Relationship Therapy in New York
Relationship therapy in New York for partners experiencing conflict, disconnection or difficulty communicating
Relationships don't usually break down in one dramatic moment. They erode — through arguments that circle back to the same place, through the slow accumulation of feeling misunderstood, through distance that neither person quite knows how to close.
That's usually what brings people in.
What brings partners to relationship therapy in New York
Sometimes the presenting issue is conflict — the same fight happening over and over, with neither person feeling heard and both feeling more entrenched after each round. Sometimes it's the opposite: a kind of flatness or disconnection, where the arguing has stopped but so has everything else.
For intercultural partners, there's often an additional layer — differences in how conflict is expressed, what family involvement looks like, how intimacy is understood, or what each person was taught a relationship is supposed to be. These differences aren't insurmountable, but they require more than goodwill to navigate.
I also work with partners in non-traditional relationship structures — polyamory, open relationships, kink — where the challenges often involve negotiating agreements, managing jealousy, or building frameworks that don't yet have cultural templates.
Different Needs, Expectations and Backgrounds
Partners often come into relationships with different expectations around communication, intimacy, family roles or independence. These differences can be shaped by personal preferences or cultural background.
In intercultural relationships, these differences may be more pronounced and can be influenced by communication styles, family involvement, gender roles or values. Therapy provides a space to understand these differences more clearly and to find ways of working with them rather than against them.
How I approach relationship therapy
My starting point is usually the pattern, not the presenting argument. Most relationship conflict is repetitive because it's driven by something underneath — attachment needs, cultural scripts, family of origin dynamics — that the surface argument is standing in for. Understanding what's actually happening makes it possible to intervene at the level that matters.
I draw on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Gottman Method, and attachment-based approaches, adapted to the specific cultural and relational context of each person I work with. For intercultural partners in particular, I pay close attention to how cultural background shapes expectations around communication, gender, family, and intimacy — because these are often where the real disconnects live.
What we work on
Identifying the repeating patterns underneath recurring arguments
Building communication skills that actually hold under pressure
Understanding how attachment style and family background shape current relationship dynamics
Navigating cultural differences in expectations around intimacy, family, and gender roles
Rebuilding emotional connection after a period of distance or conflict
Clarifying needs, boundaries, and agreements in non-traditional relationship structures
A note on individual sessions
Relationship therapy doesn't always require both partners in the room. I work with individuals who want to understand their own patterns, prepare for difficult conversations, or navigate a relationship situation on their own terms.
Sessions are available for individuals and partners. I work in English and Turkish.
If intimacy or sexual connection is also part of what's strained, you can read more about sex therapy in New York.
If desire differences are at the center of the tension, I also have a dedicated page on therapy for desire mismatch and sexless relationships in New York.
For partners navigating cultural differences, I also offer intercultural therapy in New York.
I also work with non-traditional relationships in New York, including polyamory, open relationships and kink.
I provide Turkish-speaking therapy as well.
You may also want to review frequently asked questions about therapy.
Sessions are available in English and Turkish. Licensed in New York. Telehealth is available for clients in New York, Vermont, and Florida. 15-minute consult.