How to choose a couples therapist
A step-by-step guide to choosing a couples therapist in California: licenses, training in couples work, fit, fees and the first call. Plain language, sourced.
California couples therapy directory
Find a licensed couples therapist in California
Marriage counseling and couples therapy from LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and psychologists. Every profile shows the therapist's license, checked by us, so you can choose with confidence.
California listings open soon. Licensed couples therapists can join free now.
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Before you choose
Plain-language guides for couples
Written from official California sources, each with a review date. Start with how to choose, or jump to cost and insurance.
What the first couples therapy sessions are like
What to expect in the first couples therapy sessions: intake, assessment, individual sessions, paperwork, telehealth consent and how long couples therapy usually takes.
What couples therapy costs in California
What drives the cost of couples therapy in California, how to estimate your total, your right to a Good Faith Estimate, and ways to pay less: sliding scale, EAP, superbills, training clinics.
Insurance, superbills and out-of-network couples therapy
Does insurance cover marriage counseling? How in-network billing, superbills and out-of-network benefits work for couples therapy, why a diagnosis matters, and what to ask your plan.
Telehealth couples therapy in California
How online couples therapy works in California: why your therapist needs a California license, what telehealth consent covers, privacy tips and how to make video sessions work for two.
LMFT vs LCSW vs LPCC vs psychologist: who can do couples therapy?
What the letters mean for couples therapy in California: LMFT, LCSW, LPCC and licensed psychologists, who licenses them, how their training differs and what to ask.
How to check a California therapist's license
Step-by-step: verify an LMFT, LCSW, LPCC or psychologist license on California's DCA License Search, read the status, find public discipline documents and know what to do if something looks wrong.
Questions to ask a couples therapist on a consultation call
A printable checklist of questions to ask a couples therapist or marriage counselor on a consultation call: license, couples training, approach, fees, insurance, telehealth, safety and fit.
When couples therapy isn't the right step
When couples therapy may not be safe or right: fear, violence, coercive control, active crisis or addiction. What to do instead, with the 988 Lifeline and National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Gottman vs EFT vs RLT vs Imago: how the four couples therapy methods differ
A neutral side-by-side of four couples therapy methods: Gottman, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Relational Life Therapy and Imago. Origins, core ideas and questions to ask.
How this directory works
- Licensed onlyLMFT, LCSW, LPCC or licensed psychologist. Name as filed, license title and number on every profile.
- License checkedWe look up each license on California's official DCA License Search and show the date we checked.
- No paid rankingNo one can pay to appear higher. How listings are ordered.
- No client reviewsTherapist ethics codes bar soliciting testimonials, so we do not show reviews or star ratings.
- You chooseContact therapists directly. We do not pick a therapist for you or take a cut of sessions.
- Private by designNo ad pixels, no third-party scripts, and your directory filters stay in your browser.
Approaches
Couples therapy methods, explained neutrally
Relational Life Therapy (RLT)
A direct, active approach developed by Terry Real that names each partner's part in the couple's pattern and teaches relational skills.
Gottman Method Couples Therapy
A structured, research-based approach by Drs. John and Julie Gottman built around assessment and the Sound Relationship House.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
An attachment-based approach developed by Dr. Sue Johnson that helps partners step out of negative cycles and build emotional safety.
Imago Relationship Therapy
An approach by Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt that uses a structured dialogue to turn conflict into understanding.
California
Couples therapy across California
A California license covers clients anywhere in the state, in person or by video. We are starting with the three largest metro areas.
Los Angeles
Find a licensed couples therapist or marriage counselor in Los Angeles County. How to check a license, what sessions cost, telehealth and local help lines.
San Francisco Bay Area
Find a licensed couples therapist or marriage counselor in San Francisco, Oakland, the East Bay, the Peninsula and South Bay. License checks, costs, telehealth and local help.
San Diego
Find a licensed couples therapist or marriage counselor in San Diego County. How to check a license, costs, insurance, telehealth and local help lines.
Are you a licensed therapist who works with couples?
Listings are free. Tell us about your practice and we will check your license and draft your profile for your approval.