I am Cristina Trette, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the Owner of Integrative Couples Therapy. I am passionate about helping people create thriving relationships and joyful families. As a couples therapist, I specialize in guiding couples through transformative experiences using Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. Through therapy, intensives, and workshops, I support couples in building lasting change, deepening their connection, and renewing their love. Whether you’re looking to revitalize your relationship, improve communication, or navigate a relationship crisis, I am here to help.

I work with couples to communicate effectively, strengthen their bond, heal emotional wounds, and rekindle intimacy. My approach emphasizes emotional and sexual connection, as these are essential to a fulfilling partnership. Many of the couples I support come to me during critical moments in their relationships—whether they’re facing ongoing communication struggles, long-standing disconnection, or a breach of trust. I specialize in infidelity, betrayal, and working with couples contemplating separation or divorce. I view relationship challenges as opportunities for growth, healing, and transformation.

My style is characterized by warmth and compassion with a focus on the healing power of earned secure attachment and the nervous system. At the same time, I take a directive approach, challenging my clients to take responsibility and action to create the relationship they desire. My work integrates deep emotional processing with practical tools that couples can implement in everyday life.

I hold a Master of Arts in Marital and Family Therapy and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, both from the University of San Diego. My extensive training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy includes the EFT Externship, Core Skills, and advanced courses including infidelity, betrayal, trauma, sex, and violence. I’ve served on the Board of the San Diego Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy for six years and currently serve as the Mentorship Chair for the San Diego Chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization Accelerator.

I have a particular passion for working with executives, entrepreneurs, and business owners, along with their spouses, as I understand the unique pressures that high performers face and how these can impact their relationships. My clients come from diverse backgrounds and relationship structures, including traditional and non-traditional marriages, open relationships, blended families, and other complex dynamics. I approach all relationships with acceptance and respect for their unique forms.

Additionally, I have a deep interest in supporting couples who are parents. I am trained in Emotionally Focused Family Therapy and hold certification in Perinatal Mental Health through Postpartum Support International. I’m also certified in Susie Walton’s Joy of Parenting and am a Registered Course Facilitator for Robyn Gobbel’s Being With: A Course for Parents of Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors. I’ve also completed the Co-Parenting Specialist Certification through Mosten Guthrie.

Before opening my practice, I worked in a variety of settings, including High Tech High Schools, a residential trauma and addiction recovery program, and private practice within The Soul of Yoga. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, yoga, surfing, and spending quality time with my life partner and our children.