- Relationship patterns
- Intimacy and kink
- Attachment work
About Siyi
Siyi Lai is a New York LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist) with four years of clinical experience. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, relationship and intimacy-related issues, self-esteem struggles, and life changes. Sessions are offered in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.
Lai draws on professional training and her own life experience to talk through sexual well-being and connection concerns. She helps people name what feels off, notice patterns from family of origin and attachment history, and practice concrete communication skills. Topics she commonly addresses include abandonment, attachment issues, avoidant personality traits, and intimacy around BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture.
She also supports people dealing with blended family issues, caregiver stress, body image, guilt and shame, control and communication problems, and separation or divorce. Her approach privileges clear, practical steps rather than abstract theory. Sessions often include direct conversation, skill-building, and reflecting on relationship patterns.
Clients can expect a collaborative process that looks at current problems alongside past influences. Lai pays attention to how attachment and family dynamics shape present behavior. She helps people experiment with different ways of relating and notice what changes in daily life.
Many people seek her out when a big life transition leaves them unsure what comes next. Her work is grounded and focused on what someone can try between sessions to test new ways of relating and managing stress.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online work
Evidence-based approaches often used for relationship and intimacy concerns include attachment-focused work and behavioral communication skills. Attachment-focused work looks at patterns rooted in early relationships and shows how those patterns shape current interactions. It helps people notice automatic reactions and try different ways of connecting in relationships.Behavioral communication skills focus on specific ways to talk and listen. This includes practicing requests, setting boundaries, and using brief exercises to reduce reactivity. These techniques can help with arguments, intimacy differences, and navigating consent or kink-related discussions.
Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the work. The therapist will collaborate with each client to choose methods that match their goals, needs, and pace. That choice is reviewed and adjusted as goals change so therapy stays practical and relevant.
The original profile does not list specific session formats, so confirm current options before booking. In general, online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy life, allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, and avoid travel. Licensed professionals often use online work to keep momentum between in-person visits or to connect when schedules or distance make in-person meetings difficult.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
4+ years
Listed in
New York
Languages
English, Mandarin, Cantonese
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of concerns does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, relationship and intimacy issues, self-esteem, and coping with life changes. Additional topics include attachment, body image, caregiver stress, and concerns around kink and BDSM culture.
How would she describe her therapeutic style?
The approach is practical and conversational, focusing on skill-building and examining relationship patterns. Work often includes communication practice and reflecting on family of origin or attachment history.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has four years of clinical experience as an LMFT in New York. Her background combines professional training with personal life experience relevant to relationships and sexual well-being.
Where is she licensed and based?
She is a New York LMFT and practices from that location. Sessions are offered in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.
Can I work with her if I live outside the United States?
International clients are not currently accepted. Work is provided to clients located in the region covered by her New York LMFT credential.
What session formats does she offer?
The original profile does not specify session formats. Please confirm current session options before booking a first appointment.
How does pricing work?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time. Specific rates depend on the plan chosen through the service.
How do I start a first session?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session. That process begins the intake and scheduling steps.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.