Online Couples Therapy in English — For Relationships That Cross Borders
Most couples therapists aren’t equipped for your situation. We are.
When you’re both expats but from different countries-or when one partner followed the other’s career to a new country and is still figuring out who they are there or when you’re in the same city but barely in the same life, we understand.
International relationships carry weight that standard couples therapy rarely addresses — and most therapists don’t have the lived or clinical experience to work with it properly.
We do.
PsyShrink offers online couples therapy in English for international couples, expats, cross-cultural partnerships, and military and diplomatic families — worldwide.
Book a Free 15-Min Consultation →
Why International Couples Need a Different Kind of Therapy
A couples therapist trained and practicing in one country, in one language, with one cultural frame of reference is not automatically equipped to work with a couple where:
- Partners have fundamentally different cultural assumptions about what a relationship should look like
- One partner sacrificed career, social network, or identity to relocate for the other
- Communication breaks down not just because of what’s said, but because of what each culture leaves unsaid
- The relationship is being conducted partly in a second language — for one or both partners
- Work schedules, time zones, or frequent travel mean partners are regularly in different cities or countries
- Military deployment or diplomatic posting creates specific, recurring pressures most civilian therapists have never encountered
These aren’t small complications. They’re structural features of your relationship that need to be worked with directly, not worked around.
What We Work With
Communication and conflict across cultural differences Different cultures have profoundly different rules about conflict — what’s acceptable to say, what must never be said, what silence means, what raising your voice means. When two people operate from different rulebooks, conflict escalates without either person understanding why. We help couples surface those rules and build a shared language.
Relocation stress and the “trailing partner” dynamic One of the most common and least-discussed sources of relationship strain in expat couples: one partner moves for the other’s career, loses their professional identity, social network, and sense of purpose — and the couple has no framework for talking about it. This resentment doesn’t announce itself. It accumulates.
Long-distance phases and travel-heavy relationships Couples who are frequently separated — by work travel, postings, or cross-country living arrangements — develop patterns that work in the short term and damage the relationship over time. We help couples navigate the reconnection cycles, the asymmetry of experience, and the practical and emotional logistics of a relationship lived at a distance.
Military and diplomatic family relationships Deployment. Frequent postings. The emotional labor of being the at-home partner. Reintegration. Career sacrifice. We have specific experience working with military and NATO families and understand the culture, the pressures, and what’s not said.
Cross-cultural parenting disagreements How you were raised shapes every assumption you bring to parenting — discipline, education, independence, family loyalty, language. When parents come from different cultures, these disagreements go deep. We help couples develop a shared parenting approach that respects both backgrounds without one partner’s culture permanently losing.
Trust repair and reconnection Infidelity, betrayal, emotional withdrawal, prolonged disconnection. Repair is possible, and it begins with creating the conditions for both partners to be honest. We work with couples at crisis point and couples who simply feel they’ve drifted.
Deciding whether to stay or separate Sometimes the most useful work in couples therapy is getting clear — together, honestly — about whether the relationship is workable and what it would take. We don’t have a vested interest in couples staying together. We have a vested interest in both people being honest.
How Online Couples Therapy Works
It works even when you’re in different locations. This is the feature that matters most for international couples. Both partners connect via secure video from wherever they are. One of you can be in Munich, the other in London. One at home, one in a hotel in Singapore. Sessions happen on time, without either of you having to be in the same room first.
Sessions are 80 minutes, structured and direct. We don’t do open-ended conversation dressed up as therapy. Sessions have a focus. Progress is tracked. If patterns aren’t shifting, we say so and adjust.
Individual sessions are sometimes part of the work. Some couples benefit from occasional individual sessions alongside couples work — to process something privately, to prepare for a difficult conversation, or to address something one partner is carrying alone. We can accommodate this within the same therapist relationship where appropriate.
Who Offers Online Couples Therapy at PsyShrink
Cynthia Kunze, MA — Senior Psychologist and Founder 25+ years specialising in relationships, international couples, and expat life. Online, Munich, Straubing. Fee: €200/session.
Lis Breitling — Psychotherapist (HeilprG) Specialising in relationships, anxiety, and life transitions. Online and Munich.
Andreia Lungulescu — CBT Psychotherapist (HeilprG) Online and Munich.
Kimberly Hennessy — Counsellor and Family Mediator Online and Frankfurt.
Not sure who’s the right fit? Book a free 15-minute consultation and we’ll match you.
US Health Insurance and Superbills
If you or your partner hold a US health insurance policy with out-of-network benefits, couples therapy sessions may be partially reimbursable. We provide superbills with the appropriate documentation. Many American clients find that 50–80% of session costs are covered.
Ask us about this when you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we do couples therapy if we’re in different countries? Yes. This is one of the core reasons online couples therapy exists. Both partners connect via video from wherever they are. Location is not a barrier.
What if only one of us wants to come? It’s more common than you’d think. We can start with the partner who’s willing — and often, once the process starts, the reluctant partner becomes curious. We can also discuss whether individual therapy might be the right entry point.
How many sessions will we need? This varies enormously. Some couples come for a focused 4-6 session block addressing a specific issue. Others work with us over several months or longer. We’ll give you an honest assessment after the first two sessions.
Do you work with same-sex couples? Yes. PsyShrink is an LGBTQ+ affirming practice. All of our therapists work with couples regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
What’s your approach — do you use a specific method? Our therapists are trained in a range of evidence-based approaches including Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), CBT, systemic therapy, and psychodynamic methods. We use what works for the specific couple — not a rigid protocol.
What if we’re also considering separation? We work with couples at every stage, including those trying to decide whether to stay together. Therapy isn’t only about saving the relationship — it’s about helping both people move forward with clarity and honesty.
Is everything we say confidential? Yes. Standard confidentiality applies, with the same exceptions that apply in all psychological work (risk to life, mandatory reporting). We’ll explain this clearly before we start.
Ready to Start?
The first step is a free 15-minute phone consultation. Tell us where you are, what’s happening, and what you need. We’ll tell you who’s the right fit and what to expect.
PsyShrink — Online couples therapy in English for international relationships. Based in Munich. Available worldwide.80