Marc Zola, M.Ed., LMFT, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with two decades of experience helping couples transform conflict into connection.

Marc Zola, M.Ed., LMFT, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with two decades of experience helping couples transform conflict into connection.

Specializing in attachment-oriented and systems-based therapy, his work centers on fostering emotional safety and resilience in relationships.

Marc is the author of The Intimacy Paradox: Too Close for You – Too Far for Me.

His book reframes the familiar struggle of criticism vs. defensiveness with clarity and compassion, revealing that both partners are driven by the same hidden need—emotional safety.

Drawing on clear, accessible psychology, The Intimacy Paradox: Too Close for You – Too Far for Me helps readers look past the surface “attack-and-retreat” dynamic to see the deeper logic behind each person’s behavior.

What feels like conflict is often two well-intentioned strategies to protect connection. When couples recognize this shared motive, they can shift from blame to collaboration and begin responding to each other with greater empathy.

Marc is an AAMFT Approved Clinical Fellow and holds degrees from the University of Oregon and the University of Pennsylvania. His published work and ongoing specialized relational treatment reflect a lifelong commitment to evidence-based, compassionate care for couples seeking lasting change.

He is the Founder Emeritus of one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest multidisciplinary mental health practices and has taught clinical supervision and family systems theory at the graduate level.