Sex & Couples Therapy New York,
NJ, and CT
Relationships are supposed to add joy, connection, intimacy, and fun to our lives. But sometimes, they get complicated.
Maybe you love your partner deeply but keep getting stuck in the exact same argument. Perhaps you feel more like roommates than lovers because sex has become infrequent or stressful. Or maybe it has become painful or nearly impossible to talk about.
It could also be the case that you’re single and trying to better understand your own sexuality or relationship patterns before moving forward.
I’m Emily, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in sex and couples therapy in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut for individuals, couples, and polycules who want healthier and more satisfying relationships.
Together, we can learn about patterns, focus on rebuilding connection, and help you create relationships that feel good to live in.
Rediscover the Connection
Most couples come to therapy because they are struggling to feel connected to themselves and their partners.
Maybe one of you pushes for resolution during conflict while the other shuts down. Or perhaps you keep explaining yourselves, but somehow neither of you actually feels heard.
Through couples counseling, I help partners understand the patterns they are caught in and begin to learn new ways to communicate with each other.
Hi, I’m Emily
I’m Emily Lambert Robins, LCSW, couples therapist, AASECT-Certified Sex Therapist, Certified Advanced Imago Relationship Therapist, former attorney, and relationship and sex nerd.
Relationships have fascinated me for as long as I can remember. When I was eight or nine and other kids were reading teen magazines, I was obsessed with Can This Marriage Be Saved? in Ladies’ Home Journal. So becoming a couples therapist felt like it was a long time coming.
I’m warm, collaborative, direct, and curious. In session, there will probably be laughter, and there will definitely be no judgment.
As Featured In:
Areas of Expertise & Offerings
If you’re curious about whether I could be the right fit for you or your relationship, here is some information about my areas of expertise:
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You do not need to wait until your relationship is falling apart to come to couples therapy in New York.
Couples counselors can help if you’re feeling disconnected, fighting frequently, rebuilding after hurt, or simply realizing that the relationship doesn’t feel the way you want it to anymore.
My approach is a little different from the version of couples therapy where you spend an hour telling the therapist what your partner did wrong. Instead, I support you in talking directly to each other. As a certified Imago relationship therapist, I use Imago dialogue and other tools to help slow down conflict and create space for each partner to feel heard.
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For something that plays such a big role in many people’s relationships and lives, most of us received remarkably little education about the role of sex and intimacy in partnerships. So when sex becomes difficult or desire changes, people often assume something is wrong with them.
There isn't.
As an AASECT-certified sex therapist serving New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, I provide sex therapy and intimacy therapy for individuals, couples, and polycules, who want to better understand their sexuality.
My approach includes taking into account your physical health, emotional health, relationship dynamics, beliefs about sex, stress, and current life circumstances. Therapy may include education, exercises, readings, and referrals to other medical professionals when appropriate.
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Sometimes relationship work begins with the relationship you have with yourself.
I offer individual therapy for adults who want to better understand their patterns, relationships, emotions, and experiences that have helped shape them.
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I offer Getting the Love You Want couples workshops for partners who want to dive more deeply into their relationship through learning Imago principles, understanding recurring patterns, and practicing new ways of connecting. This format can provide a powerful chance to set aside everyday distractions and focus on each other.
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There is no one “right way” to build a relationship. I welcome adults across all relationship structures, sexual orientations, gender identities, and stages of life. You do not need to justify or explain your relationship structure before we can start focusing on whether your relationship feels safe and fulfilling.
Clinical Supervision and Therapist Consultation
I offer clinical supervision and therapist consultation for clinicians who want support in building their skills and becoming more confident in their work with relationships and sexuality.
I’m also able to offer sex therapy supervision for those working on becoming AASECT certified sex therapists.
My approach to supervision is warm, direct, curious, and nonjudgmental.
What Actually Happens in Couples and Sex Therapy?
Starting therapy can be intimidating enough, but starting sex therapy can feel downright scary. You might question what will happen and if you will have to share every detail about your sex life during the first session.
The answer is no.
We start the first session by exploring what brings you to therapy, what you’re struggling with, what you’d like to improve, and what has been helpful or unhelpful so far.
My existing couples therapy approach focuses on direct partner-to-partner conversation and uses conflict as an opportunity to build understanding.
But if you choose me as your sex therapist, I will also conduct a more comprehensive assessment so that we can understand the many factors that may be affecting your sexual experience.
In all session types, we may use:
Communication exercises
Referrals to medical providers
Exploration of beliefs about sexuality
And yes, we can laugh.
Sex and relationships are deeply meaningful, but that doesn’t mean that therapy needs to feel robotic.
When Sex Therapy Might Be the Right Call for You
The best question to ask yourself when it comes to sex is: Does my sex life feel good to me?
People seeking sex therapy in New York and New Jersey may do so for many reasons, including:
Differences in sexual desire or sex drive
Pain during intercourse
A desire to explore kink or BDSM
Difficulty reaching orgasm
Difficulty communicating about sex
Shame around sexuality
Feeling disconnected during intimacy
Find Virtual Couples Therapy in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut
My practice is virtual, which allows me to work with individuals and couples throughout New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut from wherever you have privacy and a reliable internet connection.
You bring yourselves. And I’ll bring the relationship nerdiness.
If you’re ready to explore your sexuality as an individual or as part of a couple, you can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with me, and we can take it from there.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sex and Couples Therapy New York
To help you decide if sex and couples therapy in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut is right for you, here are the answers to the questions I frequently receive.
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Sex and couples counseling in NYC and the surrounding areas can give you a judgment-free space to talk about concerns that may be difficult to discuss with others.
We might work together to better understand desire and reduce shame in order to help you develop a more satisfying relationship with pleasure.
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It depends on your insurance plan. I provide a detailed receipt that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.
You can check out my guide to the cost of couples therapy in NYC for more information.
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Sometimes. Just like couples therapy, I can provide a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for potential reimbursement.
My guide on how much a sex therapist costs in NYC can explain what influences pricing and reimbursement.
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Couples therapy is not a magic formula. However, evidence shows it does work for many couples, especially when both partners are willing to participate honestly and get curious about their own contribution to the relationship dynamic.
You can read more about my approach to couples therapy and Imago relationship therapy.
Let’s get that spark back
You don’t need to wait until things feel on the brink of collapse, and you don’t need to have the perfect words before reaching out.
Maybe sex has become something you avoid discussing, your relationship feels stuck, or you just want to feel more connected to your partner. This is more than enough reason to start.
I offer virtual couples therapy in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, along with sex therapy, individual therapy, couples intensives, and relationship support for adults who want something better from their relationships.
But most importantly, I want to help you as an individual and couple to live more intentional, joyful, connected, and satisfying lives.