Couples Therapy · New York

Couples Therapy in New York City

I help couples in New York — including partners whose lives are lived partly in public — rebuild trust, communication, and connection using the Gottman Method.

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) offering private, in-person couples therapy on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, and online across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) · New York

At a Glance

Couples therapy — scope at a glance

Who it's for

Couples (adults, 18+)

What it helps with

Communication · trust · conflict · connection

How I work

Gottman Method — structured & evidence-based

Where I'm licensed

New York (in person + online)

Format

Private, by referral & inquiry

i. · Who Finds Their Way Here

The couples I work with are often the last people you'd expect to be struggling.

From the outside, the relationship looks enviable. Privately, something has gone quiet, tense, or distant. Much of my New York couples practice is partners who recognize themselves in patterns like these:

• Partners who’ve stopped really talking beneath busy, successful lives
• Couples navigating the strain a public or high-profile life puts on privacy and trust
• Two high-achievers whose careers keep crowding out the relationship
• Partners at a crossroads — considering whether to recommit or move on

ii. · How I Work

The Gottman Method — structure, and honesty.

My couples work is grounded in the Gottman Method, one of the most researched, evidence-based approaches to relationships. It gives our work a clear structure — assessing where things stand, then building communication, trust, and repair. But method is only half of it. Couples stay with me because I’m willing to name what’s really happening in the room, gently and honestly, and hold both partners to the change they say they want.

iii. · Is This For You?

Who this work is for.

This work is for adult couples ready to do something honest together — partners who want to rebuild communication, trust, and real connection, and who are open to reflection and accountability from both sides. Much of my practice is high-profile couples who need genuine discretion while they do the work that matters most privately. If that’s where you are, we’ll likely be a good fit.

If you or your partner are in crisis or unsafe, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), dial 911, or contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. This practice is outpatient and not monitored for emergencies.

iv. · What to Expect

How the Gottman work unfolds.

A clear structure, so you always know where the work is going — and why.

Assessment

We begin with a shared session and a look at each of you individually, to understand the relationship’s history, strengths, and where it’s getting stuck.

The work

Using Gottman tools, we build friendship and communication, learn to manage conflict, and repair the ruptures that have built up — at a pace that fits you.

iii

Shared meaning

We turn toward what you’re building together — trust, intimacy, and a shared sense of where the relationship is going from here.

Your Therapist

Nicole Trister, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) · New York

I’m a New York psychotherapist offering concierge individual and couples therapy for high-functioning, high-profile clients. My couples work is grounded in the Gottman Method, alongside DBT and CBT in my individual practice. As a former competitive gymnast and a lifelong runner, I understand first-hand that having it together doesn’t mean not needing help — and I’m willing to hold up an honest mirror, which is why my clients tend to stay with me for years.

My credentials & focus: LCSW (New York) · Couples & individual therapy · Gottman Method · DBT · CBT · In person at 276 Fifth Avenue, New York, and online across NY, NJ & CT.

Connect

Full bio →

v. · In Their Words

From couples I've worked with.

Anonymized and shared with permission, out of respect for privacy.

We came in barely speaking. The honesty in that room did more for us in months than years of trying on our own.

She never took sides. She just kept showing us what was actually happening between us — and how to change it.

For the first time we had a structure instead of the same fight on a loop. It felt like the relationship had a way forward.

Discreet and direct. We needed someone who understood a very public life without us having to explain it.

We didn't just stop arguing — we actually understand each other now. The work stuck because she held us both to it.

v. · Questions

Couples therapy in New York — FAQ

How do I know if this type of anxiety therapy is right for me?

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How do I know if this type of anxiety therapy is right for me?

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How do I know if this type of anxiety therapy is right for me?

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If you're ready to do the honest work together, let's talk.

Consultations are held privately and by inquiry. There is no waiting room, and no obligation.