★★★★★ 5.0 from 16 Google reviews · Emily Sanchez, LCSW · 11 years of experience
Couples Therapy in Gilbert, AZ
Stop having the same fight.
Marriage and couples counseling with Emily Sanchez, LCSW
Find the root cause and work through it together
Skills you can use at home, not just in therapy
In person in Gilbert or online in Arizona
You can call on your own. No obligation. Or text 480-331-5359.
Couples therapy at Family Matters Counseling is relationship counseling with Emily Sanchez, LCSW, using Relational Life Therapy (RLT) at our Gilbert, AZ office or by telehealth anywhere in Arizona.
Sessions are 53 minutes and bring both partners together. Emily helps you see the pattern you both get caught in, rebuild communication and trust, and practice a different response at home.
Does This Sound Like Your Relationship?
Couples often seek therapy when the same problems keep resurfacing, even after they've tried to work things out on their own.
The same argument, every week.
It starts with who forgot to pay the water bill and ends with someone sleeping on the couch. Neither of you feels heard.
Living more like roommates.
You manage the household together, but emotional intimacy, affection and sexual closeness have faded.
Trust has been broken.
An affair, secrecy or dishonesty about money has left one or both partners guarded.
Parenting pulls you apart.
You disagree about boundaries, discipline or family responsibilities, and the kids can tell.
Your beliefs have changed.
One partner is questioning or leaving a faith community while the other still believes. Sundays have gotten quiet.
One of you isn't sure about staying.
You want to know you tried before anyone decides anything about separation.
Marriage counseling isn't about winning the argument. It's about both of you facing what's true, and what to do about it.
How Couples Therapy Works at Family Matters
Couples counseling with Emily Sanchez, LCSW, begins with a free consultation, followed by in-person or online sessions tailored to your relationship concerns.
STEP 1
Start with a free 15-minute call.
Share what's happening, ask questions, and see whether working with Emily feels like a good fit. You can call individually or together.
STEP 2
Attend your first session.
Emily meets with both partners, learns about your relationship history, identifies the concerns bringing you to therapy, and checks whether joint sessions are appropriate and safe.
STEP 3
Work on new ways of relating.
In ongoing sessions, you practice recognizing unhelpful reactions, expressing your needs, and handling disagreements differently. You leave with something to try at home before the next appointment.
Repair starts with the truth. In Relational Life Therapy, you get back together by both facing the truth and dealing with it, even when it's uncomfortable. Sometimes one partner is clearly in the wrong, and repair is a one-way street. Emily leans toward one of you and calls out the other. She does it through what she calls “joining through the truth,” so it isn't completely one-sided, but she is honest.
She sometimes meets each partner alone as part of the couples work. When she does, both of you get that time.
“She offers a rare, non-biased outtake on how to work toward a positive outcome for all individuals involved.”
Jordan K., Google review
The therapist on your first call is the therapist in every session.
Meet Emily Sanchez, LCSW
Emily is the founder of Family Matters Counseling and a licensed clinical social worker with 11 years of experience. Before becoming a therapist, she spent eight years working as a life and divorce coach. She lives in Gilbert with her husband and five children.
She uses Relational Life Therapy as her primary approach to couples counseling and also has training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).
What Is Relational Life Therapy?
Relational Life Therapy (RLT) is a couples therapy approach developed by Terry Real that helps partners recognize destructive relationship patterns, take responsibility for their reactions, and develop healthier ways of communicating.
Emily Sanchez uses RLT in her Gilbert couples therapy practice to address the behaviors that keep conflict repeating.
How Does Relational Life Therapy Work?
Recognize the pattern behind arguments.
Notice familiar reactions such as defensiveness, withdrawal, criticism, or trying to control the outcome.
Understand what drives those reactions.
Explore how past experiences and learned protective habits influence your responses. When an old hurt drives a reaction, Emily can work on it with your partner present, so they see where it comes from.
Take responsibility for your part.
Focus on what you can change instead of waiting for your partner to change first. Emily won't just nod along. When one partner is clearly in the wrong, she says so.
Practice healthier relationship skills.
Learn to raise concerns, communicate needs, repair conflict, and reconnect.
How Is RLT Different From EFT or the Gottman Method?
Relational Life Therapy emphasizes recognizing unhelpful behavior, taking personal responsibility, and practicing new relationship skills.
Emotionally Focused Therapy focuses more on emotional connection and attachment patterns, while the Gottman Method uses structured interventions to strengthen communication and manage conflict.
Emily leads with RLT because it pairs understanding with skills you can use the same week, and draws on her EFT training when appropriate.
RLT also changed Emily's own marriage.
Learn more from the Relational Life Institute.
Who We Work With
Family Matters Counseling supports married and unmarried couples in Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa and the East Valley, with online counseling available throughout Arizona.
Common reasons partners seek help include:
Frequent arguments and communication problems
Emotional distance or loss of physical intimacy
Infidelity, betrayal and difficulty rebuilding trust
Parenting disagreements and blended-family challenges
Financial stress and conflicting priorities
Separation uncertainty or major relationship changes
Religious trauma and differences in faith
Couples Counseling for Mixed-Faith Marriages
A faith transition can change how partners understand their marriage, parenting, community and future together.
Emily grew up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has training in religious trauma. She works with couples navigating differences in belief, including relationships where one partner remains religious while the other questions or leaves their faith.
Neither partner is expected to change their beliefs or make a predetermined decision about the marriage.
“I highly recommend her, especially for working with couples and families navigating religious trauma or leaving Mormonism.”
Kelsey L., Google review
Learn more about faith transition counseling.
When One of You Isn't Sure About Staying
Couples therapy can help when one partner wants to repair the relationship and the other isn't sure whether to continue.
Emily works with couples facing separation, divorce concerns, or different levels of commitment. Her eight years as a life and divorce coach inform her understanding of these difficult transitions.
Sessions provide space to explore what's happened, whether meaningful change is possible, and what each partner wants moving forward.
The goal isn't to pressure anyone into staying together or separating. It's to help you decide with less blame and, if you part, part in a way your kids can live with.
“She helped me gain a sense of self worth, and think about the kind of relationships I would want with my former spouse as we co-parent.”
Kristina L., Google review
If separation becomes the next step, divorce counseling may help with communication, emotional adjustment and co-parenting.
How Much Does Couples Therapy Cost in Gilbert?
$175
per 53-minute session
Couples therapy at Family Matters Counseling in Gilbert, AZ costs $175 per 53-minute session. The practice is private pay, with no required session package or long-term contract. You pay as you go.
Payment and Scheduling
Payment methods: Credit card, HSA card, PayPal or cash
Insurance: Private pay and out of network, so no surprise balance from an insurance claim
Cancellation policy: Tell us at least 24 hours ahead and you pay nothing
Appointments: In person or by secure video throughout Arizona
Can I Use Insurance for Couples Counseling?
Family Matters Counseling does not bill insurance directly. If your plan includes applicable out-of-network benefits, you may be eligible for reimbursement using a superbill. Coverage depends on your insurer's requirements and the services provided.
See our couples therapy session pricing for more information.
Your first call is free, with no obligation.
In Person in Gilbert or Online in Arizona
Family Matters Counseling offers couples therapy at its Gilbert office and through secure telehealth appointments for eligible clients across Arizona, so you can meet from home.
Gilbert Office
3303 S. Lindsay Rd, Suite 103
Gilbert, AZ 85297
The office is near Loop 202 and Lindsay Road, convenient for couples in Gilbert and nearby communities, including Chandler and Mesa.
Online Couples Therapy
Emily also offers secure video sessions for partners located in Arizona, at the same rate as in-person counseling.
“If you're looking for a therapist in Gilbert or wanting therapy via telemed she's the best!”
Megan A., Google review
Office Hours
Monday: 10am-7pm
Tuesday to Friday: 8am-8pm
Saturday: 8am-12pm
Sunday: By appointment
Evening and weekend appointments are with Karen Tabloff, LCSW only.
Couples Therapy FAQ
Yes. Marriage counseling and couples therapy both help partners address relationship problems, improve communication, and work through conflict. You don't need to be married to attend couples therapy at Family Matters Counseling.
The length of therapy depends on your concerns, goals, and progress. Many couples begin with weekly appointments, and Emily works with you to establish an appropriate plan.
You can start on your own. Emily can help you work on your side of the pattern and think through how to invite your partner in. Individual therapy can also help you examine your reactions, clarify your needs, and consider how to approach conversations about the relationship.
Yes. Couples therapy can help partners address the impact of infidelity, understand the breakdown in trust, and decide whether they want to rebuild their relationship. Emily works with couples navigating betrayal and difficult decisions about their future together.
Sometimes. In Relational Life Therapy, the way back together is for both of you to face the truth, even when it's uncomfortable. When one partner is clearly in the wrong, repair is a one-way street, and Emily leans toward one of you and calls out the other. She does it through what she calls “joining through the truth,” so it isn't completely one-sided, but she is honest. When she meets one of you alone, the other gets the same.
Yes. Family Matters Counseling provides secure online couples therapy for eligible clients located in Arizona. Video appointments follow the same session format and pricing as in-person visits.
Not directly. Family Matters Counseling is a private-pay practice and does not bill insurance. Out-of-network reimbursement may be available, depending on your plan. Contact us for details about superbills and payment options.
Not always. Joint couples therapy is not always appropriate when a relationship involves violence, intimidation, coercive control, or fear of a partner. If you have safety concerns, reach out privately to discuss an appropriate next step.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. You can also contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
Not Sure You're Ready?
“I had put off getting help and I wasn't sure if it was right for me, but it was one of the best decisions I have made thus far.”
Anna M., Google review
You don't need to have everything figured out before reaching out.
Tell us what's happening in your relationship and find out whether working with Emily Sanchez at Family Matters Counseling is the right next step.
You can call on your own. No obligation. Or text 480-331-5359.
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