even know what their ideal outcome looks like, all they know is that what they’re doing isn’t working. Relationship counseling is the best first step toward changing that.

Here are the ways we make it easy:

With experienced professionals who know how to make you feel welcome the moment you walk in the door.
We offer a fun and simple quiz to ease you into the process and help get at the heart of your issues before we begin.
We all fear the unknown. Our podcast, Come Here to Me offers fun insights into what you can expect from relationship therapy sessions.

Here are the ways we make it easy:

With experienced professionals who know how to make you feel welcome the moment you walk in the door.
We offer a fun and simple quiz to ease you into the process and help get at the heart of your issues before we begin.
We all fear the unknown. Our podcast, Come Here to Me offers fun insights into what you can expect from relationship therapy sessions.

Couples Therapy in San Francisco

Begin the Empathi Process

Your expert counselor is here to guide you back to connection using Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy and the Empathi Method.

Healing starts with accepting you need help, booking a free consult, and showing up as you are. Everything that comes next will be easier as you're held by an Empathi therapist and a proven process. From now on, you're not alone in this.

AcceptanceThe hardest part is just getting started.

Explore your process and discover a unified narrative where neither of you are wrong or right, "the good one," or "the bad one." Learn to approach suffering and conflicts as an "us" problem instead of a "them" problem or a "me" problem.

AllianceFeel like you're on the same team again.

Strengthen your new narrative by accessing empathy to recognize the root of each other's reactivity, how much you matter to each other, and what love is. Understand the cycles you get into with the help of your expert Empathi counselor.

EmpathySee the hurt and love behind their reactivity.

Get to know, live in, and share your vulnerable feelings. Then, learn to let in the ways that those feelings are understood and accepted by your partner through the power of the Empathi method and Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy.

VulnerabilityShare the hurt and love behind your reactivity.

Mend your relationship and your wounds through the understanding that you matter to each other. Learn to grieve, show up for, heal, and accept the most vulnerable parts inside of each other without sacrificing those parts in yourselves.

ConnectionFeel deeply and securely bonded to one another

Having proved your ability to resolve long-standing issues, heated conflicts, and negative cycles, face your future together with a certainty that you will not only survive those moments, but grow stronger and more connected because of them.

ResilienceRely on your bond to get out of stuck moments.

Acceptance

The hardest part is just getting started.

Healing starts with accepting you need help, booking a free consult, and showing up as you are. Everything that comes next will be easier as you’re held by an Empathi therapist and a proven process. From now on, you’re not alone in this.

Alliance

Feel like you’re on the same team again.

Explore your process and discover a unified narrative where neither of you are wrong or right, “the good one,” or “the bad one.” Learn to approach suffering and conflicts as an “us” problem instead of a “them” problem or a “me” problem.

Empathy

See the hurt and love behind their reactivity.

Strengthen your new narrative by accessing empathy to recognize the root of each other’s reactivity, how much you matter to each other, and what love is. Understand the cycles you get into with the help of your expert Empathi counselor.

Vulnerability

Share the hurt and love behind your reactivity.

Connection

Feel deeply and securely bonded to one another.

Resilience

Rely on your bond to get out of stuck moments.

Meet the San
Francisco Team

Karen is skilled at helping couples understand the painful cycle of conflict they’re stuck in and guiding them back to safety, connection, and love. She is known by her clients for offering direct and honest feedback with love, warmth, and humor. Karen specializes in working with couples and individuals dealing with relationship issues. She is trained in Gottman Couples work and has intensive training in EFT for Couples.

Karen GordonCounselor Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #100084

Artist, animal lover, and impassioned mentor. Stefanie’s calling is to guide others in building greater capacities for challenging emotions so their lives can pulse with vitality and relationships thrive with connection. She completed the Somatic Experiencing Practitioner training, an effective mind-body approach aimed to improve symptoms of stress. Chronic pain and addiction recovery are some of Stefanie’s notable specializations.

Stefanie BondCounselor Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #100084

Karen Gordon

COUNSELOR

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #100084

Stefanie Bond

COUNSELOR

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #100084

NOT THE CITY YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?

More Couples Therapy Near You

San Francisco
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We are passionate about healing relationships.

Our team of couples counselors, relationship coaches, and marriage therapists can help you reconnect and discover that loving feeling.

Feel safe to be your true self in life and love.
Heal from recent or past grief and loss.
Connect in a deeper and more authentic way.
Stop having the same argument(s) over and over again.
Avoid being disappointed in each other so much.
Recover from infidelity or other breach of trust.
Get back to more joy, laughter, and fun together.
Work on your relationship even though your partner doesn't seem available.

Frequently Asked Couples Therapy Questions

Read our San Francisco FAQ or schedule a free consult now and get answers directly!

How much does relationship counseling in San Francisco cost?

Couples counseling in San Francisco ranges on average from $120 to $250 per therapy hour. Some skilled therapists are in higher demand, and so have a higher rate. Skill and training also play a large part in the pricing of marriage therapy in San Francisco. Some therapists cost more, but these tend to be specialized experts in their field who have a high success rate.

At Empathi, we offer a range of pricing. Our experienced, licensed couples counseling professionals provide you with personalized guidance and give you the tools you need to restore vibrancy to your relationship.

How much does relationship counseling in San Francisco cost?

Is pre-marriage counseling a good idea?

If you’ve decided as a couple to get married, getting preliminary counseling is a choice that can really benefit you and your partner. Premarital counseling gives couples tools to resolve conflict, and it provides excellent guidance on effective communication with each other. It can also enhance the quality of your relationship at its current status.

How much does premarital counseling near me cost?

One can expect to pay around the same for premarital counseling as for marriage or couples counseling in San Francisco. The cost varies, but the typical range is $120 to $200 per session. Experienced couples therapists with high success rates may charge more because they’re in higher demand.

What do the divorce statistics in San Francisco, CA look like?

National divorce rates have been on a decline over the past three decades, and the trend appears to be continuing. Divorce isn’t a process someone expects to go through when they first get together, but it is an unfortunate reality.

World Populated Review places the divorce rate in California among the lowest in the country at 9.0%. The divorce rate in San Francisco, CA is even lower than that, at 8.0%.

How many couples therapists are in San Francisco, CA?

Statistically, couples therapists are lumped in with marriage and family therapists. The most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics places just over 60,000 people employed nationally as couples or family therapists. There are roughly 32,000 employed in the state of California, which is the highest number in the nation. San Francisco has just over 3,300 therapists who specialize in couples and marriage counseling.

A number of sites have a list for best relationship counseling near me. A search of best couples counselors in the San Francisco area places Empathi founder, Fiachra Figs O’Sullivan in the top 10 list on Yelp and the top 5 list on GuideDoc.

How many couples therapists are in San Francisco, CA?

How do I choose a good couples therapist in San Francisco, CA?

There are many good couples therapists out there, but it’s important to find the one that’s right for you and your partner. Communication proficiency is important. You want to be sure that your counselor understands you both and that they can effectively convey their messages to you.

It may be important to find out if your values and principles align with your counselor’s. A therapy plan is far more likely to be effective if it’s driven by someone who can understand your point of view and leave harmful friction out of your sessions. That’s why we at Empathi emphasize empathy and validation as key components to the Empathi Method.

Generally, it’s a good idea to ask a potential therapist some questions before deciding on who to go with. This ensures a greater likelihood of landing on a counselor who’s right for you.

How do I choose a good couples therapist in San Francisco, CA?

There are many good couples therapists out there, but it’s important to find the one that’s right for you and your partner.

Generally, it’s a good idea to ask a potential therapist some questions before deciding on who to go with. This ensures a greater likelihood of landing on a counselor who’s right for you.

What questions should I ask before starting couples therapy in San Francisco, CA?

Schedule a consultation to give your potential therapists an interview. Have your questions prepared and base your decision on how they answer.

You’ll want to know the qualifications of the counselor that you’ll be seeing. You’ll also want to make sure they seem like a good fit as people.

These questions will help you better determine if the therapist is the right option for you:

How long have you been practicing couples counseling?
What training/qualifications do you have in relationship therapy?
How long should I expect counseling to last?
What does progress look like?
What does success look like?
Is a committed relationship between two unmarried people just as valid to you as an official marriage?

It’s important that you stick with therapy once it starts. No matter how good a couples counselor is, you’ll get the best results if you complete their plan. Couples who’ve stayed with therapy until it was complete have better outcomes all around: they enjoy better emotional health, live longer, and many report themselves as being happier than before they started therapy, especially if they underwent EFT therapy.

Seeking out a quality couples therapist is the best first step in repairing your relationship. They’re able to objectively look at your partnership and determine what tools they can provide to give you the best chance at a positive outcome.

If you and your partner need guidance to help restore your connection, now is the best time to take action. The sooner you act, the sooner quality couples therapy can help you. Come to us for quality counseling. Contact Empathi and restore vitality to your relationship.