You Love Each Other.
So Why Has It Gotten So Hard?
Struggling does not mean failing. It means something needs to change.
Maybe you and your partner keep having the same argument and nothing ever resolves. Maybe the distance between you has grown so slowly you almost did not notice until one day you looked up and realized you feel like strangers. Maybe something happened that shook the foundation of everything you thought you knew.
Or maybe nothing dramatic happened at all. You just know that what you have right now is not what you wanted. And you are not ready to give up on it.
I am Janine Piernas, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 15 years of experience helping couples in Temecula, Murrieta, and throughout California find their way back to each other.
I ask the hard questions. I go where the work needs to go. And I genuinely care about every couple who trusts me with something this important.
Why I do this Work
I became a couples therapist because I believe the relationship between two people is one of the most powerful forces in a person's life. And because I know firsthand that even the strongest relationships need tending.
When I help a couple change a harmful pattern I am not just helping two people. I am impacting everyone they will ever love. Their children. Their grandchildren. The emotional legacy they leave behind. That is not a small thing. That is everything. And it is why I show up fully for every couple I work with.
I have been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for over 15 years. I earned my Master's degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University. I am trained in the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy, two of the most extensively researched approaches to couples therapy in the world.
Before specializing in couples therapy I worked in community health, group homes, school based therapy programs, Child Welfare, and juvenile probation. That background gave me a deep understanding of how early experiences shape the way we love, the way we fight, and the way we protect ourselves inside the relationships that matter most.
I have been with my husband since 2005 and married since 2012. I am a mother of three. I know what it looks like when real life buries the relationship you worked so hard to build. And I know what it takes to choose each other anyway.
I bring all of that into the room with me. Not to make the work about me. But because when you sit across from me and tell me what you are going through, I am not just drawing on clinical training. I am drawing on something real.
Ways We Can Work Together
Every couple is different. Every situation is different. Here is how I can support you wherever you are right now.
Couples TherapyWeekly sessions for couples ready to heal, reconnect, and build something stronger. Structured, honest, and always moving toward something specific. Learn More
Couples IntensiveFour hours of deep, focused couples work including individual sessions, skill building, and a personalized roadmap. More progress in one afternoon than months of weekly sessions. Learn More
Couples Intensive Package Everything in the intensive plus one follow up session at 30 days to protect your momentum and keep the work moving forward. Learn More
Affair Recovery IntensiveA concentrated two week program for couples navigating infidelity. Four hour intensive plus two follow up sessions so you are never left alone in the hardest stretch. Learn More
Relationship Reset Retreat A full two day immersive experience at Murrieta Hot Springs combining evidence based couples therapy with genuine restoration. For the couple ready to invest fully in their relationship. Learn More
Individual Therapy For the personal growth work that supports healthier relationships with yourself and everyone you love. Learn More
Not sure which option is right for you? That is exactly what the free consultation is for.
What Couples Are Saying…
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "From our very first session it was clear we had found someone truly special. Janine created a safe space for open communication, listened with empathy, and offered insights that genuinely helped us understand each other better. Our relationship has transformed for the better. Thank you Janine, our marriage whisperer." — G.L., Google Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Janine's approach is remarkably balanced and effective. She has given us actionable lessons that enhance our communication and reshape our thought processes to overcome negative habits. Her approach has reignited the dynamic that originally brought my fiancé and I together. I wholeheartedly recommend her without any hesitation." — C.L., Google Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Janine has added so much value to me and my partner's lives. She has helped us in so many ways and we appreciate her more than she knows." — R.A., Google Review
You Have Already Done the Hardest Part.
Getting here. Admitting that something needs to change. Deciding that your relationship and your life deserve more than they are getting right now.
That took courage. And I do not take it lightly.
The next step is simple. A free 30 minute conversation where we talk about where you are, what you are hoping for, and whether working together makes sense. No pressure. No commitment. Just an honest conversation between two people who both want the same thing for your relationship.