MEET DR. TRISTAN MCBAIN, LPC, LMFT, NCC
COUPLES AND SEX THERAPIST IN GRAND RAPIDS and across Michigan

I’m Tristan. I believe that lasting connection comes from being able to talk openly about what matters most.

You’re here because you’re ready for something better:

A relationship that feels steady, close, and connected. Where conversations don’t pull you apart but actually help you understand each other better. Where you don’t have to carefully filter yourself just to keep things good.

I see you.

Couples drift apart, not because the love isn’t there, but because gaps in communication become so big that they can’t find their way back to each other. Hurt feelings go unrepaired, guards go up, needs go unmet, and small disconnections build. Eventually, resentment creeps in.

A different way of communicating can change that cycle.

In our work together, I take time to understand your relationship, your history, and the patterns shaping how you relate today. Therapy is always tailored to your needs and goals, with my approach giving specific attention to three core areas:

  • Feeling safe with each other helps honesty, vulnerability, and trust grow, especially when conversations get hard.

  • Being able to repair after conflict and feel understood helps a relationship feel steady and connected.

  • A fulfilling intimate connection can deepen closeness, trust, play, and the sense that you truly enjoy being together.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Your goals guide the focus and depth of our work.

My role is to help you understand what’s keeping you stuck, strengthen vulnerable areas of your relationship, and give you a clear path toward lasting change.

WHO I WORK WITH

My clients are ready to stop repeating what doesn’t work and start feeling connected again.

They’re often successful, capable people but can’t seem to gain traction in the problem areas of their relationship. They’re tired of just co-existing throughout the day and want to feel like their partner is truly on their team, even when things are hard.

They are open to looking at their habits and learning new ways to communicate and relate to each other. They don’t expect perfection, but they are willing to show up, engage, and grow together.

My mission is to promote consent, autonomy, communication, and pleasure in healthy and mutually gratifying relationships and advocate for a more sex-informed and sex-positive society.

COUPLES THERAPY
COUPLES THERAPY
SEX THERAPY
SEX THERAPY
ENM + POLY RELATIONSHIPS
ENM + POLY RELATIONSHIPS

MY STYLE

Present

I’ll be with you in the here-and-now for all of your triumphs and challenges. You’re not alone on this journey.

Intentional

If I say it, there’s a reason for it. Everything I bring to the table comes with thought and purpose.

Authentic

My promise to you is I will always show up as my true, imperfect self. No pretending.

McBain Counseling & Relationship Services, PLLC
has something for you if…

YOU ARE:

  • Worn out from talking in circles and not getting anywhere

  • Feeling discouraged that closeness and intimacy are fading

  • Nervous when hard conversations go off track

  • Longing for real enjoyment of your partner, not just living side-by-side

YOU WANT TO:

  • Feel present, heard, and cared for in your relationship

  • Bring back desire, play, and warmth

  • Work through disagreements with trust and security

  • Connect in a way that feels real and lasting

TRAINING AND EXPERTISE

    • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
      State of Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

    • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
      State of Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

    • National Certified Counselor (NCC)
      National Board for Certified Counselors

    • Mastering Telehealth & Anxiety Treatment in the Age of Social Distancing

    • Sexual Health Certificate Program: Sex Therapy & Sexuality Education
      University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

    • Telehealth Certification Training for Mental Health Professionals

    • Gottman Couples Therapy Level 2 Training: Assessment, Intervention, and
      Co-Morbidities, 2017

    • Gottman Couples Therapy Level 1 Training: Bridging the Couple Chasm, 2017

    • PhD, Counselor Education & Supervision
      Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 2019

    • MA, Counselor Education: Marriage, Couple, & Family Counseling
      Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 2014

SCHEDULE FREE CONSULTATION
SCHEDULE FREE CONSULTATION