I am in the process of becoming an RLT Certified Relational Coach. As of May 2026, I have completed about 65% of the certification requirements and I expect to complete my certification before the end of 2026.
Relational Life Therapy (RLT) is a revolutionary approach to couples’ work, developed by Terry Real. The RLT approach to couples’ work sits somewhere between psychotherapy and coaching and incorporates elements of both. RLT is practiced by both therapists and coaches.
Pia Mellody, one of the preeminent authorities in the fields of addiction and relationships, was Terry Real’s teacher and mentor, so this work is very much influenced by her work in codependence, boundaries, and the effects of childhood trauma on emotional development.
Relational Life Therapy is also influenced by feminist theory and holds that patriarchy is incompatible with intimacy and healthy relating.
Here is one key element of RLT that qualifies it as a revolutionary approach to couples’ work. When the relational dynamic calls for it, the RLT facilitator will take sides. RLT believes that remaining in a position of neutrality in the face of a significant power imbalance amounts to tacitly aligning with the party that is exerting power over their partner. However, the facilitator will take sides in a manner that is collaborative and respectful, never condemning the power-wielding partner, but winning their trust by enrolling that partner in understanding the impacts of their behaviors and in seeing how those impacts are not in service of getting the relationship experience that the person wants.
You can learn more about RLT here, either as a potential student in RLT professional courses or as an individual or couple interested in learning more or in taking relationship development trainings.