Meet Ellyn and Peter

For more than 20 years, Dr. Ellyn Bader and Dr. Peter Pearson have been helping couples resolve issues and create strong, loving relationships. They can help you and your partner overcome your difficulties and evolve both as lovers and friends. Known worldwide through their pioneering work in couples therapy, they are the founders of The Couples Institute in Menlo Park, California. They are frequently invited to speak at major conferences and to conduct training in the psychological treatment of couples throughout the world. Their book on couples therapy for professionals is used in graduate schools across the country.

In addition to their professional collaboration, they are married to each other, bringing even greater insight into the work they do. They will educate, enlighten and entertain you with the challenges they have faced as a couple, and how they overcame them to build a strong marriage.

Ellyn and Peter are the authors of “Tell Me No Lies.” This book tells you how to face the truth and build a loving marriage. They also wrote "In Quest of the Mythical Mate," a textbook for couples therapists that is now in its 16th printing. This book introduced the Developmental Model of Couples Therapy and won the Clark Vincent Award from the California Association of Marital & Family Therapists for its outstanding contribution to the field of marital therapy.

The Developmental Model of Couples Therapy explains normal and natural stages and struggles that growing couples encounter. The model provides a structure for couples therapy by identifying the developmental task, developmental stalemate, diagnosis and specific treatment interventions for each stage of development.

When "In Quest of the Mythical Mate" was first published in 1988, the theory of couples going through stages with predictable challenges and opportunities for growth was a new one. Since then it has been widely accepted, and the Bader-Pearson Developmental Model continues to grow and incorporate new aspects of couples therapy.

Ellyn and Peter have been featured on over 50 radio shows and on television including “The Today Show” and “CBS Early Morning News.” The Bader-Pearson approach is known for its practical applications that help you and your partner create enduring love.