Hi! I’m Romi.
I’m a licensed clinical social worker offering virtual psychotherapy and sex therapy services in New York & Connecticut.
I am passionate about supporting you and your partner(s) through barriers to your emotional, relational, and sexual wellbeing.
I enjoy meeting with people from diverse backgrounds in a safe and inclusive environment. I invite you to reach out with any questions or to book a free 15-minute phone consultation.
What is Therapy?
Therapy provides us with the opportunity to introspect through a lens of curiosity and acceptance, as opposed to shame and judgment. This process encourages us to nurture a deeper and more compassionate understanding of ourselves and others.
I strive to offer a safe, welcoming, and collaborative space where you may rediscover your strengths, attune to your needs, and facilitate changes that empower you to foster a more fulfilling life and relationships. Together, we will identify your goals pertaining to your emotional, relational, and/or sexual health, and address the internal and environmental factors that may be impeding you from accessing them. This may include introducing coping skills, repairing connection, enhancing communication, and unlearning hindering messages or beliefs.
Tel Aviv University
B.A. Psychology
Columbia University
Masters of Science in Social Work
University of Michigan
Sexual Health Certificate Program
Services I offer
Sex Therapy
I offer support to individuals and couples encountering sex-related barriers, including:
- Difficulties with desire, arousal, or pleasure
- Desire discrepancies
- Sex during pregnancy and post-partum
- Painful sex
- Sexual trauma
- Shame around sex
- Support for sex workers and sex surrogates
- Exploring kink curiosities
- LGBTQIA2S+ affirming care
Couples Therapy
Sometimes there is one sticky topic that feels loaded to talk about, or perhaps you and your partner(s) are expert communicators but are facing barriers in other parts of your relationship. Some examples of areas we can explore together include:
- Recognizing blindspots in communication
- Building upon active listening skills to increase emotional safety within dialogues
- Navigating polyamorous relationships / ethical non-monogamy
- Coping with infidelity and repairing trust
Relational Concerns
Challenges pertaining to interpersonal, familial, professional, and romantic connections. This work may involve:
- Identifying relational patterns
- Boundary setting within relationships
- Processing the loss of a relationship
- Support for individuals participating in couples therapy and need a space to further process their personal experiences
Life Transitions
Therapy can help us become better equipped to more safely and resiliently adapt to both foreseeable and unplanned changes, such as:
- Professional transitions
- Geographical relocations
- Loss or separation
- Relational adjustments
- Pregnancy and post-partum
Anxiety
Anxiety can feel isolating, highly uncomfortable, and at times debilitating. I work with individuals encountering varying degrees and presentations of anxiety symptoms. Together we can:
- Understand the origins and manifestations of your anxiety
- Identify triggers for anxiety symptoms
- Develop and practice coping tools to more effectively manage symptoms
Trauma
At your pace, we will work together to:
- Name and validate your trauma
- Recognize the ways in which your trauma has shaped your behaviors and core belief system
- Honor the measures your body has taken to keep you as safe as possible both throughout and after your traumatic experience
- Collaborate with your body’s defense system to reestablish a sense of safety by gently introducing more adaptive means of protection
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is sex therapy and how is it different from regular therapy?+
Sex therapy can be a great resource for individuals and couples struggling with concerns related to their sexual wellbeing. Sex-specific stressors may be the primary area we explore or just one of many other directly and indirectly connected topics.
Since sexual health is minimally covered in most graduate level programs, sex therapists participate in additional training to be better equipped to serve clients navigating sexual challenges. Similarly to regular psychotherapy, sex therapy is a form of talk therapy and does not entail any form of sexual contact.
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Do you accept insurance?+
While I am not in-network with any insurance plans, I am happy to support any out-of-network benefits you may have by providing you with monthly superbills (an itemized list of services provided) that you can submit as a claim to your insurance. Below are some questions you may ask your insurance provider to determine your eligibility for reimbursement:
– Does my plan include out-of-network benefits?
– Do I have an out-of-network deductible? If so, what is it, how much of it have I met, and when does it reset?
– What is my co-insurance rate? You can provide them with the CPT code 90834 for individual sessions or 90847 for couples.
– How do I submit my superbill and how long do I have to do so after the date of service?
– Do I need written approval from my primary care physician to be eligible for mental health coverage?
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What are your rates?+
My rate for 45-minute individual sessions is $250. My rate for 60-minute couples sessions is $300.
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What is your cancellation policy?+
I have a 48 hour cancellation policy. Sessions canceled with less than 48 hours notice will be subject to the full session fee.
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What if I need to reschedule?+
If you need to reschedule, please try to do so with at least 48 hours notice and I will do my best to accommodate an alternative meeting time, but cannot guarantee availability. For sessions that require rescheduling with less than 48 hours notice and cannot be rescheduled for the same week, the cancellation fee will be applied. When rescheduling via email, please try to respond as soon as possible as I cannot guarantee that the proposed alternative meeting times will remain available.
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What does a free 15-minute phone consultation entail?+
Our consultation will be an opportunity for us to discuss your goals for therapy and explore our fit. Some questions I may ask include:
– What is bringing you to therapy
– Why now?
– How long have you been navigating your presenting concerns?
– Any past experiences with therapy?
I will also ensure that there is ample space for you to ask me any questions that may help better inform your decision around moving forward. If we decide we are a good match, we can proceed with scheduling our first session.
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Should both my partner(s) and I be present during the call if we’re consulting for couples therapy?+
Yes, it is preferred that you schedule a call for a time that both you and your partner(s) will be available so that all members have the chance to explore our fit and ask any questions.
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How do I schedule a phone consultation?+
You can set up a phone consultation by sending me an email at romi@romiterk.com or by clicking the “send me a message” button below. Please include a bit about what is bringing you to therapy, whether you are interested in individuals or couples work, a phone number I can reach you at, as well as a few times that would work well for your call.
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Where will our sessions take place?+
All of my sessions are currently taking place via a HIPAA compliant video platform. I do not offer in-person therapy at this time.
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Are our sessions confidential?+
Everything shared within our therapy space remains confidential. There are however some exceptions to this rule when it comes to safety: if I suspect that an individual may be involved in child, dependent adult, or elder abuse or neglect, or if a client is a danger or threat to themselves or others.
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How should I prepare for our first session?+
Once we have scheduled our first session, I will enroll you into the patient portal and send over intake paperwork that should be completed prior to our first meeting. I recommend making sure you have a safe, private, and comfortable space to conduct our session from. Furry friends are welcome HIPAA violators, but it may be helpful to ensure your environment is otherwise free from potential eavesdroppers or distractions.
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What will our first sessions look like?+
For individuals:
In our first few sessions, we will collaborate to expand upon your goals, reflect on sexual, relational, familial, and other relevant history and life events, identify any therapeutic preferences you may have, and build upon our rapport. The idea of getting started with therapy can feel daunting and overwhelming, so it is an important reminder that we will move at your pace and work together to create a safe, non-judgmental environment.
For couples:
Our first session will be 60 minutes long. We will explore your goals for therapy, identify your strengths as a couple, and establish grounds for a safe therapeutic environment. For our next two appointments, I will meet with each of you for 45-minute individual sessions to develop a better understanding of your personal backgrounds and perspectives on the issues at hand. For our fourth session we will reconvene in our shared space and reflect on observations made in our individual sessions.
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How frequently will we meet?+
I recommend starting off with weekly sessions for our first few months. I have found this to be the ideal cadence for fostering a solid therapeutic relationship and orienting us towards your goals. After a few months, we can check back in and evaluate whether a different frequency may be fitting.
Have more questions?
Please include any questions, a bit about what is bringing you to therapy, and your availability for a phone consultation. You can reach me at romi@romiterk.com or by clicking the button below.