Couples Therapy & Relationship Counseling in Oregon & Arizona
You’re Here Because Something Isn’t Working
Your relationship is stuck in patterns you can see but can’t seem to break. The same conflicts surface with different content. Distance has replaced intimacy. Conversations escalate into fights or shut down into silence. You’ve tried talking it through, reading the books, promising to do better. Nothing has produced lasting change.
Or maybe you’re struggling with relationship issues on your own. Your patterns show up across all your connections. Past relationship damage affects how you show up now. You need skills you were never taught: How to set boundaries without guilt, communicate clearly under stress, regulate your emotions when they spike, repair connection after damage.
You don’t want another therapist who just sits there and nods, asking “how does that make you feel?” You want someone who will hold you accountable and call you on your patterns when they get in your way. Someone professional and supportive, yet willing to challenge you toward actual growth and measurable change.
That’s exactly how I work.
What Makes This Approach Different
Unlike traditional talk therapy that focuses primarily on emotional processing, my approach combines 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.
As one of only 13 Certified Gottman Therapists in Oregon and one of 12 in Arizona, I provide specialized training in relationship science that most therapists don’t have access to. Gottman Method Certification requires advanced training beyond standard licensure, comprehensive examination, and ongoing clinical consultation. This isn’t a weekend workshop. It’s years of specialized study in what actually makes relationships succeed or fail.
I’ve worked with couples and individuals for over 18 years who want more than validation or support. My work is structured, evidence-based, and focused on creating measurable change in months rather than years. We don’t just discuss what’s wrong. We map the problem, understand the mechanics, and build concrete skills you practice between sessions.
My approach:
- 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
The two most valuable strengths you have are genuine hope and tangible skills. It’s the attitude and energy you bring by taking charge of your situation, combined with the specific tools you use to implement new patterns.
“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.”
Choose Your Path
Couples Therapy: Stop the Cycle Before It’s Too Late
You’ve tried talking it through. You’ve promised each other you’ll do better. And here you are again, having the same fight with different words. Learn the specific patterns research shows destroy relationships and the skills that actually repair them.
For couples who:
- Are stuck in recurring conflicts that keep resurfacing
- Have lost intimacy, connection, or feel like roommates
- Are considering separation but want to know if the relationship can be saved
- Have tried other therapists and left frustrated without actual tools
Learn More About Couples Therapy →
Individual Therapy: Get Clear When Everything Feels Impossible
Your relationship is breaking you down. You don’t know if the problem is them, you, or both. You need skills for setting boundaries, managing emotional flooding, communicating clearly under stress, and deciding whether to stay or leave.
For individuals who:
- Are in difficult relationships and need to develop their own capacity first
- Are navigating relationship issues alone
- Need concrete relationship skills they were never taught
- Want clarity about what’s actually happening in their relationship
Learn More About Individual Therapy →
What Clients Say
After 15 years together, we kept pushing each other’s buttons. David helped us see our negative patterns and gave us practical tools to communicate without triggering each other. For the first time in years, we feel like partners again.
Ted & April, together 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, together 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.
Can we meet in person or is it only telehealth?
I offer both. I provide telehealth services throughout Oregon and Arizona, and maintain an in-person office at 2440 Willamette Street, Suite 101-C, in Eugene, Oregon for clients who prefer face-to-face sessions.
Do you work with clients outside Oregon and Arizona?
For therapy, I’m limited to Oregon and Arizona residents due to licensing requirements. For clients outside these states, I offer relationship coaching worldwide via secure video. Coaching uses the same structured, skills-based Gottman Method approach but in a non-therapeutic format.
What if my partner isn’t ready for couples therapy?
That’s common. You can start individually to learn skills and gain insights that often help your partner feel safer joining later. Individual work also helps you determine whether relationship issues are about patterns between you or skills you’re missing regardless of who you’re with.
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?
I bill PacificSource Health Plans directly. For all other insurance, I’m an out-of-network provider and provide detailed documentation (superbills) you can submit for reimbursement. Most clients choose private pay for added confidentiality and flexibility.
Take the Next Step
You’re here because something isn’t working and you need it to change. You’ve tried other approaches that didn’t produce results. You’re exhausted from the same patterns, the same conflicts, the same distance.
The question isn’t whether you’re capable of change. You are. The question is whether you’re ready for an approach that’s structured, direct, and accountable. Whether you’re willing to examine your own contribution honestly, practice skills that feel awkward initially, and implement what you learn between sessions.
The longer destructive patterns continue, the harder they are to reverse. Every week spent in this cycle is another week of damage that becomes harder to repair.
Schedule an assessment. We’ll identify your specific patterns, determine whether this approach fits your situation, and create a clear plan for either fixing what’s broken or gaining clarity that it can’t be fixed.
David Lechnyr, LCSW
Certified Gottman Therapist | Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Office: 2440 Willamette Street, Suite 101-C, Eugene, Oregon 97401
Telehealth: Available throughout Oregon and Arizona
Coaching: Available worldwide
Serving clients throughout Oregon and Arizona, including Eugene, Portland, Bend, Salem, Springfield, Corvallis, Medford, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, and Tempe.