Licensed to practice in 2 states and accepts 21 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Couples Counseling, LGBTQ and 8 more.
* I'm currently taking Individuals only for Mon evenings* I was born in Odessa, Ukraine, and immigrated to the United States at twelve with my family as Jewish refugees escaping antisemitism. This experience shaped my understanding of safety, identity, and belonging. It taught me that love and connection are things we create intentionally, through effort and care – not things we can take for granted. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and my Master’s degree in Social Work from New York University, where I trained in Ego Psychology and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. During my school years, I came out as gay, which shaped my understanding of vulnerability, acceptance, and love. Later in my life, through continued internal work and community connection, I came out again – this time as nonbinary. These experiences inform my work with couples: love deepens when we are allowed to be fully seen. For over 15 years, I have worked within one of the largest healthcare systems in the United States, supporting individuals and couples across diverse identities and lived experiences, including many within the LGBTQIA+ community. That work reinforced what I know to be true about love: it requires communication, boundaries, repair, and the willingness to try again. I completed a 6-month didactic rotation at the largest health care system in the country and UCSF in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples, a research-supported approach focused on strengthening bonds and restoring emotional security. I have also earned a certification in Level 1 and Level 2 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, an evidence-based method that helps couples grow friendship, manage conflict, and build lasting connection. In therapy, I help couples slow down, observe what is happening between them in the present moment, and make different choices.
Starting couples therapy can bring up a mix of emotions; hope, nervousness, uncertainty, and even fear. Many couples worry about being judged, blamed, or forced to relive conflict without support. My goal in the first session is to create a space that feels structured, respectful, and emotionally safe, so both partners feel supported from the very beginning. The first session is not about determining who is “right” or “wrong.” It is about understanding what brings you to therapy, how your relationship has been impacted, and what you hope will be different as a result of this work. Early in the session, I will review confidentiality, my role as a couples therapist, and how I work to support both partners fairly. I do not take sides, and I am not there to referee arguments. Instead, I help slow conversations down, notice patterns, and make space for each partner’s experience. Many couples feel relieved to discover that therapy has structure. If conversations begin to escalate, I will gently intervene to keep things emotionally safe and productive. You don’t have to manage this on your own, that’s part of my job. A significant portion of the first session is spent getting to know you as individuals and as a couple. I’ll ask about how you met, what initially drew you to each other, and what has helped you stay connected over time. Even if things feel difficult now, these questions matter, they help us remember the strengths that exist alongside the challenges. We will also explore what led you to seek therapy at this moment. You’ll each have space to share your perspective on the relationship and what feels most urgent or painful right now. My role is to ensure both voices are heard, especially if one partner tends to dominate or withdraw during difficult conversations. Rather than focusing on isolated incidents, I listen for patterns, repeated cycles of interaction that leave both partners feeling stuck. These patterns often show up as pursue-withdraw dynamics, escalating arguments, emotional shutdown, or long periods of disconnection. In the first session, we may begin naming these patterns together. This can be a powerful shift. When couples start to see the problem as the pattern rather than each other it often reduces defensiveness and opens the door to change. Toward the end of the session, we’ll talk about what you each hope to gain from couples therapy. Goals may include improving communication, rebuilding trust, reconnecting emotionally, navigating difficult conversations. Others leave feeling thoughtful or emotionally stirred. All of these reactions are normal. My intention is that you leave with a clearer understanding of your relationship dynamics, a sense of direction, and the reassurance that change is possible. Couples therapy is not about fixing what’s broken, it’s about learning how to turn toward each other with more clarity, care, and intention.
What sets my work apart as a couples therapist is my ability to help partners slow down and truly understand what is happening beneath the surface of their conflict. I don’t focus on who is right or wrong. Instead, I help couples identify the patterns they are stuck in, how those patterns developed, and how each partner unintentionally keeps them going. This shift - from blame to understanding - is often where meaningful change begins. I bring a balanced approach that blends structure with compassion. Using evidence-based methods such as Emotionally Focused Therapy, Gottman Method and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, I help couples make sense of both their emotional experiences and their thought patterns. This allows partners to understand not only what they are feeling, but why they react the way they do, and how to respond differently. My style is active and engaged, offering clear guidance while honoring each partner’s lived experience. Clients often share that they feel deeply seen and respected in my presence, even when conversations are difficult. I create a space where honesty is encouraged and accountability is held with care, not judgment. I am skilled at helping couples navigate intense emotions, interrupt unproductive cycles in real time, and practice new ways of communicating during sessions, not just talking about them. What makes me effective in this work is my ability to hold complexity. I understand that relationships are shaped by personal history, attachment, stress, culture, and identity. I work with curiosity and warmth, while also challenging couples to move beyond old habits that no longer serve them. My goal is not to “fix” anyone, but to help partners reconnect with themselves and each other in ways that feel authentic, sustainable, and grounded in mutual respect.
I love working with couples and all other forms of romantic relationships. I offer virtual sessions in the evenings. I pair well with high-conflict couples; and utilize Gottman Methods and Emotionally Focused Therapy to improve communication pattern. I also enjoy helping couples who are navigating betrayal due to an affair and guide them through rebuilding trust and strengthening their connection. I have a limited number of slots in my practice through Grow. When one of those slots becomes available I am open to accept new referrals. I have additional slots in my private practice for cash-pay clients. Sliding scale is available. If interested, please message me.
Other specialties
I identify as
Cash - $150 per session
Aetna
Aetna - Allied Benefits
Aetna - ASR Health Benefits
Aetna - Luminare
Aetna - Moda
Aetna - WebTPA
Aetna – HealthEZ
All Savers
AvMed
Golden Rule
Harvard Pilgrim/UnitedHealthcare
Optum
OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions
Oscar
Oxford
Surest (formerly Bind)
United Medical Resources
UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance
UnitedHealthcare Shared Services
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources
UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
I completed a 6-month didactic rotation in EFT for couples, a research-supported approach focused on strengthening bonds and restoring emotional security. I use EFT in my work with couples, non-romantic relationships and at times in my individual work.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
In couples therapy, I use CBT to help partners notice how their thoughts, beliefs, and interpretations shape their reactions to each other. By shifting these patterns, couples can reduce conflict and respond with more clarity and intention.
Gottman method
I have earned a certification in Level 1 and Level 2 Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, an evidence-based method that helps couples grow friendship, manage conflict, and build lasting connection.