Arta Rahmani

Counseling Intern
Supervised by Claudia Thompson, LPC-S, LMFT-S

Arta is a therapist intern who works with couples who feel stuck. Maybe you’re having the same argument over and over, or one of you is trying to get closer while the other pulls away. Maybe you’ve both started shutting down because it feels safer than trying to connect and getting it wrong again. Her clients often feel misunderstood by their partner—like no matter what they say or do, they can’t quite reach each other.

Arta has always valued being able to communicate well, but she knows that especially in our most important relationships, it’s hard not to get swept up in your own reactions. When emotions run high, it’s easy to respond in ways that push your partner further away, even when what you really want is to feel close. Learning to respond authentically while also holding space for your partner is an ongoing practice, and it’s what brought Arta to this work. She wants to help couples develop the skills to navigate hard conversations with confidence and care.

In sessions, Arta listens without judgement. She pays attention not just to what you’re saying, but to what might be going unsaid—the feelings underneath the words. She wants to be a safe place where couples can talk about anything—from the vulnerable stuff you’re scared to say out loud to the everyday frustrations that keep piling up. Arta helps partners hear each other differently and understand what they’re really trying to communicate beneath the conflict or distance.

Approach to Counseling

Sessions with Arta usually start with what’s been happening that week—what’s come up between you, what’s felt hard. She asks questions to understand the details and the emotions driving them. As she gets to know you, she’ll point out patterns she notices and help you see the ways you might be missing each other.

Arta works from an attachment and differentiation lens, which means she helps you understand how your past experiences show up in your relationship and how to stay grounded in yourself while staying connected to your partner. She helps couples recognize pursuer-distancer dynamics and break the cycles that leave both people feeling alone. Sessions often include conversations about values—making sure you’re aligned in how you want to live your lives together, including how you parent if you have kids.

Therapy with Arta is about learning to respond rather than react, and building the skills to have hard conversations without losing each other in the process.

Education

Arta is completing her Master’s in Counseling at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, with dual LMFT/LPC tracks. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Texas State University.

As an Iranian American who is bilingual in Farsi and English, Arta brings an understanding of how culture and family background shape the way we connect with others.

Arta is continuing her training in attachment theory, differentiation-based couples therapy, and working with developmental trauma. She draws from the work of David Schnarch, Esther Perel, and NARM therapy.