We help couples strengthen communication, connection and intimacy in Encinitas, California and Online.

Welcome To Integrative Couples Therapy

Cristina Trette, Couples Therapist and Founder

Hello, I’m Cristina Trette, Couples Therapist and Founder of Integrative Couples Therapy. I founded ICT because I saw the need for a therapy practice that truly specializes in couples and relationships, and because I believe that loving relationships are at the heart of a meaningful life.

If you are struggling to communicate, feeling emotionally or sexually distant, facing the aftermath of betrayal, navigating mental health or family dynamics, or questioning the future of your relationship, you are not alone. We are here to support you.

We focus on helping couples and individuals rebuild trust, deepen intimacy, and create fulfilling relationships. Our team is trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, an evidence-based approach for renewing bonds and cultivating lasting change.

We believe that all relationships have the capacity to thrive with the right support. With the guidance of a skilled and compassionate therapist, you can learn to communicate clearly, love deeply, and create the kind of relationship you have always wanted. Welcome.

Our Services

  • Couples Therapy

    Couples therapy offers ongoing support to improve communication, resolve conflict, enhance sexual intimacy, and strengthen connection.

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  • Premarital Therapy

    Premarital therapy prepares couples with skills for healthy communication, trust, and a shared vision for their future.

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  • Individual Therapy

    Individual therapy assists with mental health, relationship growth and wellbeing for those wanting to attend therapy on their own.

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  • Prepare/Enrich

    Prepare and Enrich is a structured, research-based tool that helps couples explore their strengths, differences, and growth areas together.

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Our Focus Areas

  • We help couples move beyond painful cycles of misunderstanding by uncovering the deeper patterns that keep them stuck. You’ll learn to express yourself more clearly, listen more openly, and engage in conversations that bring you closer.

  • We support couples that feel distant or disconnected in finding their way back to each other. Through guided reflection and dialogue, we help you reconnect with the love and emotional connection that brought you together in the first place, and redefine it so it becomes sustainable, deep, and long lasting.

  • We help couples struggling with sexual disconnection or mismatched desire approach intimacy with honesty, curiosity, and care. Together, we create room for healing, comfort, and renewed physical connection.

  • We help couples navigate the pressures of parenting and family life while staying connected as partners. Whether you are in the postpartum period and adjusting to a new baby, raising kids and teens, or launching young adults, we offer support throughout every stage of parenting.

  • Sometimes one or both partners struggle with mental health, ADHD, trauma, substance use, or other challenges. We help partners work as a team, in an effort to support each partner’s wellbeing, and create a safe space to cultivate resilience and mind/body wellness.

  • We help couples facing the pain of betrayal understand what happened, process emotional pain, and engage in healing.

  • Although most of our clients come to our practice with a goal to strengthen their relationship and bolster love and intimacy, we understand that some clients start therapy when one or both partners are considering seperation or divorce. We help couples find clarity and confidence.

Our Therapists

  • A smiling woman with blonde hair, wearing a white blouse and pearl earrings, standing outdoors near a wooden wall.

    Cristina Trette

    Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

    Encinitas & Telehealth

    $300 per 60 minutes

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  • A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and a white sweater with pearl embellishments, standing outdoors against a wooden wall, smiling at the camera.

    Cara McDowell

    Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

    Encinitas & Telehealth

    $250 per 50 minutes

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  • A woman with curly brown hair and earrings, smiling while leaning against a wooden wall outdoors, wearing a light blue embroidered blouse.

    Marissa Massimini

    Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

    Encinitas & Telehealth

    $200 per 50 minutes

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Our Approach

At Integrative Couples Therapy, we specialize exclusively in couples therapy and relationships. All of our therapists are Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists with advanced and ongoing training in relationship therapy.

Our primary approach is Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT). EFCT is an evidence based model that helps couples move out of painful patterns and into deeper emotional connection. In addition, some members of our team are trained in Relational Life Therapy (RLT), which brings a direct and practical approach to working through power dynamics. Some of our therapists also offer Prepare/Enrich, a structured assessment tool that supports premarital and committed couples in exploring key areas of their relationship.

No matter where you are in your relationship, we are here to help you strengthen your connection and create lasting change.

Marissa Massimini, LMFT at Integrative Couples Therapy is now a certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitator! Read below to hear more from Marissa about how this helpful tool supports couples: What is Prepare/Enrich? Prepare/Enrich is a customized couples
I started training in Relational Life Therapy (RLT) today, and I am excited to learn more. Since 2018, I have been immersed in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, an evidence-based approach that helps couples create strong, connected relationships.
Private, fully furnished therapy office available in a peaceful, professional suite in the heart of Encinitas. Ideal for a licensed therapist or psychologist seeking a calm, beautiful space to see clients in person. The office gets great natural ligh
I really appreciate the work of Dr. John Gottman. He shares so many tools for couples that are backed by research and also easy to understand and apply. One simple but powerful practice I often teach my clients is the idea of turning toward your part
Couples preparing for marriage can benefit a lot from premarital couples therapy. It’s a chance to talk through important topics before they become problems—things like values, roles, responsibilities, finances, stress management, and int
Today I say farewell to our beloved Morgan Betterton, LMFT. While I always hope that every therapist who joins my practice will stay long term, I also deeply believe in supporting each clinician as they grow into the career that aligns with their own
Emotional intelligence is essential for cultivating a deeply connected and fulfilling sexual relationship. It involves being aware of our own internal world, attuning to our partner’s experience, and having the capacity to navigate emotions min
Planning a wedding is such an exciting time, but it can also bring up a lot, and some couples can become so focused on their wedding, that they lose sight of their relationship. One resource I love for engaged couples is Prepare/Enrich. This is a s