The 'Love Made Simple' Couples Therapy Workshop was invaluable to my partner and me. The keen perception of these two professionals blew us away; how they really 'saw' into who we each were, after hearing just a few details that we shared about our parents. Gal and Liron are highly intelligent and world class therapists. If you want to meet a major milestone and turning point in your relationship, while getting to know yourself better, take this class. Highly recommend! read more

The Couples Center - Gal and Liron demonstrating class exercise for communication - Counseling & Mental Health Near Me

As a therapist, I am always looking for useful and inspiring work to continue my education. Love made Smple has been a comprehensive training that provided both for me. Gal and Liron have created a Intergrative approach to couples therapy that is transformative for and couples alike. read more

As a therapist, I have attended and supported a multitude of workshops and trainings. I was honored to participate as an assistant therapist in Gal and Liron's Breakthrough to Love Couple's Workshop. Using their diverse knowledge and experiences, Gal and Liron have thoughtfully and masterfully designed a Couples Workshop that brings couples and individuals into presence, authenticity, and agency to make the changes they want in their lives. As a therapist who believes in the transformative and effective power of brain-body-based therapies, hands-on experiential engagement, and psychoeducation, I highly recommend this workshop for anyone in a relationship who is called to deepen connection with themselves and their partners. read more

I've recently completed professional couples therapy training with Gal Szekely, founder of The Couples Center. I've worked with couples for 10+ years and found many new tools and techniques. I found the model comprehensive and immediately applicable to couples I'm working with. I love how it integrates a variety of other systems while also being its own holistic approach. I really appreciated the in-person intensive with plenty of time to practice and get valuable feedback. I can't wait to apply it all in my upcoming sessions! read more

My partner and I attended the Breakthrough to Love workshop. This was the first time either of us had done anything like this. Gal did a great job at making folks feel comfortable right from the start and creating a good balance of learning in the group and doing practices with our partners. By day two not only were my partner and I more connected with each other but we were having a lot of fun connecting with the other participants. We had conversations on topics we'd never spoken about before and left feeling like we had new tools to navigate the challenges in our relationship. read more

As a grad student in the Somatic Couples Therapy training, I feel this training created a powerful and integrated foundation for my future practicing psychotherapy with couples. Without ever having worked with a couple before, I now feel I have the confidence of holding a reliable map for exploring the complexities and unknowns couples therapy. read more

My boyfriend of 4 years and I attended the Love Made Simple workshop over the weekend. When you tell people you're going to a couples workshop, people assume something is going on with your relationship or there's something you need to "fix." I believe it's just as important, if not more so, to spend time working on your relationship even when nothing is "wrong" - before it can ever even get to that point. We learned so much about ourselves and each other. We discovered new ways of communicating and new tools for handling conflict, commitment, and intimacy. I feel closer to my boyfriend than ever and am confident in our relationship. It was hard work - this is not an easy or relaxing weekend by any means! But we did enjoy that there was time to play, laugh, and explore. It wasn't cheesy; though it was sometimes awkward and uncomfortable, it was because we were challenging ourselves and each other. Each session had meaning and I'm so glad we attended. Thank you, Gal and Liron! read more

Okay, I'm writing this for the fellow introverts out there like me. Short version: I wish I had taken this class 30 years ago. Could not possibly recommend more! Long version: Our wedding was 6 months away and I signed up because I wanted to go through the pre-wedding boot camp with my fiance. It was an extremely worthwhile 4 days of increasingly challenging scenarios but peppered in were the sweetest and most bonding moments of our lives! We were in a group with 20 other couples who were going through their own issues on their own time lines, and I found it incredibly informative because it was just a matter of time before my fiance and I were in the same predicament. Some of the heavier topics had wedding counselors in all the groups to help moderate and guide the lessons. read more

This workshop should be mandatory for any couple regardless of their perceived state of happiness. I cannot think of a circumstance where this wouldn't be incredibly useful for any couple interested in enriching their relationship and themselves. For me, it was frankly transformative. The night before I was full of anxiety and nearly canceled. My partner and I argued about my state of mind. Two days later I felt like an entirely different human being. The toxins had been sucked from our relationship and we had a completely clean slate to build from again. Better still, we were both equipped, finally, with practical tools and knowledge to prevent our relationship ever getting in such a state again. I cannot over-emphasize the sheer magnitude of the transformation. My brain feels completely re-wired and I am full of optimism and joy again (and not just in the context of my relationship). It helped completely re-set my outlook on life after decades of damage caused by trauma. Trust me, these guys know what they're doing and speak from experience. read more

My partner and I absolutely loved working working with Evelyn Natalya. No matter how challenging things felt in our relationship, Evelyn had a way of making us both feel heard and our feelings validated. She helped us relate to each other's experiences and helped us bring much more balance to our dynamic. We almost always felt much closer after our sessions with her. We've recommended her to several of our friends. After her, I'm confident that every couple should try working with a therapist. read more

My wife and I have been together for over 13 years and raise a special needs child. We still managed to learn so much from this weekend's workshop! Gal and Liron were so knowledgeable and very passionate about helping other couples have successful relationships. They actually had advice on what to do in certain situations (rather than a couples counselor just mediating a relationship). The workshop was very organized. They had a carefully designed program that incorporated all aspects of ANY type of relationship. They also had MFT therapists readily available to assist in the exercises to whoever needed help (That was a HUGE bonus because some of the exercises could be very difficult to do on your own). Coming out of the workshop, we now understand each other so much more and have the tools to strengthen our relationship and stop us from staying in the "negative cycle". Thank you Gal and Liron for being part of our journey! We look forward in the online continuing course to further maintain our long term relationship. read more

My husband and I have been together for 36 years, with 7 years as a divorced couple. We've been back together for 3 years and felt we needed to avoid falling into old patterns that led us astray. We learned more in 1 day about how to communicate than in all the years of couples therapy, books, and doing exercises in other programs. This is the highest recommendation we could give to any couple starting out or in long term marriages. We have a brand new relationship and we are indebted forever for the guidance we received from Gal and Liron. Their incomparable gifts and authenticity are beyond compare. You will give your partner, and your partnership, an immeasurable experience by participating in any of their workshops. read more

Gal is an amazing therapist and a calming presence, and working with him over the past two years has truly been an investment in myself and my relationship. Even though 2020 has been full of surprises, my partner and I have grown as individuals and our partnership has become more understanding, compassionate, and curious despite the chaos of the past year. I seriously appreciate everything Gal has done for my partner and me, and look forward to supplementing therapy with some of his workshops in the future. I can't speak highly enough of Gal and would totally recommend him to anyone. read more

I took the Love Made Simple workshop. I came out of the weekend knowing my husband better and knowing myself better, which feels like the most important part! I'm the kinda person who dreads talking in groups (esp about vulnerable stuff) so I went into the weekend with a lot of anxiety. It was way less scary than I thought it would be. The staff was skilled and I felt guided and supported when me and my husband got stuck on excersizes. Gal and Liron keep the atmosphere fun and reverent, as well as relevant to hetero or same sex couples. Definitely recommend it. read more

My husband and I have been married almost 17 years. We are not in conflict, but realized that we were not as close as we were when we first married. Life, kids, jobs, all of that gets in the way, sometimes...At first we thought we would try to have weekly counseling sessions with Gal and Liron, but the timing was impossible! My husband and I couldn't even find one hour a week to meet consistently with counselors. It is hard to find that time! But then we heard about the Love Made Simple two day workshop that they hold in Mill Valley. It is pretty intense, and it isn't cheap up front. HOWEVER it is worth every penny. If we had been doing traditional counseling, it would have taken us months and much much much more money to get to where we got at the end of two days in this seminar. Gal and Liron touched on many important topics that are sometimes hard to bring up. But we were always supported, and given words and techniques to use, to make it easier. There were so many breakthroughs in the class. My husband and I came out of the experience amazed by how much closer we felt, and how much stronger we felt to move forward. The leaders of the class were warm and funny and easy to follow, and shared many personal stories to underscore the points they were making. They are both psychotherapists and they also had about five therapists on hand, to help move around the room and listen to couples (with their permission) and help out in tough spots. Some were trained in trauma, in case something underlying might surface. It all felt very safe and supportive. I also need to add that my husband and I were worried that it would be a very touchy feely, woo woo, share your feelings kind of thing, and were kind of dreading all of the prolonged eye gazing, mushy talk that we were pretty sure we would have to share in a group setting. It wasn't like that at all. All sharing was done one on one with each other. It was very private. The only time we heard other peoples' stories was when they chose to share them. And those times were very powerful. So if you are worried that it will be some sort of 12 step program meeting...it isn't. Not at all! If you are on the fence about this class, or want to do couples counseling, but just can't find the time - I highly recommend it. Both my husband and I found it immensely helpful. read more

Life changing! -- I've known my husband for 16 years yet I still discovered so much about him during the couples workshop. I wish we discovered this workshop and the tools Gal and Liron provided to us sooner in our relationship. But I am forever grateful for discovering and participating in one recently. -- First of all, my husband isn't the type to ask or want to participate in therapy. So I was so glad they offered the 2 day weekend workshop format. I felt I could pitch the idea to him much easier than couples counseling. I called it "couples retreat" for a weekend! Then, we got there and my husband was still thinking why was he there and going through this. But the format was comfortable, inviting, and allowed for everyone to be vulnerable. He opened up! I was shocked myself. -- To be honest, I was timid in writing a public review because it will reveal we needed help. But I felt I owed it to Gal and Liron and to any couples needing a bit of help to really consider their "couples retreat." It has been amazing! I can't thank Gal and Liron enough for what they are teaching and providing to couples everywhere. -- Gal and Liron's idea of a "couples" school is definitely what all communities, societies, and cultures need. In school and many educational workshops, we are constantly trained on how to do a better job at work or enhance our careers. No where can you find help in building relationships and connections. As they all say it's emotional intelligence that brings you far in life and not IQ. The idea of a couples school or emotional intelligence school is brilliant and much needed. read more

Take this course! My fiancé and I attended the Love Made Simple workshop this past weekend and feel more in love, happier, and closer than we ever have before. Because of COVID, our weekend retreat was moved online. To be honest, we were skeptical a "Zoom" retreat would be as energetic, safe, and helpful. But, as soon as the workshop started, all our fears were calmed. Gal and Liron's love and energy burst off the screen and the online setting felt intimate and comfortable. Gal and Liron are loving and sensitive people; all participants were greeted with such warmth and kindness. They created an environment for couples to share, be vulnerable, and feel free of judgement. For us a huge highlight was being able to "break out" of the large group and speak 1 on 1 with a therapist. Each therapist we worked with was zoned in; they truly wanted to help and, most of all, they gave my fiancé and me the encouragement and tools to "really" say how we were feeling in a safe way. On Sunday night, after the workshop had ended, my fiancé and I were laying together. He quietly said to me "I really liked this weekend." I was touched because he is a stoic man who so rarely accesses his feelings. I said "You did? Why?" And he said "I feel like I know "how" I can be better to you now. I have tools and now I don't feel completely lost on how I can be there for you." It absolutely warmed my heart and I have The Couples Center to thank. If you want a tune up, are struggling, are about to get married, or have been married for many years TAKE THIS COURSE. I couldn't recommend it more highly. read more

This is a review for their AcroYoga couples workshop which is a solid 3.5 in my book Pros: What a cool idea and pretty neat alternative to a date night. We did some trust building exercises, they had snacks and treats there, and the people were super sweet and nice! *Nothing * but * good * vibes * here *! Cons: We only did about 30 mins of Acro in the 2.5 hour workshop. I've taken other acro workshops before and there's usually at least an hour and unfortunately, with the time crunch, we only got to fly 2-3 times each. I know it was their first time doing this so perhaps just better expectations better expectations out the gate as to what the agenda would be. I'd be interested to see if they do this again how they organize and advertise it! read more

My husband and I took the Love Made Simple workshop last weekend, and it was a wonderful, intense, and uplifting experience. Funny how most things we do in life come with training, or at least an instruction manual. My coffee maker came with way more guidance than my marriage! This workshop was a great blend of body-mind exercises and practical tools and techniques to use to improve our relationship. I really enjoyed how the workshop leaders Gal and Liron shared personal examples from their own relationship. There was never any pressure for us to share our own stuff publicly with the group (all exercises are done with your partner). Sharing some quick insights was optional, and great to hear other people struggle with similar issues. I walked away feeling like I have connected with a wonderful new community, and that I have practical tools and techniques that can help me make some small changes that will have a big 'payoff' in my relationship. Thank you Gal and Liron, and all the volunteer therapists who were there to drop in when we could use a little extra help! read more

My husband and I have taken Level I and II couples workshop with Liron and Gal. I must say it may not improved our relationship significantly, but it gave us tools to really see and communicate with one another in a more real way. These tools extend way beyond the couples relationship as it has changed the way I interact with my children and how I experience myself and the world. I was pleasantly surprised by the format of the workshop because it is set up to be an easy follow, with clear content, real examples and question and practices that guide you to go deeper. This is where the real insight and transformation begins. Thank you for guiding us to a more authentic sense of self that has impacted our lives tremendously. read more

Writing this review was important to me, which is why I tried writing it a few times in my head before I just let myself start typing. My partner and I met and started working with Gal nine months ago. I chose to work with Gal as I believed he was similar in background and culture to my partner. I remember walking into the conference room of my office during our initial phone call and trying to communicate that I felt like we needed urgent help. Gal did a great job of explaining to me that change does not happen immediately but that he would be happy to help us through pre-marital counseling. I am writing this review for a number of reasons, most important of which is if we had not met Gal and The Couple's Center, there is a large likelihood that we would not be engaged today. It was a challenging process where I was forced to let in the possibility that therapy would not end in a happy outcome. I always feel that Gal is fair and objective while still understanding how tied up we are in our emotions. Throughout the entire experience (and I say this as someone who is still an active client) Gal was professional, empathetic, articulate and direct with his advice and leading our communication. After seeing us work with a therapist, a number of our friends became curious and started asking questions about couples therapy. What made this especially profound is that these couples were ones that we never imagined would need or want therapy. Thanks to Gal and the time he spent with us I think that we will have a better and stronger relationship. I also feel like we can come to him whenever we need about a small issue or a large problem. I am very thankful we met him. read more

My husband and I attended the Love Made Simple workshop and enjoyed it so very much. We loved the framework, exercises, teachings and individual attention from the therapists in the room. I loved that you can go as deep as you want--couples at all levels of relationship and experience were the room. My husband and I have been together 19 years and have done alot of workshops and personal work and were overjoyed with how much we feel more connected, loving and compassionate with each other. We also learned about dynamics and patterns that no longer serve us and are finding our way out. Thank you for a powerful two days! We highly recommend it! read more

My husband and I recently attended the Art of Listening workshop and we both very much enjoyed it. We have taken workshops with the Couples Center previously and this most recent one did not disappoint. The class was 12-15 people and it was led by Gal and two facilitators that would help with hands on exercises. The content was well thought out and the flow of the class would alternate between Gal's content/discussion to hands on exercises. I left the class with a better awareness of myself and how i hold space for others when I allow them to share. Thanks to Gal and staff for a valuable workshop. We most certainly will attend more in the future! read more

My partner and I attended Gal and Liron's Love Made Simple workshop this about a month ago. We thought we were doing pretty well, so we were curious about how this workshop could help us. I walked in unsure about what would happen and walked out thinking that this kind of work should be required for any marriage (or committed relationship, for that matter). The weekend's various activities were paced so that we had enough time to explore concepts with our partners then share with the large group if we wanted, but we managed to cover a vast number of them in a single weekend. Gal and Liron, as well as other therapists from the Center, facilitated when we needed but also let us talk through issues on our own. I uncovered more about my partner, myself, and our relationship than I thought possible in one weekend. I'd definitely recommend this workshop to anyone looking for premarital or long-term relationship counseling. read more

My wife and I came here for pre-marital counseling and we were very happy with our experience. We were able to book an appointment within a few days of calling. Our counselor was experienced, attentive, and gave us good tips for dealing with stress and preparing for the future. Would highly recommend read more

My wife and I both deeply appreciated the couple workshop Liron and Gal led. We both have really benefitted from what we've learned - not just ways to work with our patterns so they don't constrain us - but also more about why our patterns are here. We can be with each other, even in our arguments or friction with more compassion and more space to hear each other in the context of our love - and the reasons we got together in the first place. Liron and Gal have deep understanding and they present it in a way that you get it. Having been in weekend workshops before, I like that the days were long without being exhausting. In fact, both of us were pretty exhilarated afterwards. I have already been recommending The Couple Center to people I counsel and to friends. Last thing I'll say is this: my wife and I are in a good place and we were BEFORE we took this course. This isn't just for couples struggling in relationship. It's for all couples - before marriage, during wedded bliss, and after years of being together. Your relationship is a garden that thrives when you tend to it. The leaders at The Couples Center are expert gardeners who help you tend your relationship and teach you ways to keep it thriving the way you like. read more

My partner and I went to just a few sessions with Gal and then did the love made simple couples weekend. We've been through A LOT in 3 short years and needed some serious help navigating it all. The work we did with them helped us find a deeper closeness through conflict. We've learned how to have fights that make us closer and we know each other a lot better now. The work they do is both experiential and reflective; fun and creative. It's also very open-minded and individually-oriented; we have our own personal tools now that we have brought home. It's something we will do again and highly recommend to anyone, even if you are really not into going to therapy, because it is so much more than that. This is a crazy world where it's hard to survive as a family or a couple. These people provide the space and support that is lacking in our system that every one so deeply needs. We can't express enough gratitude! read more

After hearing Gal speak we decided to see him privately. We weren't in crisis but both felt we could benefit from learning better communication skills and understanding what the other person meant or felt. What an amazing difference it has made. Couples don't even realize the toxicity of their communication/behavior patterns. Gal gets to the crux of things, he draws what he needs out of you to help you and your partner be stronger and more loving to each other. I can't thank him enough. People often have a stigma attached to therapy or they think it's so expensive. Give up something, a dinner out, your daily $5 latte and invest in your relationship! Divorce/breaking up is really expensive! read more

My fiance and I spoke with Gal and he had so much valuable information that has help our relationship grow even more. Not only does Gal give great advice, but the Couples Center has sooo many resources. We love the articles and blogs available. So helpful for any relationship! I definitely recommend Gal and the Couples Center. read more

I highly recommend the Couples Center, whether for individual or couples counseling or for special workshops to improve, strengthen and renew your relationships. Gal Szekely is thoughtful, practical and takes an open minded and creative approach to working with couples and individuals. I really enjoyed and benefitted from my participation. read more

We attended the intensive weekend workshop right before couples therapy. It was an excellent positive experience that gave us a head start when we met with our therapist. We walked away with some very helpful insight about our patterns, and it was also just plain fun sharing a weekend with so many nice couples! read more

My husband and I went to the workshop LMS in September 2018. It was amazing! It only took a day to have a better and deep communication with my husband. We both learned how to respect each other and listen to each other actively. The whole experience was enjoyable. The workshop location was beautiful and relaxing. You could really tell how much effort they put in order to give couples the best experience and knowledge. The therapist assistants would answer the questions you have during the workshop. It's like having the extra free therapist counselling in the workshop. The exercises were fun too. We've learned a lot from school, but no classes taught us about how to have a good and healthy relationship. I would recommend LMS to all couples and I am signing up for another workshop with them in October 2018. read more

A dear friend recommended The Love Made Simple retreat weekend with Gal and Liron, and I'm so glad we listened to her! We NEEDED this weekend. The weekend covered the fundamentals of healthy relating and created a container to delve deeper and have conversations we normally do not have on our own. We needed this and feel renewed in our connection to our shared values as well as recognizing more clearly the areas we need to tend and grow as a couple. The support and guidance provided by the therapist team was a helpful component in the overall experience. My sweetie and I left with some real nuggets of insight that I can already see the fruits of in our day to day interactions. We definitely feel more connected which was our mutual goal. I highly recommend this experience. read more

I've been seeing Gal for coaching for over a year. I always leave our sessions with a much better understanding of myself. It's made a huge positive difference in my life. read more

My boyfriend and I attended the Love Made Simple workshop this past weekend and are SO GLAD we did! We've been together less than a year so we weren't sure we "needed this" but the opportunity presented itself and we figured that at the least, it would be fun and informative. As it turned out, it was SO MUCH MORE than that! I had a few things I was hoping to "fix" in my partner and with the help of the exercises, discovered that those were issues residing in me that only I could change. So, this "relationship" workshop turned out to be as much about my personal transformation as it was about us as a couple. (Bonus - like getting a two-for-one!) :-) The workshop itself offered a perfect blend of information, written exercises, experiential exercises and sharing. Gal and Liron are wonderful facilitators and offered a beautiful model of how people with different personalities can work well together and even compliment each other. Having the assistants help with the exercises really deepened the work and the Tiburon location was a beautiful backdrop for this all to take place. Whether you've been together one year or 30, I highly recommend you give yourself and your relationship the gift of this workshop and benefit from the wisdom, heart and soul of Gal and Liron. read more

Founder of The Couples Center, Gal Szekely is a teacher and a colleague of mine. He taught me first at the Hakomi Method training (this is a powerful and very effective body-mind psychology method) and he made an excellent immediate impression on me. I then felt so thrilled to find out that he was teaching a couples' therapy class at my school, the California Institute of Integral Studies. I took that course with him and was even more impressed with his teaching style, his excellent therapeutic skills and knowledge, and his practical ways to deepen and train therapists to work with couples. Gal is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to couples' therapy. He was able to incorporate and weave together a wide variety of couples' therapy approaches and models into a one coherent, powerful and extremely effective therapeutic work model. Gal brings the same level of professionalism to The Couples Center. It's not easy to find therapists that are experts in relationship and couples counseling and that makes The Couples Center a really valuable resources for couples. I would highly recommend contacting them if you need some support in your relationship. read more

Working as a Couple's Therapist, finding reliable resource for couples is not easy. Whether it be workshops centering in on intimacy or looking for a premarital counseling , the Couple's Center provides it all. If looking for new tools for communication and intimacy or just needing to work through a difficult issues you will well taken care. read more

As a sex and intimacy coach, I have a good deal of experience providing an environment that feels safe for people to be vulnerable. And as someone who struggles with vulnerability herself, I know how profound it is to connect with a therapist who is capable of creating such a space. In a recent workshop, Gal accompanied me into vulnerability with an ease I never thought possible before. I highly recommend Gal for anyone seeking a therapist to support their personal exploration and growth. read more

In that I'm not yet a part of a couple, I haven't had the reason to have a direct visit with The Couples Center, yet I have had the opportunity to behold the deft skill and emotional intelligence of Gal Szekely in a training he recently facilitated and found him to be an exceptional therapist and healer. By happenstance, I did have a dear friend that was in the throes of a relationship challenge while I was in the training with Gal, and requested his thoughts on my friend's substantive relationship challenge. Gal was generous, insightful and rather helpful in what he offered and his insight once relayed to my friend eventually led to a rich and conciliatory conversation between my friend and his mate. I am very discerning of whom I would suggest those dear to me to consult with regarding relationship challenges and I have not hesitated to recommend Gal and his partner to work with and guide the couples I know or any couple through the challenges that often arise in relationships. Tyger B. Oakland, California read more

My partner and I wanted a venue to find ways to deepen our already strong communication, love and intimacy. So we googled around and found out about the Couple Center's workshop. We went into the Couple Center's workshop not knowing what to expect and were very pleased with the workshop activities that were in place to help illustrate their take-home messages. I think every couple was at the workshop for their own reasons---yet the activities allowed each to obtain the answers and and help that each needed. As a gay couple, we were strongly welcomed and supported by Gal and Liron (the couple that runs the workshop) and the supporting therapists (who provided us some of the insight that made the workshop most worth it). We strongly encourage you to give the workshop and their counseling sessions a try...it will only strengthen your relationship. read more