David Mars, PhD. has developed the TCT method so therapists can help couple members relate to each other from their self-at-best, often beginning in the first session. This method cultivates healthy patterns of love and respect-based awareness to create positive changes in everyday living within the marriage. With Dr. Mars’ unique process, therapists evoke in couples bodily-felt awareness of specifically what they long for. And then couples receive the guidance to grow the necessary capacities to experience growing peace, love-based inspiration and stabile safety to love and be loved in a balanced way in their lives.
In the 1980 and 1990’s he developed an innovative treatment process that utilized highly sensitive computerized biofeedback with couples to reveal their unconscious bodily responses. This created a high capacity to track moment-to-moment psychophysiology and a heightened awareness of how valuable this skills are to effectively treat couples. In addition, as an Authentic Movement group leader and practitioner for over 30 years, he developed and teaches therapists and couples mindful alternatives to negative judgment. He has developed methods to transfer the above-named skills of attunement to therapists in all of the TCT training programs.
David Mars, PhD, MFT has presented workshops, courses, webinars, and online supervision worldwide for over thirty years. He was a Faculty member of the AEDP Institute for eleven of those years and is the developer of AEDP for Couples (AEDPfC). All of his offerings of training, supervision, writing and innovation are now based at the Transformative Couples Therapy® Institute of which he is the director and founder.
David Mars, PhD has developed the TCT method so therapists can help couple members relate to each other from their self-at-best, often beginning in the first session. This method cultivates healthy patterns of love and respect-based awareness to create positive changes in everyday living within the marriage. With Dr. Mars’ unique process, therapists evoke in couples bodily-felt awareness of specifically what they long for. And then couples receive the guidance to grow the necessary capacities to experience growing peace, love-based inspiration and stabile safety to love and be loved in a balanced way in their lives.
In the 1980 and 1990’s he developed an innovative treatment process that utilized highly sensitive computerized biofeedback with couples to reveal their unconscious bodily responses. This created a high capacity to track moment-to-moment psychophysiology and a heightened awareness of how valuable this skills are to effectively treat couples. In addition, as an Authentic Movement group leader and practitioner for over 30 years, he developed and teaches therapists and couples mindful alternatives to negative judgment. He has developed methods to transfer the above-named skills of attunement to therapists in all of the TCT training programs.
David Mars, PhD, MFT has presented workshops, courses, webinars, and online supervision worldwide for over thirty years. He was a Faculty member of the AEDP Institute for eleven of those years and is the developer of AEDP for Couples (AEDPfC). All of his offerings of training, supervision, writing and innovation are now based at the Transformative Couples Therapy® Institute of which he is the director and founder.
Lisa Gardner, LCSW is defined by her curiosity, dedication, and over 20 years of experience as a therapist helping individuals and couples find connection and growth. She approaches therapy as a continuous path of learning, believing that being open and curious allows her to be her best self for her clients, students, and colleagues.
Lisa views wholeness, satisfaction, and authentic connection as a deeply normal human need, and often distressing when that need is unmet. Her approach is rooted in experiential therapies that embody a fundamental stance of kindness toward this normal human struggling. She aims to create a grounded space where clients can feel safe enough to discover their most authentic, spontaneous selves.
Lisa has a passion for working with couples, serving as faculty in the Transformative Couples Therapy® Institute. Lisa began her journey in TCT with the AEDP (Immersion 2013) and AEDP for Couples/TCT in 2016 as a pupil of David Mars and Karen Pando-Mars Essential Skills Course. She continued with TCT Core Training, while deepening her skills with group and individual supervision. From 2017 through the present, she has been an Experiential Assistant at numerous trainings, teaching and supporting other therapists learning the TCT and AEDP models. Since 2022, Lisa has co-helmed the TCT Research Project as a clinical researcher and investigator. In 2025 Lisa joined David Mars as Faculty of the TCT Institute.
Described by colleagues as curious, open-minded, and devoted, Lisa also supports the therapeutic community by supervising, teaching and mentoring clinicians helping them grow in their own learning process. She holds an MSW from Fordham University (2002) and a BS from Georgetown University (1980).
Abraham Lim, MFT is a Certified TCT Trainer, Supervisor, and Therapist, a Certified EFT Therapist and Supervisor Candidate, a Certified AEDP Therapist and Supervisor Candidate, and a Christian Spiritual Director. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in pastoral ministry and clinical practice, he integrates professional expertise with deep empathy to support individuals, couples, and families through his private practice.
He holds a Master of Divinity from Singapore Bible College and a Master of Social Work in Family Practice from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Deeply committed to promoting holistic growth and emotional well-being, Abraham brings both intellectual rigour and heartfelt presence to his work. In addition to his clinical practice, he serves as a supervisor for Bachelor’s Counseling students and teaches at several seminaries in Hong Kong, where he imparts his knowledge and experience to emerging counselors.
Jazmin Moral, LCSWC is a licensed clinical social worker. She has 25 years of clinical experience, including in non-profit mental health agencies. She has been an Experiential Assistant for TCTJazmin Moral is a licensed clinical social worker. She has 25 years of clinical experience, including in non-profit mental health agencies. She has been an Experiential Assistant for TCT since 2018. Jazmin emigrated from Peru. In her practice, she also provides immigration evaluations for asylum seekers who have experienced trauma and persecution in their countries of origin. since 2018. Jazmin emigrated from Peru. In her practice, she also provides immigration evaluations for asylum seekers who have experienced trauma and persecution in their countries of origin. Jazmin Moral is a licensed clinical social worker. She has 25 years of clinical experience, including in non-profit mental health agencies. She has been an Experiential Assistant for TCT since 2018. Jazmin emigrated from Peru. In her practice, she also provides immigration evaluations for asylum seekers who have experienced trauma and persecution in their countries of origin.
Mimi Steele, LPC helps partners understand the normal ups and downs of attunement and misattunement, learn and practice mindfulness and emotional regulation, how to heal ruptures and build deeper emotional and physical intimacy and trust. She have experience assisting partners repair their relationship after a breach of trust. If reconciliation is not possible, she helps couples through the separation or divorce process.
Mimi helps individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, relationship issues and loss. Focusing on strengths and resiliency, she teaches clients coping techniques, emotional regulation and conflict management skills to meet personal and professional goals. Clients learn to create healthier, more fulfilling relationships.
She helps parents set nurturing and effective boundaries and cope with stresses and challenges, and she works with couples, single parents and partners in blended families to help them create more peaceful and loving families.
Mimi Steele, LPC helps partners understand the normal ups and downs of attunement and misattunement, learn and practice mindfulness and emotional regulation, how to heal ruptures and build deeper emotional and physical intimacy and trust. She have experience assisting partners repair their relationship after a breach of trust. If reconciliation is not possible, she helps couples through the separation or divorce process.
Mimi helps individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, relationship issues and loss. Focusing on strengths and resiliency, she teaches clients coping techniques, emotional regulation and conflict management skills to meet personal and professional goals. Clients learn to create healthier, more fulfilling relationships.
She helps parents set nurturing and effective boundaries and cope with stresses and challenges, and she works with couples, single parents and partners in blended families to help them create more peaceful and loving families.