Michael is a pastor at heart with an evident gift in teaching. He is passionate about marriage and helping couples grow in their marriage. This passion is evident as he engages a room full of couples in looking at their marriage with hope and increased confidence. His giftedness in teaching helps couples learn important truths about marriage in a fun and interesting way.
Dr. Sytsma is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Certified Sex Therapist, and a Certified Professional Counseling Supervisor. He is also an ordained minister with The Wesleyan Church. He received his Ph.D. specializing in marital sexual therapy and fell in love with rigorous research development and analysis. His original research dissertation was “Sexual Desire Discrepancy in Married Couples.”
Dr. Sytsma is the co-founder of Sexual Wholeness and founder and senior therapist at Building Intimate Marriages. He is a professor at several seminaries, including Asbury Seminary, Dallas Theological, Denver Seminary, Reformed Theological, and Richmont Graduate University.
His new book, published by Bethany House and co-authored with best-selling social researcher/author Shaunti Feldhahn, Secrets of Sex & Marriage, 8 Surprises that Make all the Difference, released in February 2023.
He & and his wife Karen live in Atlanta, GA, have been married since 1985 and have two sons and one daughter-in-law.