Couple’s Therapy
Relationships can be deeply meaningful — and also really hard to navigate.
What Brings Couples to Therapy
Whether you're feeling disconnected, stuck in the same arguments, or trying to rebuild after something difficult, couples therapy offers a space to slow down and understand what's really happening beneath the surface. At Tonalli Therapy & Consulting, we provide couples therapy in Orinda and throughout the Bay Area — including Oakland, Berkeley, and all of California via telehealth. We work with all couples, including intercultural, LGBTQ+, and mixed-heritage partnerships navigating the unique dynamics that come with different backgrounds and identities.
Couples come to us for many different reasons.
You may be navigating:
Communication challenges or recurring conflict
Emotional distance or feeling disconnected
Trust issues or rebuilding after rupture
Life transitions impacting the relationship
Cultural, family, or value differences
Sometimes it's one defining moment. Sometimes it's a slow drift that's hard to name. Either way, reaching out is the right first step.
How Couples Therapy Can Help
Couples therapy at Tonalli isn't about deciding who's right — it's about understanding the patterns between you and building new ways of relating that actually work for both partners. Many couples find that the cultural and family dynamics they each bring into the relationship are just as important to explore as the presenting conflict.
Together, we may:
Slow down communication so both people feel heard
Identify recurring cycles and where they come from
Build tools for conflict that don’t escalate
Strengthen emotional connection and safety
Our Approach
At Tonalli, we approach couples therapy with a focus on context, not just behavior. We understand that many couples are navigating not only relationship challenges but also cultural differences, family expectations, immigration stress, or the pressure of holding demanding careers and caregiving responsibilities at the same time. All of that belongs in the room.
We consider:
Cultural and family dynamics
Attachment patterns
Individual histories that shape the relationship
The emotional experience of both partners
This allows the work to feel deeper, more grounded, and actually meaningful.
Our therapist Tet Salva, AMFT, APCC, specializes in couples repair, PTSD, and intergenerational trauma — bringing a relational, trauma-informed lens to couples work
Start Couples Therapy
Taking the step to reach out is often the hardest part. We offer a free 15-minute consultation so both of you can get a sense of the fit before committing to anything. Virtual and in-person sessions available, and we're currently accepting new couples.