Siyi Lai, LMFT

Siyi Lai is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) based in New York. She brings four years of clinical experience and personal life experience to work with people who want healthier relationships and better sexual wellbeing. Siyi speaks English, Mandarin, and Cantonese and focuses on clear, practical guidance during sessions.

She helps people manage stress and anxiety and talks through relationship and intimacy concerns. Siyi also supports people facing self-esteem struggles and coping with life changes. Her practice includes attention to caregiver stress and a range of relationship patterns tied to attachment and abandonment concerns.

Clients may bring issues like communication problems, blended family challenges, divorce and separation, and family of origin difficulties. She also works with people navigating body image, gender dysphoria, guilt, shame, control issues, and alternative sexual cultures such as BDSM and kink. Sessions aim to be straightforward and problem-focused so people can try new ways of relating and feeling safer in themselves.

Siyi uses evidence-based therapeutic techniques and adapts them to each person’s situation. She sees therapy as collaborative work where practical skills and honest conversation matter. Her background in diverse careers and life transitions informs a down-to-earth approach to helping people find more satisfying connections.

To begin, people choose the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule based on therapist availability.

Evidence-based approaches and how they work online

Siyi draws on evidence-based therapeutic techniques that focus on changing unhelpful patterns and improving how people relate. One common approach involves identifying patterns in thoughts and behavior, then practicing small changes to reduce anxiety and improve mood; this helps with stress, worry, and self-esteem concerns. Another approach centers on attachment and relationship dynamics, helping people understand how past relationships shape current intimacy and communication, and then trying new ways of connecting.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will work with each person to pick techniques that match their goals and preferences. Together they review what is working, adjust strategies, and set simple, achievable steps between sessions so progress feels tangible.

Confirm session options before booking since formats were not specified in the profile. In general, online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, allow shorter check-ins when needed, and remove travel time. It also lets people attend from different locations within the therapist's service area, which can help maintain continuity of care while balancing caregiving and other responsibilities.