Peter Pearson, Ph.D.

Owner and Co Director

The Couples Institute

Peter Pearson, Ph.D., co-founded The Couples Institute in Menlo Park, California, in 1984 with his wife, Ellyn Bader, Ph.D.  Together they directed The Couples Institute until Pete retired as a licensed psychologist in 2018. In addition to running a private practice from 1984 – 2018, he served as an Associate Consulting Professor at Stanford University, School of Counseling Psychology for 11 years. Dr. Pearson also conducted intensive workshops for couples and is frequently invited to speak at conferences for therapists. He speaks with real life experience, having averaged 24 hours of couples per week for much of his career. His major training belief is that learning couples therapy ought to be practical, stimulating, and engaging, with a good dose of humor. 

Dr. Pearson and his wife, Dr. Bader, have appeared on numerous radio and TV shows including the “Today” show and the “CBS Morning Show.” They have been married to each other since 1984 and have worked together since 1982. They have had multiple opportunities to successfully practice what they preach.