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A child sees parents as giants and themselves as small. This core issue can present in an adult/couple relationship when one partner feels unheard and unvalued.

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Chelsea's metaphor for the Gottman Method

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Chelsea's metaphor for the Gottman Method

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Metaphor: Creating emotional connection is like following a recipe.

Successful relationships, like recipes, need specific ingredients. Trust, respect, affection and shared dreams are all ingredients to said relationship. Gottman's method provides the recipe.

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Isabella's metaphor for Emotionally-Focused Counseling with Couples 

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Isabella's metaphor for Emotionally-Focused Counseling with Couples 

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The counselor must create a safe space, like a protective blanket fort, where both partners feel safe to be vulnerable rather than hiding behind defensive walls.

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Sariah's metaphor for  the Gottman Method.

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Sariah's metaphor for  the Gottman Method.

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Relationships are like gardens; they need to be nurtured consistently to flourish, and they will wither if neglected.

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The Gottman Method is like restoring a neglected garden. With this method in counseling, you help the couple clear the weeds of resentment, replant seeds of appreciation, learn when to nourish with affection until trust blooms again. This reminded me of a movie called "17 again" where a man rebuilds his ex-wife's backyard garden to win her love back.

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This is an image of a sunflower opening to the sun. In the Gottman Method, each partner learns to be like a sun shining on the other as they listening to them with love and care.

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Here's a couple working on their shared relationship house as described by the Gottmans. Like a house, there are many pieces to work on and maintain. Together the partners can build something that feels fitting for both of them.

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Hope's metaphor for Emotionally Focused Therapy

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Hope's metaphor for Emotionally Focused Therapy

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Upon reading about Emotionally Focused Therapy, I thought of the Mirror of Erised from Harry Potter, which shows wizards their inner desires and allows them to access and express their deepest emotions. Counselors using this approach can help partners to express their deep emotional needs. One of the techniques is a mirroring process in which couples can focus on the here and now in a way that allows the counselor to evaluate their attachment style.

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According to the Gottman's friendship is the number one predictor of the success of a relationship. Because of this their method leans heavily on play to build intimacy.

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Keagan's metaphor for the Gottman method

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Keagan's metaphor for the Gottman method

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In the Gottman method, the couples are asked to turn towards each other. They are asked to know about each other's inner world, dreams, and desires. I imagine this like a series of doors. A person has to choose to enter the right door to get closer and closer to the person's heart.

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The 7 levels of a healthy relationship reminded me of a staircase leading to a successful and happy connection at the top. The higher you go, the stronger the connection. 

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Couples work with their counselor to rebuild the bridge of emotional connection between them. Much of this work is focused on exploring deep emotions with the goal of creating secure attachment.

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Gardening metaphor for Imago Relationship Theory

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Gardening metaphor for Imago Relationship Theory

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Each partner brings seeds—some healthy, some carrying old pain—from childhood experiences. When they plant a shared garden (their relationship), those seeds start to sprout. Some blossoms are beautiful; others are thorny weeds that surprise and frustrate them.

Imago helps couples become aware gardeners, tending the soil carefully, pulling out the weeds of past wounds, and nurturing new growth. Together, they transform their garden into a place where both can truly flourish.

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I chose the image of a bridge being built plank by plank to symbolize the Gottman Method. Each plank represents a key moment of emotional connection or shared understanding that strengthens the relationship foundation. Just like building a bridge, healing and trust happen one intentional step at a time.

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Anthony Ware