Therapy for couples in NYC at every stage of relationship

Relationship therapy is the center of our practice and working with couples is how we spend most of our clinical hours. At Atlas, each of our therapists specializes in relationship work and brings that training and experience to every session. You can trust that your relationship is in thoughtful, expert hands.

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Looking for something deeper than weekly therapy? Our Couples Therapy Intensives offer deep, focused, high-touch support for couples in crisis who need real movement, fast. Couples therapy that achieves the progress of 2–3 months of weekly sessions in just two days.

Explore our intensives

When People Come to Us

Growing Distance

A relationship that runs smoothly on logistics while warmth, intimacy, and real conversation have faded

A Breach of Trust

The aftermath of an affair, emotional infidelity, or another serious betrayal

A Difficult Transition

Strain following a major change, such as a new baby, a move, a career shift, or loss

Uncertainty About the Future

One or both partners quietly questioning whether the relationship should continue

Recurring Conflict

The same argument resurfacing across different topics, escalating quickly and resolving little

What to Expect During Therapy

Couples therapy at Atlas is a structured process with a clear target: the cycle between you — the predictable pattern of attack, defend, pursue, and shut down that harms you both and neither of you can stop alone. No referee and no one gets blamed. From the first session, we're working to understand how your specific cycle operates, what it's protecting each of you from, and how to interrupt it. Here's what that looks like in practice.

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Understanding the Full Picture

The fight about the dishes is almost never about the dishes. Together, we map what's actually happening: the attachment needs underneath the criticism, the fear underneath the silence, and the history — including each partner's family, culture, and past relationships — that taught you both how to handle closeness and conflict. Nobody is the villain in this story; the cycle is. When you can both see the pattern clearly, you stop fighting each other and start fighting it together.

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Our Specialties

 

Asian Couples

Every relationship is shaped by culture, family, and lived experience. We help Asian couples navigate communication, family expectations, intergenerational dynamics, and cultural differences while strengthening connection and understanding.

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Affair & Betrayal Recovery

After betrayal, it can feel impossible to know what comes next. Whether you're rebuilding trust or deciding the future of your relationship, therapy provides a structured, compassionate space to process the hurt and move forward with clarity.

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Premarital Counseling

A strong marriage starts with intentional preparation. Premarital counseling helps couples strengthen communication, navigate differences, and build the skills needed for a healthy, lasting partnership.

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High Conflict Couples

When every conversation seems to end in conflict, it can be difficult to find your way back to one another. We'll help you identify destructive patterns, communicate more effectively, and create healthier ways of navigating disagreements.

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Couples with Attachment Differences

When one partner seeks closeness while the other needs space, relationships can become caught in frustrating cycles. Therapy helps you better understand each other's attachment needs, break unhelpful patterns, and create a more secure, connected relationship.

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A black and white photo of a subway train car with two people sitting apart. On the left, a woman dressed in dark clothing with high-heeled shoes, sitting with legs crossed and listening to earbuds. On the right, a man in dark clothing, sitting with his head slightly bowed, looking down at an object in his hands, possibly a phone. The seating arrangement is separated by the subway doors, and an emergency stop button is visible behind the man.
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Evidence-Based Approaches

Our couples therapists are trained in the two most research-supported methods in the field: the Gottman Method, which builds concrete skills for communication, de-escalation, and repair, and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which heals the attachment wounds and emotional distance driving the conflict. For couples unsure whether to stay together, we also offer discernment counseling — a structured way to reach clarity, not pressure toward a predetermined answer. The blend is tailored to your relationship, whether you're recovering from betrayal, stuck in high conflict, preparing for marriage, or trying to close a distance that's grown quietly over years.

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Active Sessions

Expect to work — with each other, not just talk about each other. Your therapist will slow down real moments as they happen in the room, help you both say what's underneath the frustration, and have you practice new ways of reaching for each other on the spot. Sessions are structured and goal-oriented, with skills to use at home between them.

Client Testimonials

  • Tina, NYC (Psychiatric Provider)

    “Working with Janine has been nothing short of exceptional. She is truly one of a kind; professional, compassionate, and reliable. In every interaction, she brings a presence that makes both clients and colleagues feel supported and understood. What makes her stand out is the way she goes above and beyond for her patients, ensuring they feel supported and genuinely cared for. Her dedication to their well-being is unmatched. She never disappoints; whether it’s her clinical insight, her collaborative approach, or her ability to handle challenging situations with grace and clarity. She brings heart and excellence into everything she does.

    I’ve seen firsthand how her unique combination of expertise and warmth makes a meaningful impact on the clients she works with. She’s a rare gem in the field and any client would be fortunate to work with her.”

  • Chelsea, NYC

    “Janine has been the most spectacular therapist. She’s always provided a safe and open space for me to speak my thoughts.

    I have made leaps and bounds in my progress in my work with her. I would recommend anyone to try therapy with her. She has helped me so much. I’m constantly astounded by how much better my life has gotten since I’ve started working with her.”

  • P & R, NYC

    “Janine was our couples therapist during a very rough period in our marriage. We had seen two couples therapists and didn’t feel like it helped. Our time with Janine brought us back from what felt like a point of no return. We are really grateful to have found her.”

  • Mei & James, CA

    “We love Janine! She was highly recommended to us by a friend who saw her for couple therapy. She really made us feel comfortable.”

  • P, CA

    “I have been in a lot of therapy. Therapy with Janine was different and actually changed my life. She wrote me a treatment plan, she made me worksheets and she always knew when/how much to push me and when I just needed to be held. So glad I found her.”

  • Stephanie, NYC

    “My favorite part of therapy was the visualizations! They were always so relaxing and they showed me how I can get out of my head and into my body.”

  • Anonymous

    “I began working with Dr. Stephanie during a period when anxiety was deeply affecting my daily life, including intense physical symptoms that felt overwhelming at the time. From the very beginning, she created a space that felt safe, steady, and genuinely supportive. Through our work together, she offered practical tools and thoughtful guidance that helped me understand and calm my anxiety, while also gently guiding me through deeper inner-child work that I didn’t realize I needed. I’m incredibly grateful for that chapter. “

  • Anonymous

    “Dr. Chin was great to have as a therapist. She was respectful and I felt comfortable speaking with her about anything I had on my mind. She remained professional in all of our sessions and I would confidently recommend her!”

  • Stacey L

    “Dr. Stephanie Chin helped me through a really hard time when I was chronically dealing with trauma and burnout from work. After a few months of working with her, I have made significant improvements on my cognitive thought processes in regards to my work schedule. Very objective and solution oriented, gives productive feedback and listens at the same time.”

  • Brooke, CA

    “Janine is a thoughtful, warm, and skilled therapist with a unique ability to not only identify deeply rooted patterns within a client and their relationships, but to provide caring and collaborative guidance on the path toward measurable change.

    I recommend Janine and the Atlas Therapy team to any provider looking to add a therapist to their treatment team who is collaborative and insightful, and to any client who is interested in or ready for the meaningful and transformative therapy their team provides.”

Results after therapy

The goal is a relationship where conflict can happen without threatening the connection. What you build together in therapy stays with you long after the last session.

A woman and a man are standing outdoors in a grassy field, facing away from the camera, during sunset or late afternoon.

Peace With Yourself

  • Arguments that resolve instead of repeat. You recognize the cycle starting and interrupt it.

  • De-escalation you can actually use. Tools to stay grounded when things escalate.

  • Repair that works. The ability to come back after a rupture, own your part, and reconnect — instead of days of silence and resentment.

  • The hard things, said out loud. Needs, hurts, and fears expressed directly — without criticism, and without waiting until they pile up and explode.

How You Love

  • Trust that's been rebuilt. Emotional safety restored — including after betrayal — so vulnerability feels possible again.

  • Each other's attachment needs, understood. You know what drives your partner's pursuing or withdrawing, and how to respond to the need instead of reacting to the behavior.

  • Closeness that returns. Warmth, intimacy, and friendship back in a relationship that had faded.

  • A team, again. The sense that you're facing life side by side — with a shared language for navigating whatever comes next.

Meet our Therapists

  • A woman with shoulder-length dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and hoop earrings, smiling slightly, wearing a white button-up shirt, against a plain white background.

    Janine Cheng, LCSW

    Founder + Clinical Director

    Culturally responsive therapy for perfectionists, people-pleasers, stressed couples, and strained families. Structured, and goal-oriented in a warm and supportive setting.

    Full Bio
  • A woman with medium-length dark hair, wearing hoop earrings, a white turtleneck, and a light brown blazer, smiling in front of a plain white wall.

    Dr. Lisa Cordero, PsyD, LMHC, LPC

    Psychotherapist

    Active, goal-oriented therapy for individuals, couples, and families — insight into why you're stuck, and concrete tools to change it.

    Full Bio
  • Portrait of a woman with black hair smiling, wearing a light gray sweater, standing against a plain light-colored background.

    Donna Hahn, LMSW

    Associate Psychotherapist

    Therapy for first-generation adults, perfectionists, and high achievers who are ready to put down the mask, quiet the replaying mind, and hear their own voice again.

    Full Bio

  • Jennifer Aghavian, LMSW

    associate psychotherapist

    Attachment-focused therapy for individuals and couples navigating anxiety, self-doubt, and relationship difficulties. Understand how past experiences, family or cultural expectations shape the way you relate to yourself and others.

    full bio
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Experience personalized therapy at our office in Nomad

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Our office in Manhattan was intentionally designed to create a sense of comfort, privacy, and ease from the moment you walk through the door. Surrounded by refined interiors and a peaceful atmosphere, you'll find a space that encourages reflection, connection, and meaningful change.

All in-person sessions will take place in a warm, inviting space that will help you feel calm and centered for the work. The office is located in Nomad and easily accessible via the 1, 2, 3, N, R, W, B, D, F, M and 6 lines.

Connect With Us

Book a Consult

You can schedule an introductory conversation with our Clinical Director using the calendar below. During this conversation, we’ll learn more about what you’re looking for and help match you with the therapist on our team who best fits your needs.

If you prefer to connect directly with a therapist, explore our team bios and schedule a consultation with the therapist you’re most interested in working with.

E-mail Us

If you’re not quite ready to book a consultation, use the form below to introduce yourself and tell us a little about what you’re looking for.

You’ll hear from our Clinical Director within 24 business hours.

Based on what you share about your concerns, goals, preferences, availability and budget, we’ll recommend one or more therapists whose experience and approach may be a good fit and guide you through the next step.

Rewrite your story today.

You don't have to keep repeating the same patterns. Therapy can help you better understand what's driving them and create a different path forward. Let us help find the right therapist for you.

Request a free consultation