Couples Group Therapy in Bentonville, AR
Our Couples Group is a structured, research-informed program for couples who want to deepen friendship, manage conflict constructively, and build shared meaning. Informed by over 40 years of relationship research published by Drs. John and Julie Gottman. (Not affiliated with The Gottman Institute.)
The Gottman Method is grounded in over four decades of research with more than 3,000 couples at the University of Washington's "Love Lab" (Gottman & Silver, 1999). Studies published in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy demonstrate that Gottman-based interventions significantly improve relationship satisfaction and reduce conflict. Our couples group applies the Sound Relationship House framework in a supportive group setting where couples learn and practice together.
Core Focus Areas
Based on the Gottman Sound Relationship House, our group covers the essential building blocks of a thriving partnership — from friendship to shared dreams.
Love Maps & Friendship
Build a detailed understanding of your partner's inner world — their worries, hopes, dreams, and history. Strong friendships are the foundation of lasting love.
Conflict Management
Learn to identify the "Four Horsemen" (criticism, contempt, defensiveness, stonewalling) and replace them with healthy communication patterns and repair attempts.
Turning Toward & Fondness
Nurture admiration, express appreciation, and respond to your partner's bids for connection. Small moments of turning toward each other build trust over time.
Shared Meaning & Dreams
Create a shared sense of purpose in your relationship. Support each other's life goals, build rituals of connection, and honor the roles and dreams that matter most.
Ready to Schedule Your First Session?
Free 15-minute consultation · Same-week appointments · Most insurance accepted
Why Gottman Couples Group?
The Gottman Method is backed by over 40 years of research and is considered one of the most effective approaches to couples therapy worldwide (Rathgeber et al., 2019, Journal of Marital & Family Therapy).
How the Couples Group Works
A structured, progressive program designed to strengthen your partnership through research-based relationship skills.
Couples Intake & Assessment
Each couple meets with the facilitator for an initial assessment to discuss relationship goals, history, and fit for the group. The Gottman Relationship Checkup may be used to identify strengths and growth areas.
12-Week Group Sessions
Weekly 90-minute sessions with 4–6 couples. Each session introduces a Gottman principle with psychoeducation, guided couple exercises, and group discussion. Take-home practice deepens learning.
Completion & Next Steps
Graduate with a comprehensive relationship toolkit. Couples may continue with individual couples therapy, advanced workshops, or repeat the group to deepen their practice.
Ready to take the next step? Free 15-minute consultation — no commitment required.
Book Free Consultation → Call (479) 259-1390
Small Moments, Big Impact
Gottman research shows that it’s not grand gestures that make relationships last — it’s the small, everyday moments of turning toward each other. Learning to respond to your partner’s bids for connection, express appreciation daily, and repair after conflict transforms not just your relationship, but your entire family system.
What We Cover: The 12-Week Curriculum
Our Bentonville couples group follows a progressive arc built on the Gottman Sound Relationship House. Each 90-minute session pairs short psychoeducation with guided exercises you complete privately as a couple, then optional group discussion. Below is the typical sequence; your facilitator may adjust pacing to fit the cohort.
Weeks 1–2 · Orientation & Love Maps
Group norms, confidentiality agreements, and what to expect. You begin building “Love Maps” — structured questions that help each partner know the other’s inner world: current stressors, hopes, and history. Sets a foundation of curiosity rather than assumption.
Weeks 3–4 · Fondness & Admiration
Rebuilding the culture of appreciation. You practice naming specific things you respect and value in your partner, counter the “negative sentiment override” that creeps into strained relationships, and add small daily rituals of expressed gratitude.
Weeks 5–6 · Turning Toward & Bids for Connection
Recognizing “bids” — the small requests for attention, affection, or support that fill daily life — and learning to turn toward rather than away. We cover how the “emotional bank account” is built one small deposit at a time.
Weeks 7–8 · The Four Horsemen & Their Antidotes
Identifying criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling in your own interactions, then practicing the antidotes: gentle start-up, building a culture of appreciation, taking responsibility, and physiological self-soothing during flooding.
Weeks 9–10 · Conflict, Repair & Compromise
Distinguishing solvable problems from perpetual ones, practicing repair attempts that de-escalate tension, and using a structured dialogue for gridlocked issues. We also cover compromise that honors each partner’s core needs.
Weeks 11–12 · Shared Meaning & Closing
Creating shared goals, rituals of connection, and a sense of purpose as a couple. The final session reviews your relationship toolkit, sets intentions for maintaining gains, and discusses next steps after the group ends.
Because this is an educational, skills-based group, partners practice exercises with each other — you are never asked to disclose private relationship details to the wider group. Couples needing in-depth conflict work may be referred to individual couples therapy in addition to, or instead of, the group.
Is This Group Right for You?
A couples skills group fits many partnerships, but not every situation. Here is how we help couples decide during intake.
This group tends to help couples who…
A different level of care may fit better when…
Every couple completes a brief intake and screening before joining. This conversation lets us confirm the group is a good fit, clarify goals, and — where helpful — coordinate with your primary care provider or a prescriber if medication may be part of an individual partner’s care. We do not prescribe or manage medication; our role is psychotherapy and skills coaching. If either partner is struggling with thoughts of self-harm, overwhelming distress, grief, or crisis at any point, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to your nearest emergency room — the group is not a substitute for emergency or crisis services.
Group Format, Confidentiality & What to Expect
Practical details about how the cohort runs, what it costs, and how we protect your privacy.
Closed Cohort & Schedule
A small, closed cohort of 4–6 couples who begin and finish together over 12 weekly 90-minute sessions. A closed format builds trust and continuity, so new couples do not join mid-series.
In-Person & Telehealth
Meet in person at our downtown Bentonville office (240 S Main St, Suite #270) or join by secure telehealth. For virtual sessions, both partners must be physically located in a state where our clinician is licensed (AZ, AR, FL, VA, or USVI).
Cost & Insurance
Group sessions are typically more affordable than individual couples therapy. We accept many plans and provide a Good Faith Estimate on request. See pricing & what to expect, therapy cost in Arkansas, and your Good Faith Estimate.
Confidentiality & Group Norms
Confidentiality is the foundation of a safe group. In keeping with the NASW Code of Ethics, your facilitator is bound to protect your privacy. At the same time, in any group it is important to understand that the facilitator cannot guarantee what other participants will do. Every cohort agrees to clear ground rules in the first session:
You are always in control of what you choose to share. The skills work happens primarily between you and your partner; the group provides structure, normalization, and encouragement — not public disclosure of your private life.
Related Care at ZipHealthy
Not sure the couples group is the right starting point? These services may help you or your partner.
Strengthen your connection at home...
Couples Communication Toolkit
Printable exercises for active listening, conflict repair, love maps, and daily appreciation rituals. A companion resource to reinforce what you learn in group.
Get the Toolkit — $34.99Instant PDF download · Designed by our licensed clinicians
For educational and personal development purposes. Not a substitute for professional therapy.
Ready to Invest in Your Relationship?
Our next Gottman Couples Group is forming now — spots are limited to 6 couples. Leave your info below and we’ll reach out the moment enrollment opens.
Groups launch as soon as we have a full cohort — the sooner you sign up, the sooner we start.
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Ready to Take the Next Step?
Free 15-minute consultation · Same-week appointments · Most insurance accepted
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Schedule your free 15-minute consultation — no commitment, no pressure.