The Couples Institute

I have witnessed Dr. Pearson at work and can say without reservation that this a professional who is fully invested in the success of his patients. He is clearly a man who has lived through life’s ups and downs and understands the ebb and flow of relationships as well as the fragile balance between connection and disconnection within the context of a marriage. Dr. Pearson has been known to use humor, role playing, story telling and no frills talk as part of his unconventional yet multi-​dimensional tool kit in order to help you reach your goals. While we live in a culture of quick fixes and snake oil salesman, especially in the arena of self-​transformation, it’s refreshing to find a psychotherapist with over thirty years of experience who refuses to «mail it in» and won’t pretend that there is an «easy button» when it comes to solving marital conflict. If you’re ready to improve your marriage, which also means taking a hard look at yourself in the process, then Dr. Pearson will go to great lengths to help you achieve the change that you are willing to work for. Highly recommended.

I have been associated with the Couples Institute for over a decade, primarily in a professional capacity. As a licenced Marriage and Family Therapist, I have received thorough, innovative and compassionate training from both Ellyn Bader and Pete Pearson, have participated in couples groups with my spouse and assisted in Couples’ Institute workshops. Ellyn and Pete are committed to bringing the highest level of professionalism to their work, striving to insure that couples therapy is accessable, and practiced at the highest levels. They are excellent presenters, as well as clinicians, willing to work with both clients and professionals to help achieve their goals, and thrive in their relationships. I highly recommend the institute !
Cathy B.

Ellyn Bader and Pete Pearson are an incredible team who have put together a wonderful institute that has helped many many couples in the Bay Area (and I’m sure from far away). I’m a therapist myself and have assisted Pete during some of his Couples’ workshops thus learning so much from him as to how to work much better with couples in my own practice. Pete is one of the best presenters I’ve ever seen, getting across some really deep and important aspcts of relationships in a fun and
understandable and respectful way.
I highly recommend them.

If it had not been for Dr. Ellyn Bader, my husband and I would have divorced a long time ago. We had our doubts when we went to see her on the recommendation from another therapist.
Dr. Bader’s gentle manner made me wonder if she was going to be able to handle my husband who, for years, was the one who was in charge, in business and at home.
The fact that he was willing to go back of a second visit was already a success.
Little by little, he became more understanding and I got more confidence.
To this day we don’t know how she did it.
Our way of dealing with the problems we couldn’t handle ourselves, was to wait for our next visit with Dr. Ellyn Bader. Sometimes our disagreements were so difficult that we bet each other to see if she could solve this one. And 100% of the time, when we walked out of her office we had to admit that «she did it again.»
We have been married for 32 years and happily so. We have still lots of laughs and conversation. None of it would have been possible without Dr. Bader. And what fun it is to review the old tapes and see how body language and facial expressions change
I’d call Dr Bader smart, sensitive, understated, getting to the point and, above all, fair.
My husband nor myself believed in therapy but she turned our world around.