1 (719) 494 7412

Consultation for Gottman Certification Candidates

with Caralee Hammer Frederic

LCSW, Advanced Clinical Gottman Trainer

Ongoing Clinical Consultation with an Advanced Clinical Gottman Trainer

Therapists pursuing the Gottman Certification Track often benefit from sustained, expert consultation as they integrate the model into real clinical work, refine their clinical judgment, and prepare recorded sessions for certification review.

Consultation with Caralee Hammer Frederic, LCSW, is designed as an ongoing professional relationship—supporting therapists over time as they apply the Gottman Method with increasingly complex couples and move steadily through the certification process.

Rather than one-off advice, consultation offers continuity, clinical depth, and thoughtful reflection, helping therapists sharpen their interventions, strengthen therapist presence, and navigate challenging cases with greater confidence and clarity.

Caralee provides consultation for therapists who are:
  • Preparing to enter the Gottman Certification Track
  • Actively working through certification requirements
  • Seeking long-term clinical guidance while integrating the Gottman Method
  • Reviewing recorded sessions for certification submission
  • Working with complex, high-risk couples within the Gottman framework

Consultation with an Advanced Clinical Gottman Trainer

Advanced Clinical Trainer & Supervisor — The Gottman Institute
Founder and director of Principle Skills Relationship Center • Couples Therapy + Couples Marathon Therapist

Caralee is one of only a select group of clinicians qualified to teach Gottman Levels 1-3 and to mentor therapists pursuing full Gottman Certification.

Caralee Frederic

Since 2013, Caralee has consulted with therapists as they progress through the Gottman Certification Track.

She brings deep familiarity with:

  • Certification expectations and milestones
  • Common integration challenges at each stage of training
  • Preparing recorded sessions for formal review
  • Translating Gottman theory into effective in-session interventions
  • Maintaining therapist steadiness in emotionally charged work

Her consultation is grounded in advanced knowledge of the model and shaped by years of active clinical work with couples in significant distress.

Expertise with Complex and High-Risk Couples

Consultation with Caralee is especially valuable for therapists working with couples experiencing high levels of relational distress, including:

  • Betrayal trauma and infidelity
  • Compulsive sexual and substance-abuse behaviors
  • Couples on the brink of separation or divorce
  • High-conflict and emotionally escalated relationships
  • Trauma-related attachment injuries

These cases require careful pacing, emotional safety, and precise intervention choices. Ongoing consultation provides space to slow down, examine clinical dynamics over time, and clarify treatment direction within the Gottman framework.

Purpose of Consultation

Consultation is designed to help therapists:

  • Refine intervention timing and clinical decision-making
  • Strengthen alignment with Gottman Method principles
  • Manage emotional escalation and flooding
  • Create safety during difficult conversations
  • Develop confidence as a Gottman clinician over time

Consultation is educational and consultative in nature. It is not supervision, licensure oversight, or formal evaluation for certification.

The Consultation Process

Recorded Session Review

Consultation often includes review of recorded therapy sessions, particularly for therapists preparing submissions for the Gottman Certification Track.

Video review focuses on:
  • Use of Gottman assessments and interventions
  • Timing, pacing, and therapist positioning
  • Management of affect and escalation
  • Alignment with Sound Relationship House Theory
  • Opportunities for repair and emotional engagement

Feedback is practical, specific, and clinically grounded, supporting growth across multiple sessions and cases.

Ongoing Individual Consultation Sessions

Therapists meet with Caralee for one-on-one consultation sessions that may occur regularly over time.

These sessions provide space to:
  • Discuss clinical observations and evolving questions
  • Clarify treatment direction across sessions
  • Explore alternative interventions
  • Prepare for upcoming certification submissions
  • Strengthen confidence and clinical judgment

Consultation sessions are collaborative and developmental, emphasizing thoughtful refinement rather than evaluation.

A Long-Term Clinical Partnership

Unlike brief or case-limited consultation, this service is well suited for therapists seeking ongoing clinical support throughout the certification process.

Consultation may span months or longer and is appropriate for therapists who:

  • Want continuity with a trusted Gottman consultant
  • Are actively moving through certification requirements
  • Work regularly with complex or high-risk couples
  • Benefit from longitudinal reflection and feedback

Therapists may engage in consultation continuously or pause and return as clinical needs evolve.

Professional Boundaries and Ethical Clarity

Consultation services are consultative and educational. They:

  • Do not constitute supervision
  • Do not replace licensure supervision
  • Do not involve responsibility for client care
  • Do not determine certification outcomes

Certification decisions remain the responsibility of the Gottman Institute.

Who Consultation Is For

Consultation is appropriate for licensed mental health professionals who:

  • Are preparing for or actively on the Gottman Certification Track
  • Are working with complex couples
  • Are preparing recorded sessions for submission
  • Want sustained clinical consultation from an Advanced Clinical Gottman Trainer

Certification decisions remain the responsibility of the Gottman Institute.

Precision and Continuity When It Matters Most

When cases are complex, emotionally charged, or high-stakes, ongoing consultation provides a space for careful thinking, clinical refinement, and steady professional growth.

Professional Reviews

Caralee’s consultation was invaluable as I prepared my recorded sessions for the certification track. Her ability to see both the clinical nuance and the Gottman structure helped me feel confident in my work.

Gottman Certification Candidate, Colorado LCSW

Working with Caralee over time gave me something I didn’t realize I needed—clinical steadiness. Her consultation helped me stay grounded and intentional when sessions felt emotionally intense or high-risk.

Level 3 Gottman Trained, Wyoming LMFT

Caralee has a remarkable way of offering feedback that is both precise and supportive. I always left consultation sessions with clear next steps and a deeper understanding of the Gottman Method in practice

Gottman Certification Candidate, Hawaii LCSW

Consulting with Caralee completely changed how I think in-session. Her feedback helped me slow down, trust the model, and make cleaner intervention choices—especially with highly escalated couples

Certified Gottman Method Therapist, Colorado LMFT

Her video review process was incredibly helpful. Caralee didn’t just tell me what to change—she helped me understand why certain interventions mattered and when to use them.

Level 2 Gottman Trained, Arizona LMFT

Consultation with Caralee felt like having a trusted clinical partner. Over time, I became more confident working with betrayal trauma and couples on the brink, knowing I had expert guidance.

Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT), New York LCSW

Caralee’s consultation helped me bridge the gap between theory and real-world sessions. Her insights were practical and immediately applicable to my work.

Gottman Certification Candidate, Oregon LMFT

Having ongoing consultation with Caralee during my certification process helped me stay aligned with the model while also trusting my clinical instincts. That balance was essential for my growth as a therapist.

Gottman Certification Candidate, Utah LMFT

Frequently Asked Questions: Consultation for Gottman Certification Candidates

Consultation is an ongoing, educational clinical service that supports therapists as they apply the Gottman Method, work with complex cases, and prepare certification materials. It offers expert perspective without supervision or evaluation.
Consultation focuses on clinical cases, recorded sessions, and in-session decision-making, often alongside certification preparation. Mentoring is broader and more developmental, supporting professional identity and long-term growth across multiple areas.
Consultation does not involve licensure oversight, ethical responsibility for client care, or formal evaluation. It does not replace required supervision.
Consultation is typically ongoing and longitudinal, though therapists may engage for shorter periods depending on their needs.

Yes. Video review is a core component of consultation, especially for therapists preparing certification submissions.

No. Consultation does not determine certification outcomes. All certification decisions remain with the Gottman Institute.
Consultation is provided by Caralee Hammer Frederic, LCSW, an Advanced Clinical Gottman Trainer with more than 12 years of experience consulting with therapists on the certification track.
Yes. Consultation is available to therapists regardless of location, provided they are licensed and practicing within their jurisdiction.
To inquire about availability, scheduling, and next steps, please contact us directly.

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