Couples Therapy in San Francisco & online across California.
A neutral space for two people trying to figure something out together. We see couples in crisis, couples who are mostly okay and want to be better, and couples who aren't sure whether to stay.
Is This Where Your Relationship Is Right Now?
Maybe you're having the same fight on repeat, just with different words. Maybe you've started to feel more like roommates than partners. Maybe trust has taken a hit and you don't know how to rebuild it, or you're both exhausted and not sure the relationship can hold much more. Wherever you are, you don't have to already know the outcome to start.
What We Help With
Communication patterns and getting unstuck from the same argument
Trust and infidelity — emotional or physical affairs, broken agreements
Emotional connection and feeling distant from each other
Intimacy and mismatched desire
Cultural and family-of-origin conflict, including in-law dynamics
Major life transitions — moving in together, marriage, parenthood, relocation
Financial stress and money conflict
Considering separation, or separating and co-parenting well
We work with LGBTQIA+ couples, interracial and intercultural couples, South Asian couples, and long-term partners. If what you're working through is really your own, individual patterns rather than the relationship itself, our individual therapy may be the better starting point — you can always add couples sessions later.
How We Approach Couples Therapy
Most couples therapy stays at the level of communication scripts — better lines for the next hard conversation. Those help, but they don't explain why the same fight keeps coming back. We look at the pattern underneath, not just the latest disagreement.
The Gottman Method
Research-based tools for managing conflict, building friendship, and creating shared meaning as a couple — practical, structured, and effective at improving day-to-day communication and affection.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
EFT looks at the emotional cycle underneath your conflict. The bid for connection that gets missed, the fear that shows up as anger or withdrawal. Naming the cycle is often what stops it from running you.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Couples
CBT adapted for two people: identifying the thought patterns that escalate conflict and building more accurate, less reactive ones in their place.
How Couples Therapy Sessions Are Structured
Session 1: Assessment
We talk about your relationship history, how you met, and what connected you to each other. Then we look at the concerns coming up for you and your goals for couples therapy.
Session 3: Understanding Your Conflict Cycle
We choose a topic that brings up conflict in your relationship. I will ask both of you to discuss it while I observe your communication cycle. Based on this, I will share my understanding of the areas we can work on together.
Session 2: Your Individual Backgrounds
We get to know each of your backgrounds, including family, childhood, and cultural history. We process any trauma and identify patterns from your past that may be showing up in your relationship.
Session 4 and Beyond: Ongoing Work
We discuss issues that came up during the week, or past issues that are resurfacing. I will offer insights and skills as we go, with a focus on building a deeper understanding of yourselves and each other.
A Reminder
We are not here to change one partner. We are here to identify and disrupt the cycle, so you can talk about what matters to you and truly listen to each other.
Other Approaches We Draw From
Along with the Gottman Method, our couples work is also informed by:
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): Helps you understand the deeper feelings and needs under your conflicts, so you can turn toward each other instead of away.
Relational Life Therapy (RLT): Developed by Terry Real, this practical approach helps each partner take responsibility for their part, notice old patterns, and speak up and listen with respect.
Differentiation: Learning to stay connected to your partner while staying true to yourself, so you can hold your own thoughts and needs without shutting down or losing yourself.
Meet the Team
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Manali Deolalkar
Licensed Therapist
Individual Therapy - 250$/session
Couples Therapy - 290$/session
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Melanie Lei
Licensed Therapist
Individual Therapy - 200$/session
Couples Therapy - 250$/session
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Meghna Das
Licensed Therapist
Individual Therapy - 150$/session
Couples Therapy - 175$/session
What Sets Us Apart
Culturally Sensitive Therapy
South Asian Therapy
Immigrant Therapy
Inclusive Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions
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Emotionally Focused Therapy and the Gottman Method are strong starting points for most couples — we tailor the mix based on what's actually going on for you.
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No. Our job is to help both people get heard and understand the pattern between you, not to decide who's right.
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Most couples start weekly for the first few months, then move to every other week as things settle. We check in on progress and adjust together.
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Yes — online anywhere in California, plus in-person sessions in San Francisco.
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We're out-of-network. Most clients pay directly and use a superbill for reimbursement — ask us about this during your consultation.
You Belong Here 🌟
Whether you’re the first in your family to seek therapy, or you’ve been on this journey for a while, we’re here to walk alongside you. Think of us as a mix of thought partners, compassionate guides, and cheerleaders—here to help you rewrite the story you want to live. Your culture, your struggles, and your dreams all matter—and we’re honored to hold space for them.