COUPLES THERAPY DUBAI · ARABIC
ENGLISH & FRENCH
Your relationship can move forward.
With the right help.
Whether you're facing communication breakdown, conflict cycles, growing apart, infidelity or thinking about separation; There is a way forward. Sarah El Nabulsi is a trilingual couples therapist in Dubai, with over 15 years of experience helping couples rebuild, reconnect, and decide with clarity.
"Sara is an excellent counselor with great deal of experience and is absolutely great, highly recommended."
K. J., Google Review, Dubai
15y+
Years of experience in U.A.E.
DHA
Licensed and Certified
eNGLISH
Arabic & French Sessions
In-person
And Online Sessions
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
Does Any of This Sound
Familiar?
Every couple that comes to Sarah has a different story but the pain has undeniable patterns Sarah El Nabulsi Says. looks the same.
Every conversation becomes an argument
You want to talk but it always ends the same way in distance or silence.
Trust has been broken
Infidelity, dishonesty, or betrayal has left you wondering if you can ever feel safe again.
You feel like roommates, not partners
The intimacy and connection that used to be there has slowly disappeared.
You're not sure whether to stay or leave
You love each other but don't know if what you have can be repaired.
Conflict that keeps escalating
The same fights, over and over. Small disagreements spiral into something much bigger and you don't know how to stop the cycle.
Cultural and family pressures
Navigating two backgrounds, families, or traditions that pull in different directions.
You want to start strong
Pre-marital couples who want to build the right foundation before saying yes.
YOUR THERAPIST
Sarah El Nabulsi,
M.Sc., M.A., M.A.
DHA Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Clinical Director
Dubai Health Authority certified & licensed
Gottman Method Trained
Evidence-based couples therapy approaches
15+ Years Experience
Worked with couples from 20+ cultural backgrounds
Triilingual Arabic, English & French
Lebanese-Canadian, culturally fluent in the UAE context
WHY COUPLES CHOOSE SARAH
Not just talk. A structured path to real change.
Sarah El Nabulsi doesn't believe in open-ended, directionless sessions. From the first appointment, sessions focus on clarity, tools and practical steps, not only on being heard.
Her approach combines the rigour of the Gottman Method and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with deep cultural fluency. Having worked with couples from over 20 nationalities including Arab, Western, mixed-cultural, and expat couples she understands that the context of your relationship matters as much as its content.
She works with couples in crisis and couples who want to grow. Whether you're on the edge of separation or simply feeling disconnected, her goal is the same: to give you both the tools and the insight to move forward together or separately with clarity and dignity.
Insurance & Payment
Sessions are available on a pay and claim basis. You pay for your session directly and we provide the necessary documentation to submit a reimbursement claim to your insurance provider.
For U.A.E. Residents contact us for guidance on the process.
WHAT TO EXPECT
What couples work on
Every couple is different. Sessions usually work on one or more of these areas.
A clear path to restoring trust after infidelity, dishonesty, or emotional distance.
Rebuilding trust
Practical tools to have hard conversations without them turning into fights.
Communication
Reconnecting emotionally and physically after periods of distance or shutdown.
Reconnecting
Breaking the cycle of recurring fights: learning to disagree without hurting each other.
Conflict resolution skills
WHAT TO EXPECT
How couples therapy works with Sarah
A clear, structured process not open-ended conversation without direction.
01
First Couple of sessions: Assessment
Sarah listens to both of you, together and individually to understand the full picture of your relationship without judgement.
02
Identifying patterns
Using Gottman Method and CBT frameworks, she identifies the specific cycles that are keeping you stuck and causing harm.
03
Tools & techniques
You receive concrete, evidence-based tools you can use conflict de-escalation techniques, communication frameworks & emotional regulation strategies.
04
Ongoing work & growth
Sessions continue at the pace you need, until you both feel equipped to move forward with confidence, not dependency.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What Couples Usually Ask
Before Booking
We keep having the same fight over and over. Can therapy actually break that cycle?
Yes. Recurring conflict is a common reason couples seek therapy. Recurring conflict usually follows a predictable pattern driven by unmet needs, attachment triggers, or poor communication habits. Using Gottman Method and CBT frameworks, Sarah helps couples identify exactly what is driving the cycle and gives both partners specific tools to interrupt and redirect it.
Do both partners need to come to every session?
Most sessions involve both partners together. In some cases, Sarah may request individual sessions as part of the process to better understand each person's perspective. This is decided together at the start.
How many sessions will we need?
This varies depending on the complexity and history of your situation. Some couples need only a few sessions; others benefit from a longer engagement. Sarah will give you an honest assessment after the first session.
Can we do sessions in Arabic?
Yes. Sarah is fully fluent in Arabic and English, and couples can choose to conduct sessions in either language or switch between them freely.
Are sessions confidential?
Yes. What you discuss in sessions is kept confidential, within the limits that apply to every licensed clinician in the UAE. Sarah's practice is governed by DHA licensing standards and professional ethics.
What if only one of us wants to come?
Individual therapy for relationship issues is also available. Sometimes one partner starting the process creates enough shift that the other follows. Get in touch and Sarah's team will advise on the best first step.
Do you offer online sessions?
Yes. Both in-person sessions at Dr Reuter Medical Center in Jumeirah, Dubai, and online sessions via video are available. Online is popular with couples where one or both partners travel frequently.
Do you offer virtual couples therapy for Lebanese couples in the UAE?
Yes. Sarah is Lebanese-Canadian, has been based in Dubai for over 15 years, and has worked with couples from more than 20 cultural backgrounds, including Lebanese and wider Arab couples. Cultural fit matters in couples therapy: when your therapist already understands the family dynamics, unspoken expectations and cultural context you grew up with, you can spend less time explaining yourself and more time working on the issue. Sessions are in Arabic, English or French, whichever feels most natural for you both. Online sessions are available for couples living in the UAE, which suits partners who travel often.
Q: Is couples therapy covered by insurance in Dubai?
Sessions run on a pay-and-claim basis: you pay for your session directly at Dr Reuter Medical Center, Jumeirah, and the clinic provides the documentation needed to submit a reimbursement claim to your provider. Coverage varies by insurer and plan, so it's worth confirming your specific policy's mental health and outpatient therapy benefits before booking. Get in touch and Sarah's team can walk you through what documentation you'll need for your provider.
