How do I know if Lisa Chen & Associates is the right fit for me?

We offer a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation. It's a chance to get to know us, understand our approach, and see if we align with your needs. The purpose of an initial consultation is to determine if you are a good fit for working together. You can expect a 15–20 minute conversation where you will have the opportunity to share your concerns, goals, and what you hope to achieve through therapy. This is also a chance for you to ask questions and get a sense of the therapist's approach and personality.

Our fees range from $180 to $350 per 50-minute session based on the clinician's experience, specialized training, and services provided. Lisa Chen's fees are $350 per 50-minute session for both individual and couples counseling. Licensed Client Session fees are $200 for individual and $225 for couples counseling per 50-minute session. Associate Clinician fees are $180 for individual and $200 for couples counseling per 50-minute session. We also reserve spots for clients requesting a sliding-scale rate to accommodate financial needs.

Do you accept insurance?

Lisa Chen & Associates are out-of-network providers. We provide monthly insurance statements ('Superbills') for you to seek partial reimbursement from your insurance company according to your policy. For questions about your out-of-network benefits, please contact your insurance carrier before scheduling.

What is your cancellation policy?

Weekly clients are allowed 3 free cancellations every 6 months, and bi-weekly clients are allowed 2 free cancellations every 6 months, beginning from the date of your first session. You will be responsible for payment for your normally scheduled session time for all cancelled appointments beyond this. Please provide at least 48 hours' notice for cancellations. You may always choose to reschedule and/or take sessions virtually to accommodate occasional scheduling conflicts.

How often should I expect to meet?

We recommend weekly therapy sessions for optimal progress. However, there are times when clients prefer to meet twice a week for more complex challenges. During your initial phone consultation, let us know if you are interested in more frequent sessions.

Are you offering in-person sessions?

Yes, we are seeing clients in our South Bay office located at 2615 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 326, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. We also offer telehealth sessions for California residents.

How do I get started with counseling?

The first step is to schedule an initial consultation by calling our office or submitting the contact form on our website. This allows us to understand your needs and match you with the best therapist for your situation. From there, we'll work with you to schedule ongoing sessions.

Is Premarital Counseling Worth It If We’re Not Fighting?

Even couples who feel emotionally close can experience attachment activation after marriage. Premarital counseling helps you understand how your nervous systems respond to stress before conflict appears.

Quick Summary

Premarital counseling is not only for couples who are fighting. In fact, the couples who benefit most are often the ones who appear stable and conflict-free. Marriage activates attachment systems under stress, especially during major life transitions, career shifts, family planning, and financial pressure. Premarital counseling helps couples understand how their nervous systems respond to closeness, conflict, and vulnerability before resentment forms. If you’re considering premarital counseling in Hermosa Beach or the South Bay, you can learn more about our approach at www.lisachentherapy.com/premarital-therapy.

Do We Really Need Premarital Counseling If We’re Not Fighting?

Gottman-based premarital counseling explores conflict patterns, emotional bids, and repair strategies—before resentment forms.

It’s one of the most common questions engaged couples ask:

“We’re not fighting. We communicate well. Isn’t premarital counseling unnecessary?”

Here’s the honest answer:

Not fighting is not the same as being prepared.

Many high-functioning couples manage stress well while dating. But marriage changes psychological stakes. It activates attachment systems in ways that casual partnership does not.

When commitment becomes permanent, the nervous system begins asking deeper questions:
Am I safe here long term?
Will I still matter when life gets stressful?
Will I be chosen under pressure?

These questions often surface only after the wedding.

Premarital counseling is not about fixing conflict.
It’s about understanding how your nervous systems bond, react, protect, and repair.

What Changes After Marriage (From an Attachment Perspective)

Attachment theory shows us that long-term commitment intensifies emotional dependency. Research by John Gottman and Julie Schwartz Gottman demonstrates that stress, not compatibility, is what predicts long-term marital strain.

When life applies pressure—career shifts, children, financial decisions, in-law boundaries—each partner’s attachment blueprint becomes more visible.

You may notice:
• One partner pursues when anxious.
• The other withdraws when overwhelmed.
• Sex becomes emotionally loaded.
• Money discussions trigger old scarcity fears.
• Small disagreements feel bigger than they should.

These are not communication problems.
They are nervous system activation patterns.

Premarital counseling helps couples identify these patterns before they solidify into resentment.

Why “We Don’t Fight” Can Sometimes Be a Risk Factor

Some couples avoid conflict because they are emotionally regulated and secure.

Others avoid conflict because:
• One partner fears abandonment.
• One partner fears engulfment.
• Difficult topics are deferred.
• Differences feel destabilizing.

In Gottman’s research, avoiding conflict does not predict stability. The ability to repair does.

Premarital counseling allows couples to explore:
• What happens when one of you feels misunderstood?
• What happens when stress hits both of you at once?
• What topics feel “off limits”?
• How do you each soothe yourselves—and each other?

This is preventative relational architecture.

What Advanced Premarital Counseling Actually Covers

Marriage strengthens emotional bonds, but it also activates deeper attachment needs. Preventative therapy builds emotional safety that lasts beyond the wedding.

At Lisa Chen & Associates Therapy, premarital counseling integrates:

Gottman Method
• Love Maps (emotional intimacy knowledge)
• Conflict style assessment
• Perpetual vs. solvable problems
• Emotional bids
• Shared meaning and future vision

Attachment and Nervous System Work
• Anxious vs. avoidant activation
• Co-regulation skills
• Emotional safety mapping

IFIO-Informed Conversations
• Protector responses during conflict
• How childhood narratives shape present reactions
• How to speak from vulnerability instead of defense

Sexual and Emotional Intimacy
• Desire differences
• Emotional accessibility
• What makes each partner feel chosen

Ambition and Lifestyle Alignment (especially for professionals)
• Career intensity
• Work travel
• Burnout cycles
• Financial meaning and security

This is not surface-level communication training.
It is deeper relational preparation.

The Hidden Cost of Waiting

Many couples wait until:
• A major fight.
• A sexual shutdown.
• A betrayal of trust.
• Parenting stress.
• Burnout.

At that point, nervous systems are already defensive.

Premarital counseling works best when couples are still emotionally open.

Preventative work is easier than repair.

Free Download: Premarital Attachment and Nervous System Check-In

Download the free guide:
Before You Say “I Do”: An Attachment and Nervous System Premarital Reflection

Download Free Premarital Guide

Inside you’ll explore:
• How you respond to stress
• What conflict activates in you
• What makes you feel emotionally chosen
• Sexual safety reflections
• Money and security narratives
• “When I’m dysregulated, I need…”

This tool is designed for engaged couples who want depth—not drama.

Download here: [Insert PDF Link]

Who Benefits Most From Premarital Counseling?

• High-achieving couples balancing ambition
• Couples with different conflict styles
• Partners from different cultural or family backgrounds
• Couples who want to prevent avoidant/anxious cycles
• Couples who value emotional growth

If you are looking for premarital counseling in Hermosa Beach, South Bay, or Los Angeles, our team specializes in high-functioning couples who want long-term relational strength.

Learn more at www.lisachentherapy.com/couples-therapy.

FAQ

Is premarital counseling necessary if we’re happy?

Yes, especially if you want to stay happy. Premarital counseling identifies attachment patterns and stress responses before they create distance. Even stable couples benefit from preventative relational work.

How long does premarital counseling take?

Most couples attend 4–8 sessions, depending on depth. Some choose intensive formats for focused work. You can learn about our couples intensives at www.lisachentherapy.com/intensives.

Is Gottman premarital counseling different from other approaches?

Yes. Gottman-based premarital counseling is research-backed and focuses on friendship, conflict management, emotional bids, and shared meaning. When combined with attachment and IFIO-informed work, it becomes even more precise.

Action Checklist

Before marriage, ask:
• How do I react when I feel insecure?
• What topics do we avoid?
• How do we repair after disconnection?
• What makes my partner feel emotionally safe?
• How will we handle stress together?

If those answers feel unclear, that’s a sign, not a failure.