Daria Nektorova
Gestalt therapist in Tel Aviv and online

Relationship and couples therapy in Tel Aviv and online

I’m Daria Nektorova, a Gestalt therapist and supervisor, member of the European Association for Gestalt Therapy (EAGT). I help individuals and couples with relationship difficulties — in English and Russian.

In private practice since 2018, working with couples since 2020. In therapy we don’t look for who is to blame; we explore what happens between people — and how it can change. I also work with international and mixed couples.

What people come to me with

the same conflicts with your partner keep coming back;
it’s hard to build a close relationship;
it’s difficult to talk about your feelings and needs;
fear of losing the relationship or being rejected;
a crisis, an affair or a separation — and you’re not sure whether to stay together;
partners who want to learn to hear each other again.

Formats and fees

Individual therapy, 55 minutesIn person in Tel Aviv — ₪400Online — ₪350 / €85

Couples therapy, 90 minutesIn person in Tel Aviv — ₪600Online — ₪530 / €125

In-person sessions take place at Carlebach St 10, Tel Aviv. Online sessions are held on Zoom for clients in Israel, Europe, the US, Canada and elsewhere — see online therapy for expats.

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Below is an article on why close relationships matter so much and when it makes sense to seek help.

Why close relationships matter so much

Some of our strongest emotional experiences are connected to relationships. A lack of closeness or mutual understanding, the fear of losing someone important, separation, and loss can hurt deeply.

Sometimes loneliness within a relationship that formally continues can be just as painful.

This vulnerability does not mean that we are too dependent or ask too much of others. The need for emotional connection is one of our basic human needs. From the beginning of life, we come to know ourselves and the world through contact with other people.

Why connection with other people matters

The work of English psychiatrist John Bowlby on attachment and the effects of separation helped show how important a stable bond with a significant adult is for a child. In a report prepared for the World Health Organization, Bowlby brought together observations of children growing up without family care and described how prolonged emotional deprivation could affect their development.

Observations by psychoanalyst René Spitz of children raised in institutions added to this picture. Even when food and physical care were provided, the prolonged absence of stable emotional contact was associated with severe developmental difficulties and depression-like states. In the most serious cases, the risk of death also increased.

A child needs a consistent, predictable and emotionally available adult who notices their signals and responds not only through physical care, but also through social connection:
• eye contact and a smile directed at them;
• questions addressed personally to them;
• individual, responsive attention.

Without these elements, a person may feel unseen. We are deeply social beings, and close, supportive relationships become especially important during war, crisis, illness or other difficult periods. Connection with other people often helps us endure uncertainty and protect our emotional and physical wellbeing.

Today we expect more from relationships

For many people, it is no longer enough for a relationship simply to exist. We want not only a shared life and stability, but also emotional closeness, respect, safety, mutual interest and the possibility of talking about what matters.

At the same time, no partner can constantly provide another person with happiness and security. Closeness is not built on complete agreement, but on the ability to notice differences, tolerate them and negotiate.

When we speak about closeness, we do not necessarily mean a romantic partner. A meaningful bond may exist with friends, children, parents, siblings or other important people. One person cannot meet all of our needs for connection. Our wellbeing therefore depends not only on a couple, but also on a wider network of relationships — people with whom we can be different, ask for support, share our experience and feel that we belong.

The value of these relationships becomes especially visible during emigration, crises, illness, loss of work and other major life changes. When familiar sources of stability disappear, relationships help us live with uncertainty and gradually create new support.

When relationships become a reason to seek help

You may want to contact a Gestalt therapist if:

you find it difficult to build close relationships;
there are too many recurring arguments and conflicts in an important relationship;
you feel lonely even though you are in a relationship;
you hold back dissatisfaction and do not speak about your feelings and needs;
you are afraid of closeness or, conversely, live with a constant fear of loss;
you do not know how to set personal boundaries without guilt;
similar painful patterns repeat in relationships with different people;
you are going through a crisis, separation, infidelity or a loss of trust;
you want to understand whether the relationship can change and what direction to take next.

How therapy can help

You do not have to wait until a relationship becomes unbearable. Sometimes it is enough to notice that your usual ways of talking, becoming close or resolving conflict no longer help.