Couples Therapy NYC, NJ & CT
That Helps You Feel Close Again
You love each other. And maybe you know that underneath the tension and resentment, there is still something worth fighting for. But lately, it feels like every conversation turns into the same argument – or no conversation happens at all.
Couples therapy in NYC can help you and your partner understand what keeps pulling you apart and begin to learn ways to reconnect that feel safe and honest.
Therapy is not about deciding who is right or wrong. It’s not about debating who the “better” partner is. It’s about helping you hear each other differently and create a relationship that feels more alive again.
Hi, I’m Emily
I’m Emily Lambert Robins, LCSW, Certified Advanced Imago Relationship Therapist, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, former attorney, and believer that couples therapy can be both transformative and enjoyable.
My approach might look different from how you’d imagine couples therapy. We are not going to spend the entire session analyzing what each partner has done wrong, and I’m not going to decide who made the better argument.
Instead, I want the two of you talking to each other throughout the session.
I use Imago Relationship Therapy to help couples slow down difficult conversations so that protective patterns, like criticism or defensiveness, can become opportunities to understand the needs of both partners.
I welcome married, engaged, dating, LGBTQIA+, monogamous, polyamorous, and otherwise uniquely human relationships into my practice. I work virtually with individuals and couples throughout New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Maybe You Can Relate
Maybe you keep having the same fight, feel stuck in a cycle of disconnection, or you’ve started to feel like roommates or coworkers because sex has become infrequent or nonexistent.
Conversations might be centered less on feelings and more on tasks. The relationship that once felt fun and loving now feels distant. And maybe you’re not sure how to get back to how you once were.
As a couples therapist in NYC, I help partners move beyond the recurring arguments and patterns to begin understanding what they are actually trying to communicate to each other.
How Couples Therapy Can Help
Couples therapy can help you slow down, learn how to express frustration without attacking, listen without immediately defending, and respond in ways that help you stay connected.
In truth, conflict is inevitable in relationships – and can even be healthy. It’s an opportunity for growth and to see what a partner needs to feel safe, loved, and connected.
The goal of couples counseling in NYC is to build a relationship in which conflict is not seen as a threat, but as a means to meet the other person where they are.
Common Reasons People Start Couples Counseling
Every couple has their unique strengths and challenges, so reasons to seek couples counseling can vary. Having said this, many couples start couples therapy in NYC because they have…
Communication Problems
Communication problems are rarely about needing to choose better words to express ourselves. In couples counseling, we will look at what happens emotionally when you try to communicate and why certain discussions can become so difficult.
Intimacy Issues
Emotional intimacy and sexual intimacy often affect one another. Because I specialize in both couples counseling and sex therapy, we can work with the relationship and sexual concerns together and learn how they influence each other.
Infertility, Blended Families, and Parenting
Relationships can face new challenges while navigating fertility difficulties, parenting disagreements, or blending families. There may be differences in expectations, finances, grief, and future plans that quickly become relationship concerns. Couples therapy can help partners overcome these issues while retaining closeness.
Life Transitions
Relationships often change when life changes. Couples may seek relationship counseling in New York while navigating transitions from marriage to illness to empty nesting. Therapy can offer a place to renegotiate rules and expectations, while focusing on maintaining connection.
Constant Arguments
Sometimes couples can predict exactly how a fight will play out in the moment. One partner brings up a concern. The other becomes defensive. Voices get louder. Old problems enter the chat. Someone storms out. Nothing gets resolved.
Then the cycle repeats a few days later.
Conflict resolution in couples counseling focuses on learning how to disagree without losing access to curiosity and respect.
Rebuilding Trust and Affair Recovery
Infidelity, dishonesty, financial dishonesty, or repeated experiences of emotional abandonment can damage trust. Therapy can give you the space to process what happened, discuss the impact, and explore what repair looks like.
Relationship Anxiety and Codependency
Anxiety can show up in many forms, including reassurance-seeking or repeatedly analyzing the relationship. And some couples might find themselves in patterns where one person overfunctions while the other underfunctions.
Couples therapy in NYC can help you better understand these dynamics and learn ways to set healthier boundaries.
Premarital Couples Counseling
You don’t have to wait until you are married to work with a couples therapist. Premarital counseling can give you space to talk intentionally about money, sex, children, household responsibilities, and long-term goals.
Polyamorous Relationships and Consensual Nonmonogamy
Polyamorous and consensual nonmonogamy can involve many of the same relationship issues as monogamous relationships, but with additional logistical and relational complexities. Couples therapy can help partners maneuver these issues in ways that meet the needs of all involved.
My Approach to Couples Therapy
My approach to couples therapy in NYC is strongly influenced by Imago Relationship Therapy. The main idea behind Imago is that conflict can contain information. It may show us old wounds, unmet needs, expectations, and fears. Through Imago work, couples can learn how to communicate with greater intention and move from blame and reactivity toward understanding and empathy.
Couples Therapy: What to Expect in Your First Session
The first step to getting started is to schedule a no-obligation, complimentary consultation call. This call allows you to ask questions, talk about your goals for therapy, and see if I feel like a good fit as your couples therapist. If I feel like a good fit for your needs, you can book your first session.
In the first session, I aim to understand:
The issues that brought you to therapy
What each of you hopes will change
What is working and not working in the relationship
We will also talk about my therapeutic approach and how best to adapt it to suit your concerns and goals.
Couples Workshops and Retreats
In addition to couples therapy in NYC, I also offer Getting the Love You Want couples workshops. These weekend experiences can provide couples with education about relationship patterns and structured opportunities to practice dialogue and connection. The intense format often means that couples can get to the root of the issue and achieve goals more quickly.
Start Virtual Couples Therapy in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut
I provide virtual couples therapy for those living in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Online therapy tends to work well for couples with children, long commutes, busy schedules, or limited access to specialized relationship therapists nearby. You will simply need privacy and a good internet connection for the session.
If you’re ready to get the connection back in your relationship, you can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with me, and we can take it from there.
Frequently Asked Questions About Couples Therapy
Sometimes, the hardest part about therapy is actually starting it. To help you figure out if couples therapy is the right choice for you, I’ve answered some of the most common questions I get about it.
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Couples therapy can help you and your partner identify patterns that are affecting your relationship and practice different ways of communicating with each other. My approach is both active and collaborative, so a lot of work involves helping you communicate directly with each other during sessions.
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The cost of couples therapy in NYC varies depending on the provider you see. However, marriage counseling in this area usually ranges from $200-$450 per session.
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Sometimes, but coverage can vary based on insurance provider and plan. I work as an out-of-network provider, which means that I do not bill insurance directly; however, I can provide a superbill that you may submit to your insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement.
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This is actually fairly common. One partner may be asking for couples counseling, while the other partner may feel skeptical.
You cannot force someone to meaningfully engage in the therapeutic process. However, you could consider talking to your partner about what you would like therapy to help both of you create.
Let’s Help You Feel Close Again
I provide virtual couples therapy in NYC, New Jersey, and Connecticut for married, dating, engaged, LGBTQIA+, monogamous, polyamorous, and other relationship dynamics.
If your relationship has started to feel more distant, therapy can give you a place to begin finding your way back to each other. If you’re ready to start feeling close again, I’m ready to help.