You Don’t Have to Be in Crisis to Come
Many couples come to us in an acute crisis — a discovered affair, a blowup that crossed a line, a feeling that separation is imminent. Others come because something quieter has been building for a long time: less connection, more distance, the same argument on repeat.
Both are valid reasons to start. The earlier you seek support, the more options you have. We also work with couples who are generally happy but want to build stronger skills before problems take hold.
We work with:
- Couples navigating infidelity and affair recovery
- Partners dealing with betrayal trauma
- Dual-career couples managing stress, resentment, or growing apart
- Couples in conflict over parenting, money, or major life decisions
- Partners who have grown distant and want to reconnect
- Newlyweds establishing communication patterns early
- Long-term partners rebuilding after years of disconnection
- Couples considering separation who want to make a clear-eyed decision
We Know This Community
Our three offices serve the heart of Silicon Valley — professionals, founders, parents, and students navigating one of the most demanding environments in the country. We understand what it means to be in a relationship where both partners are under significant career pressure, where schedules are genuinely hard to align, and where asking for help can feel like admitting failure.
It isn’t. Couples therapy is one of the most direct investments you can make in something that affects every other part of your life.
Our Palo Alto office is convenient from downtown and Stanford. Our Menlo Park office is easily accessible from Sand Hill Road and the Meta campus. Our San Jose office serves couples throughout the South Bay. All locations offer free parking and easy access from major highways and Caltrain. Evening and Saturday appointments are available at all three.
Taking the first step toward couples therapy can feel daunting, but it’s one of the most important investments you can make in your relationship. Our care coordinators are available Monday through Friday to answer your questions, learn about your situation, and match you with the couples therapist who is the best fit for you both.
How We Work
We use two of the most thoroughly researched approaches to couples therapy available.
The Gottman Method
Based on decades of research on what actually makes relationships succeed or fail, the Gottman Method helps couples identify the patterns eroding their connection the Gottman Method helps couples identify the patterns eroding their connection — criticism, defensiveness, contempt, stonewalling — and replace them with practical skills. We use it to help partners manage conflict more productively, deepen friendship, and build a relationship that feels secure and meaningful for both people.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
EFT helps couples go beneath the surface of their arguments to understand the deeper emotional needs and attachment patterns driving the conflict. When both partners can identify what they’re actually feeling — and feel safe enough to hear each other — real connection becomes possible again. EFT is particularly effective for couples dealing with distance, cycles of conflict that never fully resolve, and recovering from betrayal.
Flexible In-Person & Telehealth Options
We offer couples therapy at our Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Jose offices, as well as secure video sessions for couples who prefer to meet remotely or have busy schedules. Evening and Saturday appointments are available to make it easier to prioritize your relationship without adding more stress to your week.
Affair Recovery and Betrayal Trauma
Infidelity is one of the most common reasons couples come to us — and one of the most disorienting experiences a relationship can go through. When an affair is discovered, it doesn’t just create conflict. It destabilizes the foundation of what both partners thought was real.
Many people are surprised by how consuming the aftermath feels. Intrusive thoughts, difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance, emotional swings that seem disproportionate — these aren’t signs of weakness. They’re a recognizable response to a specific kind of relational injury, and they have a name: betrayal trauma.
Our therapists don’t push couples toward a particular outcome. Some partners come in certain they want to rebuild — others aren’t sure. Both are valid starting points. What we offer is a structured, evidence-based process that helps both people understand what happened, process the emotional impact, and make clearer decisions about what comes next.
For the injured partner, this means having space to express the full weight of what they’re carrying — without being rushed toward forgiveness or resolution before they’re ready. For the partner who broke trust, it means developing the capacity for sustained accountability, not just remorse.
Using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and the Gottman Method, we help couples move from crisis toward clarity — and for many, toward a relationship that is ultimately more honest and more secure than before.
If you’re considering couples therapy after an affair, you can learn more about what to expect or call us directly at (650) 461-9026.
With convenient office locations in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Jose, we proudly serve the entire Silicon Valley community – from Stanford University and the Peninsula to the South Bay, offering easy access for tech professionals, students, and families.
Common Questions
It helps, but one person being uncertain is common and doesn’t mean therapy won’t work. Many couples start with one partner more hesitant than the other. What matters most is a willingness to show up.
Yes — and research supports this. Many couples who go through infidelity and do the work describe their relationship afterward as more honest and connected than it was before. Outcomes depend on what both people are willing to engage with, not on how serious the betrayal was.
Most couples notice real shifts within a few months. Couples therapy tends to be more focused and goal-directed than individual therapy. We’ll give you a realistic picture at your first appointment based on what you’re dealing with.
Yes. Individual therapy to work through relationship issues — including infidelity and betrayal trauma — is something we do regularly. Sometimes one person doing the work creates enough change that a partner becomes willing to engage over time.
That’s exactly the kind of uncertainty therapy can help with. You don’t need to have decided anything before you start. Many couples come in not knowing whether they want to stay or go, and the clarity they need comes through the process.
Yes. We offer weekday evenings and Saturday appointments at all three locations specifically because we know scheduling is a real barrier for couples with demanding careers.
Ready to Start?
Our care coordinators are available Monday through Friday to answer your questions and match you with the therapist who is the best fit for you both.
Recognizing Good Couples Therapy
Evidence-Based
Specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, we provide effective & caring counseling. Our therapists are passionate in delivering high-quality therapy & enhance their skills through the latest trainings.
Strong Relationships
Our relationship with you is valued & of highest importance. We are compassionate, respectful, & honest. Our professional counseling includes working side by side with you towards YOUR goals.
Short-Term & Focused
Our active therapists use tailored homework exercises to help you find relief in a timely manner. By keeping our meetings on track & targeting specific concerns we help you enjoy life again, usually in a matter of months not years.
Client Convenience
Appointments after 5pm & Saturdays, friendly administrative staff, & three locations: Palo Alto, Menlo Park, & San Jose. We help children, teens & adults, couples, & families. Video therapy available!
What Our Clients Are Saying…
Palo Alto Therapy does not just provide talk therapy, but focuses on teaching skills to maintain therapy. You have a genuine interest in the client’s well-being and you offered a new way of thinking about or means of addressing my issues.
What Our Clients Are Saying…
I liked the emphasis on doing concrete things to get results-writing down negative thoughts, trying to say things to counter those thoughts…Thank you for helping me make my life better.
What Our Clients Are Saying…
I found the homework exercises to be very helpful to me. I’ve been able to use techniques I have learned from those exercises to slow down my thoughts when problems arise and work through whatever the issue may be, OCD or otherwise.
Our team offers couples therapy counseling in San Jose, Menlo Park, Palo Alto and online
Hope Son, AMFT, ASW
Janika Filipe, AMFT, APCC
Sarah Chelew, AMFT
