Couples Therapy in New York
City Lights Psychology | Flatiron, Manhattan
At City Lights Psychology, couples therapy is designed to help partners understand and shift the patterns that create conflict, emotional distance, or disconnection within a relationship. Using evidence-based relational approaches, therapy focuses on improving communication, rebuilding trust, and creating more secure, intentional ways of relating.
Licensed Psychologists | In-Person & Virtual Sessions | Flatiron, Manhattan
Who We Work With in Couples Therapy
Couples Experiencing Recurring Conflict
Partners who feel stuck in repetitive arguments, unresolved tension, or communication cycles that escalate quickly and leave both individuals feeling misunderstood or emotionally exhausted.
Emotionally Disconnected Couples
Couples who care about each other but feel increasingly distant, disconnected, or emotionally unavailable within the relationship.
High-Functioning & Career-Focused Couples
Professionals and high-achieving couples balancing demanding careers, parenting responsibilities, stress, or burnout that has started affecting emotional connection and communication.
Couples Navigating Trust & Betrayal
Partners working through infidelity, secrecy, emotional withdrawal, or breaches of trust that have impacted emotional safety within the relationship.
Couples Facing Life Transitions
Partners navigating marriage, pregnancy, postpartum changes, fertility challenges, relocation, parenting stress, or major shifts in identity and responsibility.
Non-Traditional & Non-Monogamous Relationships
Couples exploring consensual non-monogamy, relationship restructuring, boundary-setting, or communication challenges within alternative relationship dynamics.
Meet Our Couples Therapists in Flatiron, Manhattan
Our team consists of doctoral-level psychologists experienced in working with relationship dynamics, attachment patterns, communication breakdowns, and emotionally focused couples therapy.
Dr. Stephanie Simon – Clinical Director
Dr. Simon works with couples navigating conflict, emotional disconnection, trust concerns, anxiety within relationships, and major life transitions. Her approach integrates Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFCT), psychodynamic insight, and structured communication work to help couples build stronger emotional connection and stability.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist | Specialized in Couples Therapy, Anxiety & Relationship Dynamics
Dr. Zhaoyi Chen, PsyD, MA also offers couples therapy, bringing a culturally informed perspective particularly supportive for Asian and bicultural couples navigating relationship conflict, intergenerational dynamics, and identity concerns. She provides sessions in both English and Mandarin Chinese.
Dr. Emma Shimony, PsyD, MPH works with couples and individuals navigating relationship distress, life transitions, and anxiety. Her integrative approach draws on EFT, CBT, and Psychodynamic Therapy to support couples in building resilience and stronger emotional connection.
Relationship Patterns & Concerns We Address
We work with couples experiencing a wide range of relational challenges, including:
Communication Breakdowns
Conversations that escalate quickly, become emotionally reactive, or repeatedly end without resolution.
Emotional Distance & Disconnection
Loss of closeness, reduced intimacy, emotional withdrawal, or difficulty feeling connected within the relationship.
Trust & Betrayal Issues
Infidelity, secrecy, dishonesty, or unresolved resentment impacting emotional safety and connection.
Conflict Around Roles & Responsibilities
Stress related to parenting, household responsibilities, finances, work-life balance, or differing expectations within the relationship.
Anxiety & Attachment Patterns in Relationships
Fear of abandonment, emotional dependence, avoidance, reassurance-seeking, or difficulty tolerating vulnerability within relationships.
Life Transitions Affecting the Relationship
Pregnancy, postpartum adjustments, marriage decisions, relocation, caregiving stress, or significant life changes impacting relationship dynamics.
Our Approach to Couples Therapy – Structured, Relational & Insight-Oriented
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT)
EFCT helps couples identify and shift the emotional interaction cycles driving conflict and disconnection. The focus is on improving emotional responsiveness, safety, and attachment within the relationship.
Gottman-Informed Relationship Work
We incorporate practical tools for communication, conflict management, emotional repair, and strengthening friendship and trust within the relationship.
Psychodynamic & Insight-Oriented Therapy
Therapy also explores how past experiences, attachment styles, and emotional histories influence present-day relationship dynamics and conflict patterns.
DBT-Informed Communication & Emotional Regulation Skills
When emotional intensity makes communication difficult, DBT-informed strategies are used to support regulation, distress tolerance, and more productive conversations.
How Couples Therapy Works at City Lights Psychology
Step 1: Free 30-Minute Consultation
We discuss your concerns, relationship dynamics, therapy goals, and whether couples therapy feels like the right fit for your situation.
Step 2: Intake & Relationship Assessment
Early sessions focus on understanding your relationship history, identifying recurring interaction patterns, and clarifying areas of conflict or disconnection.
Step 3: Active Couples Therapy Work
Sessions focus on communication patterns, emotional reactions, conflict cycles, trust concerns, and practicing healthier ways of relating in real time.
Step 4: Integration & Long-Term Change
As therapy progresses, the focus shifts toward reinforcing healthier communication, emotional safety, and sustainable relationship changes outside of sessions.
In-Person & Virtual Couples Therapy Options
In-Person Couples Therapy in Flatiron, Manhattan
In-person sessions provide a structured, private environment for focused relational work and guided communication.
Virtual Couples Therapy Across Multiple States
Secure telehealth sessions available across:
New York | New Jersey | Connecticut | Florida
Virtual sessions are often preferred by busy professionals, parents, long-distance couples, or partners managing demanding schedules.
Insurance & Payment Information
City Lights Psychology is primarily an out-of-network practice.
We provide superbills that can be submitted to your insurance provider for reimbursement. We recommend contacting your insurance company to understand your deductible, reimbursement rate, and out-of-network mental health coverage.
HSA/FSA payments and standard payment methods are also accepted and can be arranged during intake.
Note** – Yes, We accept FSA/HSA and we do provide Superbills.
What We Focus on in Couples Therapy Sessions
- Identifying recurring conflict cycles
- Improving emotional communication and responsiveness
- Understanding attachment and relational patterns
- Rebuilding trust and emotional safety
- Strengthening conflict repair and resolution skills
- Navigating transitions and changing relationship roles
- Creating healthier boundaries and expectations
Common Relationship Patterns We See in Therapy
Across couples, certain patterns tend to repeat over time:
Pursue-Withdraw Cycles
One partner pushes for discussion or reassurance while the other becomes distant, shut down, or avoidant.
Emotional Reactivity During Conflict
Arguments escalate quickly because deeper feelings such as rejection, criticism, or abandonment are being triggered underneath the surface issue.
Difficulty Repairing After Conflict
Conversations may end, but emotional resolution never fully happens, leading to lingering resentment or emotional distance.
Over-Functioning & Under-Functioning Dynamics
One partner consistently takes on responsibility, emotional labor, or problem-solving while the other withdraws or disengages.
These patterns are not personality flaws. They are relational dynamics that can become more flexible and healthier through therapy.
Ready to Start Couples Therapy?
If your relationship feels stuck in recurring conflict, emotional distance, or communication breakdowns, therapy can help you better understand the underlying dynamics and begin shifting them in a more connected, intentional way.
The first step is a consultation, where we assess your goals, relationship concerns, and what approach may be most helpful moving forward.
Questions?
About Couples Therapy at City Lights Psychology
Do both partners need to be equally ready for therapy to work?
Not necessarily. It is common for one partner to feel more motivated initially. Therapy often becomes more productive once both individuals begin feeling heard and understood within the process.
Can couples therapy work if we are not constantly fighting?
Yes. Many couples seek therapy because of emotional distance, communication difficulties, loss of intimacy, or repeated unresolved tension, even without frequent arguments.
Is couples therapy only for married couples?
No. We work with dating couples, long-term partners, engaged couples, married couples, and non-traditional relationship structures.
What if conversations become too emotionally intense during sessions?
Part of therapy involves learning how to stay engaged during difficult conversations without escalating or shutting down. The therapist actively helps guide and regulate these interactions.
Can we do virtual couples therapy if we live in different locations?
In many cases, yes, depending on licensing requirements and location. This can be discussed during the consultation process.
How often do couples typically attend sessions?
Most couples begin with weekly sessions to build consistency and momentum before adjusting frequency based on progress and goals.
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