David Lechnyr, LCSW is a Certified Gottman Therapist (#436) providing structured, skills-based couples therapy via telehealth in Oregon and Arizona, and Relationship Coaching worldwide. He is one of 14 Certified Gottman Therapists in Oregon and one of 12 in Arizona. His approach integrates the Gottman Method, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Internal Family Systems to help couples identify destructive patterns and build concrete skills for de-escalation, repair, and communication.
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, and you want someone with enough experience to say, “Here’s what’s happening, and here’s how we fix it.”
And that’s what sets me apart.
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 matters1. And 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.
You want structure, clarity, and a sense that there’s a way out, not just empathy that validates that your situation’s a mess. It’s time for a different approach.
How This Approach 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, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Internal Family Systems
- 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
Choose Your Path
Couples Therapy
Stop the Cycle Before It’s Too Late
Same fight, different words. Research has identified the specific patterns destroying relationships, and the concrete skills that replace them. For couples who:
- Are stuck in recurring conflicts that keep resurfacing
- Have lost intimacy, connection, or feel like roommates
- Have tried other therapists and left without usable tools
Gottman Method · Telehealth Oregon & Arizona · Relationship Coaching Worldwide
Discernment Counseling
Gain Clarity When You Don’t Know If You Should Stay or Leave
Brief, structured process for when one or both partners are uncertain about continuing the relationship. No pressure toward any outcome, just clarity. For couples who:
- Are ambivalent. One or both partners unsure about continuing
- Need clarity before committing to full couples therapy
- Want to make a considered decision rather than an emotional one
Discernment Counseling · Telehealth Oregon & Arizona · Relationship Coaching Worldwide
What 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 and individual counseling. New clients typically begin within 2-4 weeks.
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. 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 offer in-person sessions or only telehealth?
I provide telehealth services throughout Oregon and Arizona via secure video. Most clients find virtual sessions equally effective and more convenient. No commute, easier scheduling for both partners, and the ability to meet from the comfort of your own space.
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 licensed therapy, yes, but only with Oregon and Arizona residents. For clients outside those states, Relationship Coaching via secure video is available worldwide. Coaching uses the same structured, skills-based Gottman Method approach and covers the same skill areas. The distinction is the legal framework: Coaching is not a clinical service and is not subject to state licensure restrictions.
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
- J. M. Gottman, “The Roles of Conflict Engagement, Escalation, and Avoidance in Marital Interaction: A Longitudinal View of Five Types of Couples,” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 61, no. 1 (February 1993): 6-15. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.61.1.6 ↩︎