I work with individuals and couples who are often thoughtful, capable, and used to functioning well—yet find that their emotional and relational life doesn’t follow the same clarity.
Many couples who come here don’t arrive in crisis. They arrive at a pattern they can’t seem to exit — a loop that leaves both people feeling unheard, even when they love each other and are trying. If that sounds familiar, this is a space where that loop can finally be named and worked with.
When two people speak different languages — even in the same language
The way someone learned to express anger, need, or tenderness is not just personal — it’s cultural. It was shaped by the family they grew up in, the language they felt things in first, the unspoken rules of the community they came from. Two people can share a common language and still have almost no overlap in how they were taught to handle conflict, ask for closeness, or signal that something is wrong.
This is not incompatibility. It is the structural reality of building a life with someone who grew up inside a different emotional vocabulary. In our sessions, we slow that down. We name it without blame. And we find a shared language — one that belongs to the two of you, not to either individual alone.
“I’ve had a few different therapists in the past, but Francisco is by far the best I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with. He is an amazing listener and makes connections across sessions that have deepened my understanding of myself.
Francisco has consistently offered a wide variety of ideas, techniques and strategies that have helped me make actual changes and he helps me stay accountable, too. My spouse has commented that she’s noticed a difference in my communication and how I process emotions. I am thrilled to have found Francisco and I couldn’t recommend working with him enough!”
— Siobhán, from the US
Work with a Bilingual Couples Psychologist
Most couples don’t arrive with a single, clearly defined problem. They arrive with a feeling — that something important is not working, that conversations keep going the same way, that the distance between them has grown quietly over time.
Below are some situations I encounter most often, though yours may not fit neatly into any of them, and that’s fine too. Feel free to reach out and describe what you’re navigating.
- Recurring arguments without resolution.
Arguments that circle the same topic and leave both people feeling worse, not clearer. - Emotional disconnection.
Living alongside each other, functioning well on the surface, but feeling more like roommates than partners. - A major transition.
A new baby, a relocation, a career shift, or a marriage that has shifted the balance of the relationship in ways neither partner expected. - Cultural and/or family-of-origin differences.
Different expectations about money, extended family, how a household should run, or what a relationship is supposed to look like — often inherited rather than chosen. - A relationship crossroads.
Not necessarily a crisis, but a genuine uncertainty about the future: whether staying, separating, or committing further is the right path. - Wanting a stronger foundation.
Couples who are doing well enough but want to go deeper before taking a next step — marriage, a child, a major commitment.
Who I work with
Most of the couples I see share at least one thing in common: they are navigating more than one cultural world at once. American-Mexican, European-Latin American, etc. — the combinations are less important than the reality underneath them, which is that each partner brings a set of deeply encoded assumptions about how a relationship should feel and function.
Thank you so much for everything. Thanks to you my husband and I are a lot better with our communication now.
— Jin, 31 yo; couple from South Korea
I also work with same-sex couples and LGBTQ+ partnerships, with couples in non-traditional relationship structures, with long-term partners who have grown apart and newer couples who want to get things right from the start. I work in English and Spanish — sometimes both in the same session, when that’s what serves the couple best.
If you’re unsure whether your situation fits, reach out directly. It usually takes one brief exchange to know. Also, you can read more about my work and training here.
What to expect in the first session
We’ll spend most of the first session getting a clear picture of what’s been happening — not a formal intake, but a real conversation. I’ll want to understand how long this pattern has been present, what each of you has tried, and what you’re hoping changes. You’ll also get a sense of how I work, and whether this feels like a space you can both use honestly.
The first session is not a commitment to long-term therapy. It is a mutual evaluation. You are deciding whether working with me makes sense, just as I am understanding what you need. There is no verdict on your relationship, no declaration of who is right, and no homework assigned before you’ve decided whether you want to continue.
If you’re considering starting, you can also review session details and fees here.
In-person couples therapy in Colonia Condesa
Sessions are held in a private, comfortable setting in Colonia Condesa — a fifteen-minute walk from Roma Norte, well connected from Polanco and most central neighborhoods. There is clinic feel. It is a space designed for the kind of conversation that needs to happen without interruption.
If you’d like to know whether we’re a good fit before committing to a session, reach out with a brief message — describe what you’re facing and what you’re looking for, and I’ll respond directly.
T hank you for your time, Francisco san. I will do my best to find out what my happy life is. Now I have a solid decision to love my family more and show my love to them. Thank you for your advice.
— Takata san, 53 yo; from Japan
The first step is simple
Reaching out when you’re in the middle of a relational difficulty takes something. It means admitting that the two of you haven’t been able to resolve this alone — which is not a failure, it’s just the situation. Most couples who come here have been circling the same thing for months and even years, before they write.
You don’t need a clear summary of your problem. You don’t need to know what kind of therapy you want. Write what’s true, and we’ll take it from there.
Sessions are held in Colonia Condesa, in person, in English or Spanish. All correspondence is confidential.