Elvan Kama Kurtz

Hi, I'm Elvan Kama Kurtz. I'm the founder of Praxis Relationship Therapy and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Pennsylvania. I work with adult individuals and couples who feel stuck in painful relationship patterns and want real, meaningful change.

My professional journey began with a double major in Psychology and Sociology at Koc University Istanbul, Türkiye and continued with my master's degree in Family Therapy at Drexel University in the United States. I've spent over a decade working with individuals and couples navigating communication breakdowns, sexual intimacy issues, betrayal trauma and affair recovery, depression, anxiety, grief, life transitions, workplace and caregiver burnout, parent and adult child relationship dynamics, parents trying to conceive, narcissistic abuse recovery, and complex relationship challenges.

I'm bilingual in English and Turkish, and as a dual citizen of Türkiye and the U.S., I warmly welcome clients from diverse cultural and relational backgrounds.

I offer telehealth across Pennsylvania.

I'm a proud mom of two rescue dogs, powered by coffee, great music, and dark humor. I have huge respect for art and artists, and an endless curiosity about the world. I truly love traveling and meeting people from different cultures and learning their stories along the way!

Through my work, I support adult individuals and couples in understanding themselves more deeply in their emotional patterns, unmet attachment needs, psychological barriers to intimacy, communication styles, and the relationship cycles they often feel trapped in. I help my clients gently identify what keeps repeating in their relationships and guide them toward healthier, more secure and emotionally connected ways of relating, both with others and with themselves.

I believe therapy should feel both supportive and purposeful, not just reflective.

I value evidence-based approaches and practical tools clients can actually use in their lives.

I'm trained in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Gottman Method Affair Recovery, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Grief Counseling and Adult ADHD. I care deeply about emotional safety, honesty, transparency and accountability.

I'm direct in my work, while staying warm and deeply respectful of your pace, readiness and where you are in your process.

I believe nothing in relationships happens in isolation. Context matters. This is where my sociology background and systems-oriented training come in; helping my clients understand not just what is happening but why, and how their relationships, culture, age, race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientations, upbringing, socioeconomic status, religion and environment... all play a role in their mental health.

I work exclusively with adults - individuals and couples who are ready to look deeper.

Top 3 specialties: 1. Infidelity and Betrayal Trauma 2. Marital and Premarital Counseling 3. Relationship Issues

Many of my clients are insightful, capable people who have tried everything they know, yet still feel stuck. Therapy with me helps them finally understand why, and what to do differently.

In your first session with me, you can expect a warm, structured, and collaborative conversation focused on getting to know you, and what you are hoping to change. We will begin by exploring your previous therapy experiences, including what felt helpful, what did not work for you, and what you would like to be different this time. I will invite you to share what brings you to therapy now, what feels most urgent, and what you would like your relationships and your life to look like moving forward. We will also talk about your strengths as an individual and couple, your goals, expectations from therapy, and any concerns you may have about starting this process.

A central focus of the first session is to establish emotional safety and rapport. You will always feel respected, understood, and supported by me as you share your story. You do not need to have everything figured out prior to starting to therapy. This is a space where we being making sense of challenges together, at your own pace.

Because my approach is grounded in praxis, putting insight and theory into practice, we will also begin discussing how therapy will be active and skill-based, not just reflective. Over time, our work will focus on understanding patterns, strengthening emotional connection, improving communication, and developing practical tools you can use in your everyday life and relationships. My goal is to help you have the relationship that you not only want but deserve.

If you are coming in as a couple, I will help create a balanced and respectful space where both partners can feel heard. We will begin identifying areas of strength as well as patterns that feel most stuck or painful. Increasing your relationship satisfaction is my top priority.

Above all, your first session is about starting our therapeutic relationship built on trust, collaboration, and clarity. I am looking forward to meeting you!