Rochester, New York
Couples Therapy in Rochester, NY
Imago-informed couples therapy for partners who feel caught in recurring conflict, emotional distance, or conversations that never seem to reach the real issue.
Many couples arrive knowing the argument almost by heart. The details may change, but the underlying cycle is familiar: one partner reaches, the other withdraws; both feel misunderstood; and attempts to reconnect create more hurt.
Couples therapy creates a structured space to slow that cycle down. Rather than deciding who is right, the work focuses on understanding what happens between you, what each partner is protecting, and what makes it difficult to stay connected in moments of stress.
Dr. Christina Ruzicka is a Certified Imago Relationship Therapist. She works with couples at her Rochester office and virtually when appropriate, helping partners develop a shared language for listening, repair, and greater emotional safety.
Common concerns
What brings you to therapy
The same arguments keep happening without resolution
Communication quickly becomes defensive, critical, or shut down
Emotional or physical closeness has faded
A major transition has changed the relationship
Resentment has accumulated and repair feels difficult
You want to strengthen the relationship before a crisis develops
Imago Relationship Therapy treats conflict as information about the relationship rather than proof that the relationship has failed. Its structured dialogue helps each partner listen without immediately defending, correcting, or preparing a response.
Christina uses the structure of Imago while remaining attentive to the particular history, identities, and circumstances each partner brings. Sessions may explore the deeper needs beneath a conflict and practice new ways of expressing those needs.
The aim is not perfect communication. It is a more reliable path back to understanding and repair when disconnection inevitably occurs.
What sessions can involve
A thoughtful process shaped around you
Early sessions focus on the relationship's current challenges, important history, and what each partner hopes will change. Christina will also help identify the interactional cycle that tends to take over.
Sessions are active and structured. Partners may practice guided dialogue, slow down emotionally charged exchanges, and translate criticism or withdrawal into the underlying experience that is harder to express.
Couples appointments are 60 minutes. The initial consultation is an opportunity to discuss fit, scheduling, and whether another format or referral would better meet your needs.
Common questions
Questions about this service
Do we need to be in crisis to start couples therapy?
No. Couples therapy can address acute conflict, but it can also help partners strengthen communication, prepare for a transition, or understand patterns before they become more entrenched.
What is Imago Relationship Therapy?
Imago is a structured approach that helps partners understand recurring conflict and practice listening with greater curiosity and less reactivity. Christina is a Certified Imago Relationship Therapist.
Will the therapist decide who is right?
The work is not organized around choosing a winner. It focuses on understanding the cycle between you, increasing accountability, and helping each partner communicate more clearly and safely.
Can couples therapy be virtual?
Yes. Virtual couples sessions are available when both partners are located in New York and the format is clinically appropriate. The consultation is the best place to discuss your situation.
Curious whether this could be a fit?
Request a consultation to ask questions and talk through what you are looking for.Fees and insurance →General therapy FAQs →