As one of over 500 Certified Gottman Therapists in the world, David Lechnyr, LCSW provides structured, skills-based couples therapy via telehealth in Oregon and Arizona, with Relationship Coaching available worldwide. Rather than open-ended talk therapy, he pairs concrete skills for de-escalation, repair, and communication with the patterns that drive recurring conflict.
You’re Here Because Something Isn’t Working
You’ve tried talking it through, reading the books, promising to do better. Nothing has made a difference.
But you don’t want another therapist who just sits there, nodding and asking “… and how does that make you feel?” You want someone who’ll point out the patterns you’re stuck in and show you how to actually break them. You’re tired of talking about your feelings. You want to know what to do differently. Someone with enough experience to say, “Here’s what’s happening, and here’s how we’ll fix it.”
Ultimately, it’s not whether there’s conflict in your relationship that will make or break it. It’s how you manage the conflict that really matters (J.M. Gottman, 1993). These patterns are so accurate that they can predict divorce with 93% accuracy (Gottman & Levenson, 2000). And yet, no one has taught you the skills you need for this.
Instead, we let our resentments fester. We get critical or defensive. We get overwhelmed during conflict and don’t know how to stay grounded. We don’t stop to figure out what the fight is really about, or compromise without feeling we’ve given up too much. Repairs never happen, and sometimes we even apologize too fast just because we want the fight to be over.
How Gottman Method Couples Therapy Is Different
Unlike traditional talk therapy that focuses primarily on emotional processing, I combine emotional awareness with structured skill-building based on decades of research. You’ll learn specific, evidence-based techniques that change interaction patterns, not just understand them.
The approach I use:
- Evidence-based Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Cognitive Behavioral Couples Therapy (CBCT)
- Structured assessment protocols that identify your specific patterns with precision
- Active skill practice with immediate feedback
- Between-session assignments that build new patterns through consistent application
- I’m not a passive listener. I offer direct feedback, call you out when you’re avoiding responsibility, and hold you accountable
How I Help
My practice is focused on helping couples and individuals navigate their relationship issues.
Couples Therapy
Same fight, different words. Research has identified the specific patterns destroying relationships, and the concrete skills that replace them.
Learn MoreDiscernment Counseling
Brief, structured process for when one or both partners are uncertain about continuing the relationship. No pressure toward any outcome, just clarity.
Learn MoreFight Right Workbook
Reading Fight Right and actually changing how you fight are two different things. This self-paced program fills the gap for couples wanting to do the work themselves.
Learn MoreIndividual Therapy
Individual therapy for relationship issues is about learning to show up differently so you can finally see what’s actually possible in this relationship, and what isn’t.
Learn MoreWhat Couples Are Saying
“After 15 years together, we kept pushing each other’s buttons. David helped us see our patterns and gave us tools to talk without triggering each other. For the first time in years, we feel like partners again.”
– Ted & April, married 15 years
“We’d been to two other therapists and honestly didn’t think counseling worked. It was just us complaining for an hour. With David, we actually learned things we could use at home. We still fight sometimes, but we don’t spiral like we used to. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we actually like each other again.”
– Sarah & Tom, in a relationship 8 years
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you accepting new clients?
Yes. I’m currently accepting new clients for couples therapy. I also work with individuals struggling with relationship issues who want to attend without their partner.
How is this different from other couples counseling?
Most therapy focuses on emotional processing and is based on the therapist’s intuition. The Gottman Method is built on 50 years of research identifying what actually predicts relationship success or failure. Sessions are structured with clear goals. You learn specific skills, practice them, and each session builds toward measurable change rather than endless processing.
How long does therapy take?
Most clients see measurable improvement within the first month when they practice skills between sessions. Essential conflict skills typically take 3-4 months. Comprehensive relationship rebuilding takes 6-12 months. However, this isn’t open-ended therapy: We’re working toward specific outcomes.
Do you bill insurance?
No. Health insurance does not cover couples therapy or relationship issues. Coverage for mental health services requires a primary psychiatric diagnosis assigned to one individual, and couples therapy does not meet that criteria. This applies regardless of your plan or provider.
Do you serve couples in Portland, Phoenix, or Scottsdale?
Yes. I provide telehealth couples therapy and individual therapy to clients throughout Oregon and Arizona, including Portland, Bend, Salem, Eugene, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, and Gilbert. All sessions are conducted via secure video.
Do you work with clients outside Oregon and Arizona?
For clients outside Oregon and Arizona, I offer Relationship Coaching via secure video. Coaching uses the same structured, skills-based Gottman Method approach and covers the same skill areas without the therapeutic modality.
Get Started with David
“I’ve had a lot of therapists over the last 17 years and I’ve never had a counselor bring me through this much progress…. ever. Not even close.” – Client review