I am in the process of becoming an RLT Certified Relational Coach. As of July 2026, I have completed about 80% of the certification requirements, and I expect to complete my certification before the end of 2026. In the meantime, I am open to offering Intensives or sessions at a reduced rate if you are comfortable with your sessions being recorded as part of my learning.
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.
Also, I share or explain several RLT Relationship Resources and Practices here.
Click below to schedule a 60 minute Couple’s Discovery Call with me to see if RLT Couples work might support you and to see if we are a good fit. I am currently offering Couple’s Discovery Calls at no charge.
My favorite way of working with couples is to do a 12-hour 2-day Intensive, either on a weekend or on consecutive weekdays. My current rate for a 2-day Intensive is a sliding scale of $1500 to $2500. For one-, two-, or three-hour sessions, my current session rate for couples is a sliding scale of $150 – $250 per 60-minute hour. At your Discovery Call, in addition to exploring whether we are a good fit, we can explore whether an Intensive or regular shorter sessions is the right place for you to start.