WHO I AM
Katya Gruzglina, LMFT (she/her)
Life often teaches us that certain emotions aren't okay to have.
Sometimes this happens through big, overwhelming experiences like loss, danger, or relationships that didn't feel safe. Other times it's more subtle: years of being told (directly or not) that your emotions were too much, not enough, or inconvenient. Either way, these experiences fundamentally change how we see ourselves, our relationships, and the world around us — leaving the nervous system stuck in protection mode long after the moment has passed.
Stress and pain that has no place to go doesn't just disappear. It gets stored, and finds its own way out: through anxiety, depression, outbursts, shutdown, or patterns like compulsivity, addiction, or self-sabotage.
Therapy offers you a place to do it differently. Instead of treating emotions as problems to override, we use them as signals to tune into. Together, we'll work to understand the stories your emotions and body are telling, tracing them back to where they began, and begin to restore a sense of safety, connection, and self-trust.
I see therapy as a partnership— we’ll rely on your self-knowledge and goals to guide the process.
My style is collaborative, warm, and at times direct. While I bring clinical expertise and advanced training to our work, my priority is to provide a safe, curious, and compassionate space where new possibilities for healing and transformation can unfold.
Training & Education
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M.S in Psychology; concentration in Marriage & Family Therapy— Our Lady of the Lake University
M.M in Vocal Performance— Rice University
B.M in Vocal Performance— The Juilliard School
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Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Hospital— Couples Therapist
Center for Intimacy Recovery— Associate Therapist
Touchstone Psychology— Associate Therapist
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Core Skills in Emotionally Focused Therapy— New York Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy
Externship in Emotionally Focused Therapy— New York Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy
IFS Training— Level 1 Certified
Gottman Training— Level 1 Certified
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International Center for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT)
New York Center for Emotionally Focused Therapy (NYCEFT)
A note on my training & background.
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and trauma-informed approaches. I continue to pursue specialized training in working with LGBTQIA+ relationships, ethical non-monogamy (ENM), and diverse relationship structures to make therapy more inclusive and accessible.
Before becoming a therapist, I worked as a classical singer. My years in the performing arts taught me how emotion lives in the body—how expression, vulnerability, and connection can be the bedrock of healing. That experience continues to shape my therapeutic work today, helping me guide clients toward deeper emotional awareness and authenticity.
My clinical background includes work at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Hospital, where I supported veterans and their partners in navigating the impact of trauma on their relationships. That experience deepened my belief in the resilience of people and the power of emotionally focused, attuned work to heal wounds and foster secure, fulfilling connection.
In my current practice, I work with couples navigating the complexities of intimacy, individuals living with anxiety or depression, and those exploring identity, sexuality, and what it means to show up as their most authentic self. As a queer, immigrant, and trauma-informed therapist, I welcome all identities and celebrate all parts of who you are.