Marriage Counseling in the Bay Area
A Marriage Therapist for Bay Area Couples
Marriage counseling in the Bay Area gives you and your partner a place to slow down, be heard and understand what keeps repeating between you. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist with nearly 30 years of experience, and if you have been searching for a marriage therapist in the Bay Area, I would be glad to talk.
Long commutes, demanding careers and a high cost of living can strain even a strong marriage. Counseling gives you protected time to reconnect.
I see couples in person at my Menlo Park office, close to Palo Alto and Mountain View, and by video anywhere in California. You can also read more about couples therapy in Silicon Valley.
With nearly thirty years of experience helping couples heal, I offer couples in the Bay Area a space where both voices are heard, without blame and without sides.
Let’s work together to find your way back to love.
Book your first session today.
A Marriage and Family Therapist for Couples in the Bay Area
I work with couples across the Bay Area, from Menlo Park and Palo Alto to Mountain View and Redwood City. I understand the specific pressures couples face here, and I help with issues like these:
Work-Life Balance
Many couples struggle to find quality time together because of busy or misaligned schedules. I help partners set healthy boundaries and communication habits so the relationship gets protected time.
Financial Stress
The high cost of living can be a major source of conflict. I help couples talk about money without it turning into an argument, and build habits you both agree on.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Bay Area’s blended population brings real strengths and real challenges, especially for cross cultural couples. I work with couples across backgrounds, including gay, LGBTQ and same sex couples, and I offer sessions in English and Farsi. I help partners understand differences in background, values and communication styles.
Tech Industry Pressures
Long hours and a fast-paced environment can take a toll on relationships. I help you put your connection first and build communication skills that hold up under work demands.
Benefits of Bay Area Marriage Counseling
Marriage counseling can make a difference whether your relationship is going through a rough patch or simply needs attention. It offers couples the tools and support to:
Improve Communication
Learn active listening, speak clearly and express your needs in a way your partner can hear.
Improve Your Communication to Strengthen Your RelationshipThe Importance of Open Communication at HomeResolve Conflict
Conflict is part of every relationship. Develop ways to work through disagreements without damage.
The Never-Ending Fight: Why Does It Always Feel Like the Same Argument?Couples Conflict: Are Communication Skills the Problem?Rebuild Trust
Infidelity or betrayal can erode trust. We work toward open, honest conversation and a return to safety and closeness.
Infidelity Counseling in Palo AltoDeciding to Stay: Rebuilding Trust and Intimacy After an AffairStrengthen Emotional Connection
Rekindle the emotional bond that brought you together and build a stronger one.
Building Emotional Intimacy While Managing Busy Work SchedulesThe Intimacy of Being UnderstoodFind Your Path Forward
Marriage counseling with me is a safe and supportive space to explore your challenges and build lasting solutions. My approach is experiential and attachment based, as a PACT Level 1 trained therapist, with somatic awareness.
You will learn how to:
I believe in the power of connection, and I am here to help Bay Area couples build stronger, more fulfilling relationships.
Where Couples Start
Couples come to marriage counseling for many reasons. Choose the one that sounds closest to yours.
We are not sure we need counseling
Many couples wait longer than they need to. These pieces help you decide.
Couples Counseling in Silicon Valley4 Reasons You May Need Marriage CounselingTrust has been broken
Rebuilding trust takes care, and you do not have to do it alone.
Infidelity Counseling in Palo AltoSigns You Should Consider Couples CounselingWe have drifted apart
The warmth is still there, but the closeness has gone quiet.
Intimacy and Sex Therapy in Silicon ValleyLosing That Spark? Living in a Marriage Without Any Physical ContactOur backgrounds pull us in different directions
Culture, faith, family and identity shape what each of us expects.
Cross Cultural Marriage Counseling in the Bay AreaGay, LGBTQ and Same Sex Couples TherapyWe are planning our wedding
A good time to talk about the things that matter before the big day.
Premarital Counseling in the Bay AreaPre-Marital Counseling: What It Is and How It HelpsWork is taking over our lives
Long hours and constant pressure reach home first.
The Ultimate Guide to Balancing Work and Relationships for Tech ProfessionalsAnxiety Treatment in Silicon ValleyHow Marriage Counseling Works
There is no set timetable, because every couple moves at its own pace. These are the usual steps.
Getting to know you
I ask what brought you in, what each of you hopes will change, and how the two of you talk to each other.
Understanding the pattern
We look at what keeps repeating, so the argument about schedules stops being only about schedules.
Setting goals together
We agree on what you want from counseling and check in on it along the way.
Trying small changes
As the work goes on, you try small changes in how you listen and respond, and we talk about what worked.
Not sure it is the right time? Read when do you need couples therapy or signs you should consider couples counseling.
Questions to Ask a Marriage Counselor Before You Book
It is fine to interview a counselor. These are questions many couples find useful.
You are welcome to ask me all of these in a free 20-minute consultation.
Take the First Step
Book a free 20-minute consultation to talk through what you need and see whether working together feels right. It is private, and there is nothing to prepare.
Book a free 20-minute consultationCall (650) 206-9973
I see couples at my Menlo Park office and by video anywhere in California.
Does marriage counseling work?
Yes, many couples find that counseling brings real change, and it often begins once both partners start. A 2020 meta-analysis in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found a large improvement in relationship satisfaction after couple therapy, compared with couples on waitlists. A 2021 study in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy found that couples waited about 2.7 years on average between serious problems starting and beginning therapy, and beginning at any point can bring new understanding of each other. I work in an experiential, attachment based way as a PACT Level 1 trained therapist, with four additional years of advanced training in Integrative Body Psychotherapy (IBP), so both of you feel heard while we shift the patterns that keep repeating. You can read 4 myths about marriage counseling, see the signs you may be ready for couples counseling, or book a free 20-minute consultation to meet me.
What happens in the first session?
The first session is a conversation. I ask what brought you in and what each of you hopes will change, and I notice how the two of you talk to each other. You do not need to prepare or agree on everything beforehand. By the end, you will have a sense of how I work and what the next sessions could look like. To see what a couples therapist can help with, read 5 things a couples therapist can help you with.
How long does marriage counseling take?
There is no set number of sessions. It depends on your goals and on how long the patterns have been in place. We agree on what you want early on and check in regularly, so you always know where you stand. If you are wondering whether now is the right time, this article on when you need couples therapy may help.
Do you offer marriage counseling in person and online in the Bay Area?
Yes. My office is at 1134 Crane Street, Suite 218, in Menlo Park, close to Palo Alto, Mountain View and Redwood City, and couples come from across the Bay Area, including Sunnyvale. I also meet couples by video anywhere in California, including San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose. You choose whether to meet in person or online.
How do we choose a marriage counselor in the Bay Area?
Look for a licensed marriage and family therapist whose training and style suit you both, and notice whether each of you feels heard in the first conversation. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist with nearly 30 years of experience (you can read more about Azizeh). To meet me before you commit, book a free 20-minute consultation or call (650) 206-9973.