Couples therapy is an evidence-based clinical intervention designed to help partners resolve chronic conflict, rebuild emotional intimacy, and dismantle destructive interaction cycles. By integrating the Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy (CBCT), couples therapy addresses both the conscious communication habits and the deeper attachment vulnerabilities that drive relationship distress.
At Saarthi Counselling Services in South Delhi, Senior Psychologist Shivani Misri Sadhoo provides structured, non-judgmental marital therapy to guide couples from chronic gridlock to secure, lasting partnership.
"A relationship does not break because two people stop loving each other; it breaks when they stop feeling emotionally safe, heard, and valued. Couples therapy is not about deciding who is right or who is to blame—it is about dismantling the defensive walls between you so you can rebuild genuine trust, deep connection, and lasting partnership."
- Shivani Misri Sadhoo, Certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) & Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
| Clinical Pillar | Operational Protocol & Qualifications |
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| Lead Couples Clinician |
Shivani Misri Sadhoo
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| Clinical Education & Credentials |
Advanced Academic Pedigree & Certifications
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| Hospital Panel & Governance |
Institutional Affiliations
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| 100% Direct Care Guarantee |
Zero Clinical Case Delegation
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| Primary Relational Focus |
Core Challenges Addressed
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| Consultation Centers & Access |
Multimodal Consultation Access
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| Direct Appointment Line |
đź”’ Secure Intake Hotline
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Marital distress rarely happens overnight; it develops gradually through unaddressed misunderstandings, accumulated resentment, and emotional withdrawal. Couples therapy with Shivani Misri Sadhoo intervenes directly when partners experience:
In high-conflict relationships, couples become trapped in repetitive behavioral traps. Below is how evidence-based couples therapy systematically replaces these destructive dynamics with clinically proven antidotes:
| Destructive Marital Pattern | Real-World Relationship Symptom | Clinical Therapeutic Antidote | Measurable Relationship Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criticism vs. Gentle Start-Up | Attacking a partner's personality or character rather than discussing a specific behavior. | Softened Start-Up Protocol: Expressing needs using "I" statements and specific requests without blame. | Reduced defensiveness and a measurable increase in constructive discussions. |
| Contempt vs. Culture of Appreciation | Sarcasm, eye-rolling, mocking, and hostile insults that convey disgust or moral superiority. | Building the Fondness and Admiration System: Daily intentional scanning for partner positives and verbal validation. | Elimination of psychological toxicity; restoration of basic spousal respect and dignity. |
| Defensiveness vs. Taking Responsibility | Counter-attacking, playing the blameless victim, or making excuses during discussions. | Accepting Influence and Validation: Acknowledging the partner's grievance and validating their emotional perspective. | Faster de-escalation of arguments and prevention of repetitive grievance loops. |
| Stonewalling vs. Physiological Self-Soothing | Shutting down, going silent, turning away, or walking out during conflict due to emotional overwhelm. | Structured Timeout and Vagal Calming: Taking a timed 20-minute physical break to drop heart rates below flooded thresholds. | Safe conflict containment without emotional abandonment or passive-aggressive silence. |
| The Pursue-Withdraw Dynamic | One partner demands connection through urgent anger; the other flees deeper into cold retreat. | EFT Attachment Re-framing: Helping the pursuer soften requests and helping the withdrawer re-engage safely. | Breaking the exhausting chase loop; restoring mutual emotional availability and bonding. |
Rather than offering generic advice, Shivani Misri Sadhoo integrates the world's three most empirically validated couples therapy frameworks into an individualized treatment plan:
Based on over four decades of longitudinal research by Dr. John and Julie Gottman, this framework focuses on the mechanics of marital interaction:
Grounded in adult attachment theory developed by Dr. Sue Johnson, EFT works beneath the surface of intellectual arguments:
Focusing on nervous system calming and interpersonal balance during moments of high tension:
Restructuring the unhelpful mental filters and assumptions that fuel daily marital friction:
Shivani Misri Sadhoo synthesizes certified frameworks to match each couple's unique clinical presentation:
| Therapy Framework | Primary Relational Mechanism | Best Suited For | Measurable Marital Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gottman Method (Level 3) | Neutralizes toxic conflict habits (The Four Horsemen) and rebuilds marital friendship. | High-conflict arguments, recurring daily friction, gridlock, and lack of shared vision. | Calm conflict de-escalation, mutual respect, and strengthened relational friendship. |
| Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) | Heals insecure attachment injuries, addresses primary emotions, and rebuilds safety. | Severe emotional distance, feelings of abandonment, cold withdrawal, and post-infidelity healing. | Deep emotional responsiveness, restored vulnerability, and secure bonding. |
| Couples CBT (CBCT) | Restructures distorted cognitive assumptions and establishes objective behavioral agreements. | Chronic miscommunication, rigid unexpressed expectations, and logistical friction. | Rational perspective-taking, clear communication, and collaborative problem-solving. |
Couples counselling at Saarthi Counselling Services follows an organized, goal-directed clinical progression:
Having counselled over 23,000 individuals and couples, she brings extraordinary clinical depth in de-escalating complex marital crises.
Clinical skills and diagnostic acumen developed at India's foremost medical centers—AIIMS (New Delhi) and VIMHANS (New Delhi).
One of the few couples psychologists in India certified across both the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy, offering balanced individual and systemic care.
As a Senior Consultant Panelist at IBS Hospital (Institute of Brain and Spine), she maintains exemplary clinical standards, ethical rigor, and absolute patient confidentiality.
Your care is never passed to junior associates, trainees, or interns. Every diagnostic assessment and therapy session is conducted personally by Shivani Misri Sadhoo.
Extensively consulted by expatriates, NRIs, and multinational couples across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, UAE, Singapore, Germany, and France who require culturally attuned yet internationally benchmarked couples therapy.
Protect your relationship, break destructive conflict patterns, and rebuild genuine emotional and physical intimacy with evidence-based couples therapy.
Yes. Multiple clinical studies show that online couples therapy produces outcomes equal to, and sometimes exceeding, in-person therapy. Because couples participate from their natural home environment, they often feel less guarded and more emotionally honest. Furthermore, learning to de-escalate fights in the very space where daily life happens accelerates lasting behavioral change.
Yes. If you and your spouse are in different cities, offices, or countries due to work commitments or temporary separation, you can join the same secure video consultation from two separate devices. Shivani Misri Sadhoo conducts seamless three-way video sessions where both partners participate equally.
All that is required is a reliable high-speed internet connection and a device with a working camera and microphone (a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet is recommended over a mobile phone). It is essential to sit in a private, quiet room where neither children, household staff, nor family members can overhear your conversation.
Saarthi Counselling Services maintains flexible virtual appointment schedules specifically reserved for clients living in North America (US and Canada), the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East (UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia), Singapore, and Australia. Our appointment desk coordinates session timings to match your local evening or weekend availability.
Because our approach is structured and goal-directed, most couples achieve noticeable de-escalation of arguments and emotional relief within 4 to 6 sessions. Deeper issues—such as rebuilding trust after infidelity, healing long-term emotional detachment, or aligning on major life decisions—typically consolidate over 12 to 16 sessions.
Yes. While conjoint therapy with both partners is ideal, relationship dynamics operate as an interconnected system. When one spouse changes their reactions, halts defensive escalation, and learns how to disarm conflict patterns, the interaction cycle shifts dramatically. Often, as one partner develops greater emotional regulation, the hesitant partner feels safer and eventually agrees to join the process.
Couples therapy treats infidelity as an acute attachment injury. Recovery follows three clinical steps: Atone, Attune, and Attach. In therapy, the involved partner learns how to listen to the injured partner's pain without becoming defensive, provide complete, verifiable transparency, and offer consistent reassurance. Concurrently, the hurt partner is guided through processing trauma and triggers, allowing safety and intimacy to be systematically reconstructed over time.
The initial consultation is a structured, collaborative assessment. Shivani Misri Sadhoo creates a calm, balanced environment to understand your relationship history, identify the recurring conflict loop, and clarify each partner's personal goals. Rather than rehashing old grievances or assigning blame, the first session focuses on establishing emotional safety, diagnosing the core problem, and outlining a clear roadmap for recovery.
Couples therapy is a goal-oriented intervention rather than open-ended therapy. Most couples achieve initial stabilization and conflict de-escalation within 4 to 6 sessions. Deep emotional restructuring, intimacy rebuilding, and betrayal recovery typically consolidate over 12 to 20 weekly or bi-weekly sessions. Progress is reviewed collaboratively to ensure measurable shifts in your relationship.
Yes. All consultations adhere strictly to international clinical confidentiality and ethical codes. Saarthi Counselling Services maintains absolute privacy regarding your identities, session discussions, and diagnostic notes. Neither partner's information is shared with external parties, family members, or legal representatives without express written consent.
In the hustle and bustle of our fast-paced lives, it’s all too easy for the flames of romance to flicker and fade. The demands of work, family, and personal commitments often leave little time and energy for nurturing our relationships.
However, building a healthy and vibrant connection with your partner is crucial for both your individual well-being and the longevity of your relationship.
So, if you find yourself in a situation where your partner’s busyness has caused a strain, fear not! In this article, we will explore creative and effective ways to reconnect and rejuvenate your relationship with your busy partner. India’s eminent marriage counselor, Shivani Misri Sadhoo is here to guide you.
When relationships start feeling rocky, a lot of people begin searching for professional help. That’s usually when terms like couples therapy and marriage counselling start popping up. At first glance, they seem like the same thing, right? After all, both involve two people sitting down with a professional to talk through their relationship issues.
But here’s the thing—while the two are definitely similar, they’re not quite the same. And the confusion is completely understandable. Even therapists sometimes use the terms interchangeably.
But suppose you’re thinking about seeking help. In that case, it’s worth knowing what sets them apart—because the right kind of support can make all the difference, says one of India’s top Gottman-certified couples therapists, Shivani Misri Sadhoo. First, let us clear up the fundamentals.
Once the dating phase is over and you’re ready to take the big step into marriage, your mind is bound to be filled with questions. From financial responsibilities to emotional compatibility, family expectations, and future planning, there’s so much to consider before saying, “I do.” Even if you’ve touched upon some of these topics, there are still important conversations to have—especially before you embark on your honeymoon.
The honeymoon isn’t just a time for travel and romance; it’s an opportunity to understand your partner in a new light truly. This phase sets the foundation for your married life, allowing you to observe each other’s habits, expectations, and emotional needs in a more intimate setting.
Shivani Misri Sadhoo, Delhi’s top marriage counsellor, and couples therapist shares seven essential things that every couple should discuss before their honeymoon.
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Sometimes, there are little things that can make a real difference to the success of your relationship. Small gestures – from a hug to a kind word – can be the glue that binds two people together. Conversely, contempt or criticism can break that bond of togetherness forever.
Have you ever wondered why some relationships fail while others seem to thrive and last a lifetime? Relationships are complex – and even the strongest ones require hard work and dedication to maintain. Yet even with hard work and dedication, many relationships still fail to stand the test of time.
Therefore, it is essential to understand the reasons why relationships don’t always last so that we can strive to make our last says, Shivani. Seeking couples counseling can be a great way to get help in finding solutions to the issues that may be causing tension in your relationship.
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