7 Highly Recommended San Jose Premarital Counselors
Hi, I’m Daniel Moultrie, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, the founder of California Couples Counseling, and a practicing premarital counselor serving the San Jose area. I created this to be a resource for engaged couples who want to invest in premarital counseling but don't know anyone personally who can recommend a therapist. Toward that end, below you will find a list of premarital counselors in the San Jose area (myself included) who I personally endorse.
Preparing for marriage is one of the most significant commitments you'll ever make. In this moment, few decisions are more impactful than choosing a therapist who can help you build the communication skills, emotional tools, and shared understanding you need to create a thriving, resilient partnership that lasts.
Most people would agree that the best way to find a therapist is to get a personal referral from someone they know and trust. If that person has first-hand experience working with the therapist, all the better
But in reality, not everyone who wants premarital counseling in San Jose knows someone who can make such a referral. Consider the list below a personal referral from me. As the founder of this practice, I've had the privilege of building a team of exceptional therapists, and I can personally vouch for each one. If you're preparing for marriage, you will be in extremely capable hands with any of the San Jose premarital therapists listed below.
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Daniel Moultrie, LMFT: Best for professionals, entrepreneurs, and men’s mental health
Carolina Cervantes, LMFT: Best for Latinx, trauma, anxiety, and depression
Christopher Kelm, LMFT: Best for infidelity and affair recovery, and life transitions
Jennie Lopez, LMFT: Best for LGBTQ+, EMDR, and trauma processing
Kierra Gordon-Smith, LMFT: Best for mind-body-spirit approach, self-esteem, and work stress
Leilani Mitchell, LMFT: Best for parenting, family dynamics, and attachment issues
Mandy Greaves, PhD, LMFT: Best for grief and loss, life transitions, and women’s issues
Meet our San Jose premarital therapists
Daniel Moultrie, LMFT
As the founder of California Couples Counseling, I bring over a decade of clinical experience and advanced training in the Gottman Method to help engaged couples build the strongest possible foundation before marriage.
My solution-oriented approach focuses on identifying potential blind spots early, developing effective communication patterns, and creating a shared vision for your future that honors both partners' needs and values.
I'm particularly passionate about helping couples navigate the unique pressures facing modern relationships—from career demands to evolving gender roles—and my focus on men's mental health allows me to create space where both partners feel truly heard and understood.
Credentials: Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #104484
Focus areas: Couples Therapy, Gottman Method, Men's Mental Health, Entrepreneurs, Stress Management
Carolina Cervantes, LMFT
I recommend Carolina to couples who want truly culturally responsive care. What sets her apart from other premarital counselors is her specialized Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with a focus on Latino Psychology from Santa Clara University—a rare credential that brings cultural depth and insight to her work with all couples.
This specialized education makes Carolina uniquely equipped to help couples navigate the complex dynamics that often emerge when partners come from different cultural contexts or are working to honor their heritage while building their own traditions.
I particularly recommend Carolina to couples who want a therapist who understands that preparing for marriage means addressing not just communication skills, but the deeper cultural and family-of-origin patterns that will shape their partnership for decades to come.
Credentials: Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #53716
Focus areas: Couples Therapy, Gottman Method, Anxiety, Trauma, Depression
Christopher Kelm, LMFT
Christopher specializes in infidelity and affair recovery, which makes him an invaluable choice for premarital counseling—even if you've never experienced betrayal in your relationship. His deep expertise in helping couples rebuild trust after infidelity gives him unique insight into the vulnerabilities, communication breakdowns, and unmet needs that leave relationships susceptible to these challenges in the first place.
Christopher can help engaged couples identify and strengthen these potential weak spots before they're ever married, teaching you the prevention strategies and emotional intimacy skills that most couples only learn after years of painful struggle.
His evidence-based approach and commitment to creating a safe, nurturing environment make even difficult conversations about trust, boundaries, and expectations feel manageable. I particularly value Christopher's work with men's issues and life transitions; he understands the pressures that can strain a marriage and helps couples build resilience before those stressors ever become threats to their relationship.
Credentials: Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #110568
Focus areas: Couples Therapy, Infidelity & Affair Recovery, Men’s Issues, Life Transitions, Stress & Anger Management
Jennie Lopez, LMFT
Jennie is an exceptional choice for couples who need complete freedom to explore their hopes, fears, and expectations without any judgment. Her dual training in the Gottman Method and EMDR makes her uniquely qualified to help couples not only build practical relationship skills but also process any past relationship trauma or family-of-origin issues that could impact their marriage.
I particularly recommend Jennie to LGBTQ+ couples and to any couple seeking premarital counseling that honors their authentic selves and core values. She has a gift for helping partners align their relationship vision with what truly matters to them, creating a foundation built on genuine connection rather than societal expectations.
Credentials: Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #151733
Focus areas: Couples Therapy, Gottman Method, EMDR, LGBTQ+ Relationships, Trauma, Family Therapy
Kierra Gordon-Smith, LMFT
I recommend Kierra to couples seeking a holistic, mind-body-spirit approach to preparing for marriage. She goes beyond teaching communication techniques to help couples build deep emotional and spiritual alignment, which creates resilience that lasts long after the wedding day.
What makes Kierra stand out is her expertise in helping couples establish emotional safety and healthy conflict patterns before they become entrenched habits. She's particularly valuable for engaged couples who want to start their marriage on the absolute strongest foundation possible. Her client-centered, relational approach ensures both partners feel genuinely seen and supported throughout the entire process.
Credentials: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #153627
Focus areas: Couples Therapy, Family Conflict, Trauma, Self-Esteem, Infidelity & Betrayal, Work Stress
Leilani Mitchell, LMFT
Leilani brings a rare developmental perspective that I find invaluable for premarital counseling, particularly for couples who are planning to have children or want to discuss parenting before marriage.
Her extensive experience working across the entire lifespan, from infants to adults, gives her unique insight into how relationships evolve through different life stages and how becoming parents will fundamentally transform your partnership. She can help engaged couples have the essential conversations about parenting philosophies, childcare responsibilities, and maintaining your relationship after children arrive—topics that many couples avoid until they're already struggling.
Leilani masterfully integrates attachment theory, CBT, mindfulness, and psychodynamic approaches to address both your immediate concerns and the long-term patterns that will shape your marriage and family. I especially recommend her to couples interested in understanding the unconscious family patterns and expectations they're bringing into their marriage and prospective parenthood.
Credentials: Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #127220
Focus areas: Couples Therapy, Attachment Issues, Parenting, Family Therapy, CBT, Mindfulness
Mandy Greaves, PhD, LMFT
Dr. Greaves brings both clinical expertise and academic rigor to premarital counseling as a licensed therapist with a PhD in Clinical Psychology and as an assistant professor who coordinates a graduate counseling program.
What makes her particularly valuable for engaged couples is her exceptional work with grief and loss. She understands that many couples enter marriage carrying unresolved grief from previous relationships, family losses, miscarriage, or other painful experiences that can deeply impact their partnership if left unaddressed.
Dr. Greaves creates a compassionate space for couples to process these losses together and discuss how they'll support each other through future grief, whether that's losing loved ones, navigating infertility, or facing other life challenges. Her commitment to incorporating the latest research and best practices ensures you're receiving the most effective, evidence-based preparation for marriage available.
Credentials: Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #110569
Focus areas: Couples Therapy, Grief & Loss, Anxiety, Depression, Women’s Issues, Life Transitions, Stress & Overwhelm
FAQs about premarital counseling
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There’s no rigid timeline, but most couples benefit from starting premarital counseling 6-12 months before their wedding date. This gives you enough time to address important topics without the stress of imminent nuptials. However, it's never too early to begin. Even newly engaged couples can benefit from establishing strong communication patterns and shared expectations early in their engagement.
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Research shows that couples who complete premarital counseling report higher marital satisfaction and have significantly lower divorce rates than those who don't. While counseling can’t guarantee a perfect marriage, premarital therapy provides couples with research-backed skills and insights that dramatically increase their chances of building a resilient, fulfilling partnership.
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Most couples attend 6-8 premarital counseling sessions, though this varies based on your specific needs and goals. Some couples complete a concentrated program over several weeks, while others prefer spacing sessions throughout their engagement. Your therapist will work with you to create a timeline that addresses your concerns while fitting your schedule.
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Premarital counseling covers essential topics including communication patterns, conflict resolution, financial management, family expectations, intimacy and sexual expectations, future goals, household responsibilities, and potential challenges like career pressures or parenting decisions. Your therapist will tailor the focus based on your unique relationship dynamics and concerns.
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Absolutely not. Seeking premarital counseling demonstrates maturity, commitment, and wisdom. Just as you wouldn't marry without discussing practical matters like where you'll live, premarital counseling ensures you're emotionally and relationally prepared for the challenges and joys of marriage. The strongest couples are those who proactively build their foundation rather than waiting for problems to arise.
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No, since premarital counseling is considered educational and preventive rather than treatment for a diagnosed condition, it's typically not covered by insurance. You can get more information about our pricing and packages here.