Safe Haven Counseling
Sharon May, Ph.D., grew up in South Africa and came to the United States in 1972. After attending UCLA and receiving her degree in psychology, she spent many years as a wife and mother, writing Bible study curricula, and serving as a Women’s Ministry Director, Bible study leader, and speaker at women’s retreats. In 1995, her husband was killed in a car accident, and six months later she returned to graduate school to complete her Master’s degree in Christian Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary, and later completed her Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Fuller Graduate School of Psychology. Since then, Dr. May has specialized in one of the most highly effective couples’ and family therapy models, Emotionally Focused Therapy. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California and Director of the Haven of Safety Relationship Center. Dr. May is known as a relationship expert, helping many couples journey from the edge of divorce to a close, connected, safe haven marriage. She has a heart for working with couples, leaders, pastors, missionaries, training counselors, and helping people foster close and secure relationships with their Creator and loved ones. Wherever there are relationships (dating, marriage, family, workplace, churches, mission field, etc.), Dr. May aims to help foster understanding, healing, and wholeness. She is well-known for her highly-effective “Safe Haven Marriage Intensives,” where couples come from all over the world for a two to three day marriage-changing process. With follow-up sessions, this model has proven to be a very effective way for bringing about lasting change in couples. Her first book, written with her father, Dr. Archibald Hart, is titled, Safe Haven Marriage: Building a Relationship You Want to Come Home To, and her newest book is titled, How to Argue So Your Spouse Will Listen: 6 Principles for Turning Arguments into Conversations. She is an effective and captivating speaker who is humorous, motivating, and informative. Dr. May integrates cutting-edge research regarding relationships, psychology, and counseling with the spiritual aspect of life. She is married to Michael May and, together, they have four, grown sons.