spiral2grow: Couples Therapy, Fees and How It Works

What is spiral2grow?

spiral2grow is a marriage and family therapy practice in Midtown Manhattan. It is run by one clinician, Moshe Ratson, who sees clients himself. The site describes the practice as offering coaching, psychotherapy, group counseling and relationship workshops, with a focus on practical, solution-focused work: "solving problems, reaching goals, and enhancing life."

Its home page leads with three reasons people get in touch:

• Couples in conflict: the same arguments keep repeating, or partners have stopped talking.
• After an affair: a structured way through the crisis for both partners.
• Anger and reactivity: anger that costs you at home or at work. Moshe is the author of a book on the subject, Anger Is Your Compass.

Beyond those, the practice offers individual therapy, premarital counseling, discernment counseling for couples unsure whether to stay together, family therapy, counseling for LGBTQ+ clients and non-monogamous relationships, executive, career, life and relationship coaching, and consulting for family-owned businesses.

Where the name comes from. The About page explains that the spiral stands for growth and development as people "evolve to a higher level." The practice says it applies what it calls a spiral evolution model at different levels: individuals, couples, families, groups and organizations.

Who is Moshe Ratson?

Moshe Ratson is the founder of spiral2grow and the practice's only clinician. According to his bio page:

• License: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), license #000697, licensed since 2006.
• Education: an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Iona College and an MBA from Baruch College.
• Memberships: clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
• Coaching: he has coached executives and individuals since 2000. The coaching page says he is a graduate of the Inner MBA program, which it describes as created by Sounds True, LinkedIn and Wisdom 2.0.
• Business background: the site says he spent many years as a business executive, including as Vice President of Sales at a Fortune 500 company, and built and sold startups. It presents this as the reason he combines therapy with executive coaching.
• Languages: born in Israel, fluent in English and Hebrew, and works with clients in both.
• Writing: author of Anger Is Your Compass and its companion workbook, and of the Psychology Today blog The Wisdom of Anger.

He describes his style as "direct, challenging and engaging, while being compassionate, caring and encouraging." The site lists what his approach emphasizes: a systemic and strategic process, a focus on strengths rather than pathology, practical and solution-focused work, and change built "through hard work, small steps and commitment."

Speaking. The Speaking page lists past lectures and workshops on anger, relationships and leadership, including talks at the New York chapter of AAMFT, 92Y and the New York Open Center between 2018 and 2020, and earlier talks for the Young Presidents' Organization and IBM.

Is spiral2grow legit? What can be checked

People reasonably want to check a therapist before booking. Here is what we could verify on 19 October 2026:

• A license number on every page. The site shows Moshe Ratson's LMFT license, #000697, in the header and footer of every page, and its bio page points readers to the New York State Office of the Professions to verify it.
• A federal registry listing. The national NPI registry (run by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) lists Moshe Ratson, NPI 1497398440, as an active individual provider with the taxonomy "Marriage & Family Therapist," New York license 000697, at 260 Madison Ave #8023 and phone 917-692-3867, which match the website.
• A published book and a long-running blog. Anger Is Your Compass has ISBN numbers on the site, and Psychology Today hosts his blog The Wisdom of Anger, with posts under his name.
• A physical office. The street address, suite number and cross streets (between 38th and 39th) are published, along with a phone number and email.
• Published review figures. The site shows 5.0 on Google from 23 reviews and 5.0 on Zocdoc from 24 reviews, and has a Client Reviews page. These are the practice's own displayed figures.
• Plain policies. The site spells out that the first session is charged, that it does not bill insurance, that cancellations need 48 hours' notice, and that it is not an emergency service.

We did not use the New York State license lookup itself, because it blocked automated checks when we tried. You can search license #000697 under "Marriage and Family Therapist" on the Office of the Professions website in a minute or two.

Services at a glance

Couples counseling and marriage therapy

Couples work is the center of the practice. The FAQ says plainly that couples therapy, marriage counseling and marital therapy "are the same thing": the focus is the relationship, not one person with a diagnosis. The site separates two pages mainly by audience. Couples counseling is open to partners who are dating, engaged or married. Marriage therapy is aimed at concerns that build up over years of marriage, such as living parallel lives, long stretches without intimacy, or a marriage whose future feels threatened.

Signs the site lists that a couple might use counseling: conversations that quickly turn into arguments, feeling unheard or dismissed, fading emotional or physical intimacy, broken trust, walking on eggshells, and the same conflicts repeating without resolution. It calls these "signals," not signs of failure.

What sessions work on. The couples page lists communicating without escalating, understanding each other's emotional needs, de-escalating arguments, rebuilding trust, strengthening intimacy and creating "a more secure, supportive partnership." For high-conflict couples, the first step is regulating emotional intensity rather than solving the issue, learning to "pause instead of react." The practice describes its model as strategic couples therapy: identifying the communication and behavior patterns that keep a problem going, skill-building (assertiveness, boundaries, emotional management) and periodic homework between sessions. Marriage therapy also covers intimacy and sex, which Moshe asks about "directly and respectfully."

If your partner won't come. You can start alone. The practice's view is that "when one person changes, the whole relationship dynamic often changes."

Who Moshe says he specializes in helping: high-conflict couples, professionals and executives, couples going through major life transitions, and individuals seeking emotional growth.

The site also has pages on couples therapy in Manhattan and on neighborhoods it says clients come from: Midtown, Murray Hill, the Upper East Side, the Upper West Side, Chelsea, Greenwich Village and the Financial District. All in-person sessions take place at the one Midtown office.

Infidelity counseling and affair recovery

The infidelity page describes affair recovery in four stages:

1. Stabilization: reducing the emotional chaos and creating immediate safety.
2. Understanding: exploring what led to the betrayal, "without blame or justification."
3. Rebuilding trust: transparency, accountability and consistency.
4. Reconnection: building a more intentional relationship going forward.

It describes separate work for each partner. For the partner who was betrayed: processing the impact, regaining a sense of control and clarifying needs and boundaries. For the partner who was unfaithful: taking responsibility without defensiveness and understanding the patterns or unmet needs behind the affair. The practice says trust is rebuilt "through consistent actions over time, not through promises."

The site is careful about outcomes: "Counseling does not promise an outcome, and some couples decide to go their separate ways." Infidelity counseling is offered to couples together and to individuals on their own. If one partner is unsure whether to stay, the site points to discernment counseling as a different starting point.

Premarital and discernment counseling

Premarital counseling is described as "preventative care" for engaged or seriously committed couples, ideally during the engagement or before a big step like the wedding or moving in together. You don't need to have problems to come. The program is customized, but the practice asks every couple to discuss communication and active listening, conflict resolution, money, intimacy and sexuality, spirituality and religion, roles and expectations, parenting and extended family. Sessions also look at trust, boundaries, cultural differences and a shared long-term vision. It is offered in person and online.

Discernment counseling is for couples where one or both partners are unsure whether to stay married, including "mixed-agenda" couples where one is leaning toward divorce and the other wants to save the marriage. The page describes it as structured and short-term, and says "the standard Discernment Counseling model generally involves between one and five sessions." Its purpose is clarity about three paths: keeping things as they are, moving toward separation, or committing to a serious effort in couples therapy. The site says the counselor does not try to talk the couple into staying together.

The page also says when discernment counseling may not be appropriate: when both partners have already firmly decided to divorce, when both are already committed to repair (regular couples therapy fits better), and when there is domestic violence, coercive control or other safety concerns, which "require careful assessment before joint counseling is considered."

Anger management: individual, couples, group and court-ordered

Anger is the topic Moshe is best known for, and the practice offers it in several formats.

Anger management therapy (individual or couples) treats anger as a signal rather than something to suppress. The site says you look at what triggers your anger, what it is trying to communicate and how past experiences shape your reactions, then practice pausing before reacting, calming your body, changing unhelpful thought patterns and communicating assertively. It is delivered as therapy by a licensed therapist, and the site notes it "does not stop at relaxation and more rational thinking."

Court-ordered anger management. The practice works with people required by a court, an employer or an attorney to attend, and provides a letter of completion when the agreed sessions are finished. The site advises checking with the court or your attorney first about how many sessions are needed and what the letter must say.

The anger management group is a limited-size group held online by video. The site says it "has run as a commitment of eight sessions, 75 minutes each," and participants are asked to get the book. Everyone has a one-on-one pre-group interview of about 45 minutes first, for screening and orientation. Dates are not posted: you join an interest list and ask about the schedule and fees when you get in touch. The group draws on CBT, DBT and ACT, along with ideas from Eastern psychology.

Anger management coaching for executives is one-on-one coaching for executives, managers and professionals; the site names corporate executives, attorneys, doctors, mental health professionals, law enforcement staff and athletes. Some clients refer themselves and some come through an employer. The work covers self-awareness of warning signs, "the pause," assertiveness and what Moshe calls the "Compassionate Warrior": a leader with "strength without hostility and conviction without arrogance."

Individual therapy and specialty groups

Individual therapy at spiral2grow is described as "a practical, collaborative process for change." The site lists anxiety, depression, anger, grief, trauma, relationship difficulties and self-doubt, and says many clients come because they keep repeating the same destructive patterns in relationships. It describes a six-step process: assessment, treatment planning, intervention, evaluating progress, revising the approach and resolving the issue, with ongoing feedback throughout.

The psychotherapy menu also includes pages on self-esteem and confidence, assertiveness training, social anxiety, life transitions, perfectionism, procrastination, fear of commitment, emotional intelligence, grief, adult ADHD and other topics, plus family therapy and sport and performance coaching. The group therapy page describes self-esteem and confidence and assertiveness groups alongside the anger group. Short-term groups on a specific issue typically run 8 to 12 sessions, according to the FAQ.

LGBTQ+ and non-monogamous relationships. Separate pages describe affirming counseling for gay and lesbian couples, bisexual and LGBTQ+ individuals, and people in open, polyamorous or non-monogamous relationships. The site says therapy "should not require you to explain or defend your identity," and that non-monogamy should be "an informed choice that is never forced." Topics listed include coming out, jealousy, agreements and boundaries, and whether to open a relationship.

Coaching and family business consulting

Coaching is the practice's second main line, and Moshe's mix of LMFT and MBA is the reason the site gives for it. The coaching pages cover executive, career, life and relationship coaching. The FAQ draws a clear line between the two services: coaching "is forward moving and focused on the future," built on goals, action and accountability, while therapy deals with "healing pain, dysfunction and conflict," often including the past.

Executive coaching is one-on-one and aimed at executives and senior leaders, founders, attorneys, doctors and people stepping into leadership roles. It starts with an assessment and a tailored plan, then an action plan with feedback and accountability. Typical themes are decision-making, communication, conflict, executive presence and stress. The site lists times it can help most: a new leadership role, a complex change program, re-evaluating your style, or self-doubt "despite apparent success."

Family business consulting looks at family relationships, ownership and management together. Common issues the site lists: conflict between relatives in leadership, blurred personal and professional boundaries, succession planning, misaligned vision and tension between generations. It covers leadership transition, roles for the next generation and preparing successors. The page states: "This is consulting and coaching for the business and the people who run it. It is not therapy."

Coaching and consulting are not healthcare and are not covered by health insurance, according to the fees page. The site notes some companies offer coaching as an employee benefit.

How Moshe works: the approaches he names

Moshe describes his work as integrative psychotherapy that "emphasizes systemic and relational perspectives and a solution orientation" and draws on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). On the couples, premarital, LGBTQ+ and non-monogamy pages he names three methods he combines:

• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): identifying emotional patterns and rebuilding secure attachment.
• Internal Family Systems (IFS): understanding the inner "parts" that drive reactions.
• The Gottman Method: practical tools for communication, conflict and trust.

The site also has pages on Imago couples therapy, ACT, DBT, schema therapy, interpersonal neurobiology, mindfulness-based stress reduction, solution-focused brief therapy, and philosophical and spiritual counseling. A Psychotherapy Approaches page explains how the practice thinks about choosing a method. It says techniques matter, but so do the client's own resources, the therapeutic relationship and hope.

The site does not list formal certification levels in these methods. If a specific training matters to you, ask on the free call.

Where is spiral2grow, online sessions and therapy in Hebrew

The office: 260 Madison Ave #8023, New York, NY 10016, between 38th and 39th Streets in Midtown Manhattan. The site always describes it as near Grand Central Station, and also mentions Murray Hill. It says the location was chosen for easy access for people who work in the city and those coming from the wider metro area.

Online sessions are live video sessions on Zoom, scheduled in advance, and the same 45 minutes as an office session. Couples can join from the same room or from two different places. Phone sessions are offered "for times when it is difficult or not feasible to meet face to face." The site says online sessions are open to New Yorkers who'd rather not travel and to people who live elsewhere; if you're unsure whether you can be seen online where you live, ask on the free phone call.

The practice is honest about online therapy's limits. In its own words, "nothing beats a face-to-face therapy session," and online sessions are not appropriate in an emergency, with thoughts of harming yourself or others, with psychotic symptoms, or when you need intensive support, a prescription or a medical diagnosis.

Hours are not published. The contact form lets you pick a preferred day (Monday to Sunday) and time of day, so ask what's available.

Therapy in Hebrew

Moshe was born in Israel and offers therapy and coaching in Hebrew, English or a mix of both, for individuals and couples, in person and online. The English Hebrew-speaking therapist page covers cultural fit, Israelis "living between two worlds" in New York, and couples where one partner is Israeli and the other American. The site also has a full Hebrew-language section with pages on couples therapy, marriage counseling, infidelity, premarital counseling, anger management, individual therapy, online therapy and coaching. To work in Hebrew, say so when you call.

How much does spiral2grow cost? Insurance and payment

Session fees are not published. The fees page says fees "depend on the service (couples or individual therapy, group, coaching or consulting) and are confirmed with you before the first session, so there are no surprises." Moshe goes over the cost on the free phone consultation.

Using out-of-network benefits. The site suggests calling the member services number on your insurance card and asking: whether your plan has out-of-network benefits for outpatient mental health; your out-of-network deductible and how much of it you've met; what share of the fee is reimbursed after that; whether couples or family therapy is covered; and whether a diagnosis is required for reimbursement. It adds that "the practice cannot promise what your insurer will reimburse."

What happens when you get in touch, and the policies

1. Request a consultation. Call (917) 692-3867, email info@spiral2grow.com, or use the contact form. The form asks who the help is for (a couple, an individual, a family or a business), in person or video, which service, how you'd like to be contacted, and your preferred day and time.
2. A free phone call with Moshe. About 15 minutes to describe what's going on, ask questions, hear about cost and see whether you feel comfortable working together. If the practice isn't the right fit, the FAQ says "you will be referred to someone else."
3. Schedule the first session. It's booked by phone. For an office visit, arrive 10 minutes early to complete standard intake forms.
4. Your first session. In person at the Midtown office or by video. It's a full working session, charged as usual.
5. Regular sessions. Usually weekly, 45 minutes each. Some clients meet every other week for family, work or financial reasons. Couples work may include homework between sessions.
6. Tapering and ending. The FAQ says there is no set length: "Therapy should continue as long as you are making progress." Clients often move to every other week or less toward the end, and "continuing or stopping is always your decision."

For the anger group, add a one-on-one pre-group interview of about 45 minutes before you join.

Session length, cancellations, confidentiality and emergencies

• Session length: 45 minutes, in the office or online. The anger group has run as 75-minute sessions.
• Cancellation: at least 48 hours' notice. A no-show without 48 hours' notice is charged the full session fee.
• Confidentiality: the practice says it will not disclose information about your sessions without your permission, except where the law requires it, for example child abuse or danger to yourself or others. Confidentiality is discussed before counseling begins. Group members commit to keeping what is said in the group confidential.
• Emergencies: spiral2grow "is not an emergency service and cannot respond to a crisis." The site repeats on every page: call or text 988, or call 911. The contact form is not monitored for emergencies.
• Technical problems online: a session cut short is resumed or rescheduled as soon as possible.

The book: Anger Is Your Compass

Anger Is Your Compass: Harness the Wisdom of Anger and Transform Your Life is Moshe Ratson's book (2023, according to the About page). It treats anger as "an inner GPS" pointing to four kinds of unmet needs: safety, positive regard, integrity and freedom. The book sets out three principles (responsibility, mindfulness, and compassion for self and other) and a three-step process: temper your temper, think compassionately, transform anger. The book page says it blends Eastern philosophy with Western psychology and neuroscience.

A companion Anger Is Your Compass Workbook (2025) turns the ideas into exercises you can use alone or between sessions. A Hebrew edition, הכעס הוא המצפן שלנו (ISBN 979-8-9864245-2-1), is sold through an Israeli bookseller, in print in Israel and as an e-book. The book page quotes endorsements from therapists and authors, including Steven Hayes, PhD, whom it identifies as the originator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Group participants are asked to get the book.

How it compares with other options

Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere

Questions to ask on the free call

1. What is the fee for the service I need (couples, individual, group or coaching), and do I qualify for the sliding scale?
2. What will the receipt include for my insurer, and does my plan need a diagnosis to reimburse couples therapy?
3. What days and times are open, in the office and online?
4. Can you see me online where I live?
5. Which approaches (EFT, Gottman, IFS, CBT) would you use with us, and why?
6. If my partner isn't ready to come, how would we start?
7. For court-ordered anger management: how many sessions do you plan, and what does your letter of completion state?
8. For the anger group: when does the next group start, and what does it cost?

How to get started

1. Read the Fees & Insurance page and the FAQ.
2. If you plan to use insurance, call your insurer about out-of-network mental health benefits first.
3. Request a free 15-minute phone consultation through the contact page, or call (917) 692-3867.
4. For the anger group or the relationship workshop, ask to join the interest list.
5. Book the first session by phone, and arrive 10 minutes early for intake forms if you meet in the office.

Visit spiral2grow

Terms you'll see on the site

• LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a state license to provide psychotherapy with a focus on relationships and families.
• MS MFT: a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy.
• AAMFT: the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, a professional association.
• ICF: the International Coaching Federation, a professional body for coaches.
• EFT: Emotionally Focused Therapy, a couples approach centered on emotional bonds and attachment.
• Gottman Method: a couples approach with structured tools for communication, conflict and trust.
• IFS: Internal Family Systems, an approach that works with the different "parts" of a person.
• CBT, DBT, ACT: cognitive behavioral, dialectical behavior, and acceptance and commitment therapy.
• Discernment counseling: short-term counseling for couples deciding whether to work on the marriage or separate.
• Out-of-network: a provider who isn't contracted with your insurer; your plan may reimburse part of the fee.
• Sliding scale: a reduced fee based on what a client can afford.
• HSA / FSA: health savings and flexible spending accounts, pre-tax accounts often usable for therapy.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

All pages checked on 19 October 2026.

1. spiral2grow home page: spiral2grow.com
2. Frequently Asked Questions: spiral2grow.com/faq/
3. Fees & Insurance: spiral2grow.com/fees-insurance/
4. Moshe Ratson, MBA, MS MFT, LMFT (bio): spiral2grow.com/moshe-ratson-lmft/
5. About spiral2grow: spiral2grow.com/about-spiral2grow-new-york/
6. Contact: spiral2grow.com/contact-spiral2grow/
7. All services: spiral2grow.com/all-services/
8. Relationship pages: Couples Counseling, Marriage Therapy, Infidelity Counseling, Premarital Counseling, Discernment Counseling, Couples Therapy in Manhattan, Midtown Manhattan, Family Therapy
9. LGBTQ+ and non-monogamy pages: LGBTQ+ Counseling, Non-Monogamous Relationships
10. Anger pages: Anger Management Therapy, Anger Management Group, Anger Management for Executives, Anger Is Your Compass
11. Individual and group therapy: Individual Therapy, Group Therapy, Psychotherapy Approaches, EFT, Gottman Method
12. Online sessions: spiral2grow.com/online-counseling-new-york/
13. Hebrew: Hebrew-Speaking Therapist, Hebrew section
14. Coaching and consulting: Coaching, Executive Coaching, Family Business Consulting
15. Workshops and speaking: Relationship Workshop, Speaking
16. Client Reviews: spiral2grow.com/testimonials/
17. Disclaimer and privacy policy: Disclaimer, Privacy Policy
18. NPI Registry, Moshe Ratson, NPI 1497398440: npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov
19. Psychology Today blog, The Wisdom of Anger: psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-wisdom-of-anger
20. New York State Office of the Professions, license verification: op.nysed.gov/verification-search
21. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988lifeline.org