Couples Therapy in Tokyo & Online
Stress between partners can feel relentless—the same argument with new details, the distance afterward, the quiet ache of not being understood. With the right map, friction softens into dialogue, and dialogue becomes understanding. Whether you are healing after a breach of trust, blending cultures, or simply wanting to feel close again, the work here is tailored to your story—not a template.
What couples therapy is here
A calm, structured space to see what keeps you apart and to practice what brings you back. We combine two complementary pillars so change is both practical and heartfelt.
Gottman Method
Clear, research-grounded tools for friendship, conflict, and shared meaning. You will learn softer start-ups, repair attempts that land, ways to reduce criticism and defensiveness, and daily rituals that protect connection.
Emotion-Focused, attachment-based work
A gentler lens that turns raw blame into reachable need. Instead of “Who is right?” we ask “What is the protest underneath?” Partners learn to signal safely and respond reliably, restoring trust in the bond.
Together, these approaches provide both the how (skills) and the why (attachment), so new patterns are not just practiced—they are felt and kept.
Who this helps
• Entrenched conflict or emotional distance
• Intimacy loss, mismatched desire, or sex that feels pressured rather than chosen
• Breaches of trust: affairs, secrecy, financial betrayal, broken agreements
• Intercultural, interfaith, or lifestyle collisions and long-distance arrangements
• Life transitions: new baby, illness, relocation, career shifts, stepfamilies
• Premarital preparation and post-divorce co-parenting
How the process works
Comprehensive relationship portrait
You’ll complete confidential questionnaires, then meet together for a 90-minute consultation. We map strengths, pain points, and the cycles that repeat. Some couples add brief individual conversations to speak freely before we return to joint work.
Precision roadmap
We set session cadence, in-session exercises, and at-home practices that fit your goals and schedules. The steps are visible and doable, week by week.
Live skill-building
In session, you will rehearse softer openings, regulate intensity, and use time-outs that actually repair rather than avoid. We co-create intimacy rituals—small, repeatable moments that make safety and warmth a habit.
Milestones and review
Every six to eight sessions, we pause to measure progress—less escalation, faster repair, more friendship, steadier intimacy—and refine the plan. The arc stays humane, precise, and oriented to your real life.
Specialized tracks when needed
Trust repair
A clear sequence: stabilization and full honesty, meaning-making and accountability, then rebuilding intimacy with new agreements and daily proof points. The aim is not to erase the past, but to build a future that cannot repeat it.
Intercultural and bilingual couples
We translate values, not only words. We explore roles, time, money, family, and affection styles so difference becomes a source of richness rather than a fault line.
Intimacy and desire
We separate pressure from preference and rebuild erotic safety: low-stakes connection, responsive desire, and choice rather than obligation. The goal is intimacy that feels chosen, not negotiated under strain.
Co-parenting and stepfamilies
Clear handoffs, aligned boundaries, and kinder conflict around kids. We design scripts for tense moments and shared rituals that steady the family system.
What a session feels like
Steady, kind, and practical. Expect clear structure, honest questions, and enough space to breathe. There is room for feeling and room for skill—both are needed. You will leave each session with words to try, small rituals to repeat, and a shared understanding of why they matter.
Changes couples often notice
• Fewer escalations; when conflict happens, repair comes faster
• Conversations that stay tender even when difficult
• Clearer boundaries around hot topics and safer re-entry after time-outs
• Trust rebuilt through transparent habits and consistent follow-through
• Desire that feels invited rather than demanded; closeness that feels easy
• A shared sense of direction—daily life pulling together, not apart
Simple practices we may teach
• Soft start-ups that open, not accuse
• Micro-repair phrases that work in real time
• Turning-toward bids and daily check-ins that take minutes, not hours
• Conflict time-outs that protect rather than punish
• Rituals of connection in mornings, evenings, and transitions
• Small weekly meetings for money, calendars, and care
Formats and access
• Weekly 80-minute sessions (online or in-suite)
• Half-day intensives for focused momentum
• Private multi-day retreats by arrangement (Therapy Atelier)
All online work uses end-to-end encrypted video; in-person sessions take place in a discreet Ginza office designed for comfort and privacy.
Frequently asked
Is this about deciding who is right?
No. We are interested in patterns, not verdicts. The goal is a safer bond and better conversations, not a winner and a loser.
Can this help after an affair?
Yes. With honesty, accountability, and paced repair, many couples rebuild a bond that is stronger and kinder than before—because it is clearer.
We’ve tried advice online—why would this be different?
Advice without attachment repair rarely holds. Here, skills are paired with a more secure bond, so new habits feel natural rather than forced.
Is online couples therapy effective?
Yes. Conflict de-escalation, repair practice, and ritual design translate well to encrypted video. Many partners join from different locations.
How long will it take?
Short-term issues can shift within weeks; deeper trust repair takes longer. We review aims regularly so you always know where you are and why.
Gottman Marathon Couples Therapy
Tokyo & Online · focused care for rapid, lasting change
Why a marathon
Some seasons ask for more than an hour a week. When conversations keep circling, when trust feels fragile, or when life is simply too full for weekly sessions, a condensed, private immersion can reset the course of years.
Gottman Marathon Couples Therapy offers two consecutive days of dedicated time with a highly trained therapist, so you can go deeper, stay focused, and move forward quickly—without the long gaps between sessions.
What it is (in plain words)
Marathon work is a dynamic alternative to weekly therapy. Across two full days you’ll have the time that ordinary schedules rarely allow: time to talk through what hasn’t been said, to understand how old injuries still shape today’s reactions, and to practice new ways of speaking and listening until they feel natural. Many couples describe the experience as clarifying, steadying, and transformative.
Who it’s for
•Partners facing entrenched conflict or emotional distance
•Couples rebuilding after breaches of trust (affairs, secrecy, financial betrayal)
•Intercultural, long-distance, or high-travel couples who need momentum now
•Busy professionals or parents whose schedules don’t fit weekly therapy
•Pairs who want an intensive experience and a clear plan to maintain gains
Before we begin
You’ll each complete a confidential online assessment (Gottman Connect). It maps personal history, relationship strengths, and pain points, helping us fast-track the work. Using those results, we analyze interaction patterns and identify precise goals together.
A gentle request: once you decide on the marathon, call a truce. Shelve ongoing arguments until we meet. Everything will be addressed in a paced, safer way during the intensive.
What you’ll learn and practice
•Transforming conflict into collaboration—bridges instead of stand-offs
•Deeper understanding of one another’s inner world (needs, fears, longings)
•Repairing old hurts and updating unhelpful patterns
•Clarifying shared values and life direction
•Strengthening friendship and daily goodwill
•Rebuilding intimacy so closeness feels chosen, not pressured
The two-day arc (example)
day 1 — morning · assessment & shared aims
Review assessment findings, align goals, set confidentiality and transparency agreements, establish a pace that protects both partners.
day 1 — afternoon · atonement
Guided honesty and accountability; learn immediate de-escalation and repair moves; begin practicing safer conversations that can continue at home.
day 2 — morning · attunement
Structured dialogues to reduce blame and defensiveness; build empathy and responsiveness; rehearse turning-toward rituals.
day 2 — afternoon · attachment
Design rituals of connection and conflict-repair scripts tailored to your relationship; create a written maintenance plan for the next 30–90 days.
(Your schedule may be adapted to your needs. Breaks are built in; you will not be “on” nonstop.)
What a marathon feels like
Calm, focused, and kind. There is room for feeling and room for skill. You can expect clear structure, steady guidance, and practical take-home tools. While two full days can be tiring, couples often leave lighter—“baggage behind,” next steps in hand, and a renewed sense of commitment and hope.
Aftercare and follow-through
You’ll receive a written debrief with key insights, agreements, and daily/weekly practices. We schedule a follow-up touchpoint and offer optional check-ins to support momentum. The aim is not just a powerful weekend, but change that holds.
Practical details
•Format: two consecutive full days (private intensive)
•Location: discreet Ginza suite in central Tokyo or encrypted video worldwide
•Language: English・Japanese
•Availability: limited dates each month; by arrangement
•Fee: upon inquiry