Kindfulness · Vasastan & online
Couples Therapy in Stockholm with Jivan & Alf
The same argument does not have to keep ending in the same place. We help you slow things down, hear what is really happening for each of you, and begin talking in a way that brings more understanding and closeness.
We offer couples therapy in person at Markvardsgatan 5, 113 53 Stockholm, as well as online.
You may love each other and still feel stuck. The same argument returns. One of you tries to talk while the other withdraws. Or perhaps daily life works, but affection, intimacy or trust has gradually weakened.
Often, both partners can see the pattern clearly once the argument is over. The difficult part is recognising it while it is happening—when one of you becomes defensive, pushes for an answer or pulls away. In couples therapy, we slow those moments down, help you express what is happening underneath the reaction, and make it easier to hear one another without falling into the same conflict again.
Why we work as two
Two Therapists, Two Perspectives, One Shared Process
Working with a female and a male therapist brings two different perspectives into the room. We do not assume that women and men experience relationships in the same way, and we do not take sides. Instead, our different personalities, training and life experience complement one another and help us offer a more balanced, well-rounded session.
Together, we create space for both of you to feel heard and supported while keeping the relationship itself at the centre. We may notice different aspects of the same conversation, share what we see and help you understand one another more clearly. The aim is not to decide who is right, but to help both of you feel met and find a way forward together.
- Two therapists with different but complementary qualities
- Balanced attention and support for both partners
- More than one perspective on what is happening
- Space to express yourselves without taking sides
- Practical tools to use at home and in everyday life
Other ways to work with us
Individual Therapy in Stockholm and Online
Couples therapy remains the main focus of Kindfulness. We also offer individual therapy and professional support for relationship patterns, emotional difficulties, life transitions and personal development.
Individual Therapy with Jivan
Individual therapy for relationship difficulties, emotional stress, self-esteem, life transitions and patterns that are difficult to change alone.
- Individual counselling in Stockholm or online
- Family Constellations sessions
- Women’s work and retreats
- Time for Femininity, created by Diana Richardson
Therapy & Coaching with Alf
Individual therapy, coaching and supportive conversations for relationship difficulties, stress, life transitions and decisions that require clearer direction.
- Individual therapy sessions
- Coaching and personal development
- Supportive conversations
- Sessions in Stockholm or online
Love in everyday life
Everyday Tools That Build Love and Connection
A relationship is not strengthened only by resolving problems. Love also grows through ordinary moments—how we greet each other, listen, show appreciation, share affection and respond when our partner reaches for connection.
When the relationship is nourished in everyday life, small annoyances often carry less weight. Disagreements may still happen, but it becomes easier to stay connected and find your way back to one another.
In couples therapy, we help you turn these ideas into simple practices that fit your relationship and everyday life. This part of our work is inspired by the Gottman Method’s emphasis on appreciation and turning toward one another, together with Diana Richardson’s approach to slowing down, presence and unpressured closeness.
Notice and Appreciate
Express what you value in your partner. A genuine thank you, a kind word or noticing something they have done can change the feeling between you.
Turn Toward Each Other
Listen when your partner wants to share something, respond to small invitations for connection and make room for one another in daily life.
Make Space for Closeness
Slow down together without an agenda. Affection, touch, humour and simply being present can help emotional and physical closeness grow naturally.
Our approach
Practical Tools and Deeper Connection
Couples therapy is not about being told who is right or receiving a list of communication rules. We help you understand what happens between you, practise new ways of speaking and listening, and strengthen the friendship, affection and intimacy that make your relationship worth caring for.
Our work brings together Imago Relationship Therapy, the Gottman Method, psychosynthesis, empathic communication, body awareness, meditation and Diana Richardson’s approach to presence and intimacy. Some of these approaches offer practical tools you can use at home. Others help you slow down, notice what you are feeling and become more present with one another. Together, they allow us to work with both the difficulties you face and the love and connection you want more of.
Common reasons couples contact us:
- Recurring conflict or difficulty communicating
- Emotional withdrawal, loneliness or growing distance
- Loss of trust after an affair or betrayal
- Jealousy, insecurity or fear of abandonment
- Parenting stress and different approaches to family life
- Grief, major life changes or prolonged stress
- Past trauma affecting closeness and connection
- Difficulties with affection, intimacy or sex
- Addiction or compulsive behaviour affecting the relationship
Couples therapy can support the relationship when addiction or compulsive behaviour is present, but it does not replace specialist treatment.
Ways to support your relationship
Couples Therapy, Workshops & Retreats
Different couples need different kinds of support. Private couples therapy gives you a consistent and confidential space to work with what is happening between you. Workshops and retreats offer dedicated time to learn, practise and reconnect away from the pressures of everyday life.
Some couples come during a difficult period. Others want to take care of their relationship, deepen intimacy or protect the closeness they already share. You do not need to wait until the relationship is in crisis.
Couples Therapy
Private 100-minute sessions with both of us in Vasastan or online, shaped around your relationship and what you would like help with.
Couples Workshops
Practical, guided experiences where you learn tools for communication, appreciation, intimacy and everyday connection.
Couples Retreats
More time to slow down, enjoy being together and deepen your connection through guided sessions, practical exercises and space away from daily responsibilities.
What couples share
Experiences of Working With Us
We came to couples therapy feeling stuck in the same conflicts and unsure how to talk without things escalating. The sessions helped us slow down and understand each other better.Couple in Stockholm
Thank you, Alf and Jivan, for our powerful couples-therapy journey. You helped us return to something we had been missing and guided us back into connection.Couple in Sweden
Meet Jivan & Alf
Different Strengths, Working Together
We are therapists, teachers and partners in life. Both our work and our own relationship have taught us that closeness needs care. Love can remain strong even when communication becomes difficult, and small changes in how we listen and respond can open something new between us.
Jivan brings steadiness, warmth and a lively sense of humour. She is trained in Imago Relationship Therapy and works with the Gottman approach, Family Constellations, meditation and body awareness. Being at ease with herself helps her stay grounded when strong feelings enter the room—and difficult conversations do not always have to feel heavy.
Alf is a therapist, coach and behavioural scientist who taught at Humanova for around twelve years, including training future couples and relationship therapists. One of his particular strengths is seeing possibilities where others may see obstacles. He helps couples recognise openings and choices that can be difficult to find when they feel discouraged or stuck.
We do not work in exactly the same way, and that is one of our strengths. We notice different things, complement one another and bring our perspectives together—creating a balanced session in which both partners and the relationship receive support.
Meet Jivan
In this short video, Jivan shares one simple relational practice that can change how we meet the people we love.
Before your first session
Real Questions Couples Ask
What happens in the first couples therapy session?
The first session gives us time to understand what brings you here and what each of you hopes will change. We listen to both perspectives, begin noticing the pattern between you and help you identify a useful place to start. You do not need to prepare anything or agree on exactly what the problem is.
What if one of us wants therapy more than the other?
This is very common. You do not both need to arrive with the same level of certainty or enthusiasm. We make room for hesitation and help you explore what each of you needs in order to feel comfortable participating.
Will you take sides?
No. We may sometimes challenge one of you or draw attention to something important, but our role is not to decide who is right. With two therapists, there is more room for both experiences to be heard while we remain focused on the relationship.
What if we start arguing during the session?
You do not need to behave perfectly in front of us. If a familiar argument begins, it can help us understand what happens between you. We slow the conversation down and help you find a different way to express what you are feeling and needing.
Can couples therapy help after an affair or betrayal?
Couples therapy can provide a structured place to talk about what happened, understand its impact and explore whether trust can be rebuilt. The process takes honesty, time and willingness from both partners, and we will not pressure you toward a particular decision about the relationship.
Can we talk about sex and intimacy?
Yes. Differences in desire, loss of affection, sexual disconnection and difficulty talking about intimacy are common reasons couples contact us. These conversations are approached with sensitivity, respect and without pressure or judgement.
How many sessions will we need?
There is no fixed number. Some couples come for help with a specific situation, while others want support over a longer period. After meeting you, we can discuss a rhythm that fits your needs and review together whether the sessions continue to feel useful.
Why meet with two therapists?
Two therapists bring different perspectives, qualities and experience into the room. We complement one another and can pay attention to both partners while keeping the relationship at the centre. Many couples appreciate the balance and support this creates.
How much does couples therapy cost?
A 100-minute couples therapy session with both Jivan and Alf costs 2,900 SEK per couple.
Ett parterapisamtal på 100 minuter med både Jivan och Alf kostar 2 900 kr per par.
Where do sessions take place, and which languages do you offer?
We offer 100-minute couples therapy sessions at Markvardsgatan 5, 113 53 Stockholm, and online. Sessions are available in English or Swedish.
Couples therapy can support many relationship difficulties, but it may not be suitable where there is ongoing violence, coercion or fear. Please seek specialist support if immediate safety is a concern.
Start With a Free 15-Minute Call
Not sure whether couples therapy with us is right for you? You are welcome to begin with a free 15-minute call. You can tell us a little about what brings you here, ask questions and get a sense of how it feels to speak with us. There is no pressure to book a session afterwards.
From the Kindfulness blog
Reflections on Love and Relationships
Bringing Back Intimacy and Sex in a Long-Term Relationship
How emotional safety, presence and everyday moments can help physical closeness begin to return.
When You Carry the Life of Everyone Else
The invisible mental load, resentment and how couples can move toward more shared responsibility.
Feeling More Like Friends Than Romantic Partners?
Why emotional and physical closeness can fade—and how couples can begin finding one another again.
