A discrete place to talk about sex, love, and your relationships.

Ari Lewis

(he, him, his) M.A.PP., M.A., Ed.M, LMHC

From kink and BDSM issues to high and low sexual desire—from opening a relationship to figuring out how to navigate polyamorous parenting—jealousy issues, insecurity, compulsive sexual behaviors, infidelity, trauma, existential anxieties, addiction, dating—I work with all things sex, love, and relationships. For each person who walks through my door (physical or digital), I taylor a therapy designed just for you and your circumstances so you can get better, feel better, connect authentically with the people who are important in your life, and--most importantly--live a life well lived.

Psychotherapy is a labor of love. Sometimes we will laugh and sessions will feel like a game of fitting the puzzle pieces together. Other times, you may need to cry. And often, you may just need this space to talk. I am here for it all. Together, we will explore a variety of trauma informed and empirically backed treatment methods to ensure that each session is designed to help you heal and grow.

Specialties

  • Including open relationships, polyamory, and compulsive sexual behavior (or sex addiction), sexual concerns, relational problems, kink & BDSM, and LGBTQ+ issues.

  • ADHD and Autism.

  • Including sexual trauma, childhood trauma, loss, and betrayal.

  • Ari works with anxiety, depression, bipolar, anger, and other mood-related issues that aren’t always so easily tied to what you can identify as “reasons” for feeling the way that you do.

  • Artists & performers, therapy for therapists, and Jewish issues

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Learn about our services

  • Ari conducts 50-minute therapy sessions:

    -In person at 333 W 57th St

    -Online

    -Over the phone

  • There is a lot of research supporting the healing power of trees and waterfronts. Simply walking with your therapist in nature can add an effect to the therapy that many find healing, particularly those with ADHD or who are on the spectrum. Ari offers walking sessions at:

    -Central Park, starting at and ending at Columbus Circle

    -Fort Tryon Park, starting at the 181st St A train station on Bennett Ave (next to Broadway)

  • Compulsive sexual behavior refers to any ongoing struggles with sexual activity that a person does not want to be engaging in.

    In this group, sexual health is determined by each, individual group member. Some examples of the things group members could be working on include: infidelity in relationships (including both monogamous and consensually non-monogamous relationships), excessive or problematic porn consumption (in this group, you determine what "excessive" or "problematic" means for you), spending money on sexual activities beyond one's means or beyond one's budgetary goals.

    These are just a few examples. In the end of the day, the group members decide what they want to work on. The group is here to help each member with their own, unique goals.

  • Yes, you read that right. Ari has developed an approach to group therapy that incorporates the text of the Harry Potter books into sessions. Harry Potter fans can think of this as an opportunity to engage in play therapy for adults who like Harry Potter. Don’t get the wrong idea, though. Just like any other form of play, this is serious work with serious benefits only available to those willing to invest time and energy into sessions.

    Sessions are 85 minutes. Currently accepting a waitlist to start a new group.

    *Harry Potter Therapy is not affiliated with J. K. Rowling or her companies and the group is very much unaligned with Rowling’s horrifying comments about trans individuals.

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Publications

Ludwig, V. U., Pawelski, J. O., & Lewis, A. (2026). Reclaiming a vital dimension of human flourishing, in J. Mangelsdorf (Ed.), Textbook of positive psychology. Bertz Verlag.

Ludwig, V. U., Lewis, A., Pawelski, J. O., & Crone, D. L. (2026). Sexuality in positive psychology: Toward the integration of a neglected component of human flourishing. Journal of Positive Psychology, 22(1), 57-60. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2026.2619130

Ludwig, V. U., Coston, E., Lewis, A., Crone, D., Herbenick, D., Kaufman, S. B., Mitchell, K., & Clifton, J. (2025). Understanding Sexual well-being: Towards a positive and growth-oriented model. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf068.158

Lewis, A. (2025), Intuitive sexuality: A sex-positive model for understanding and treating compulsive sexual behavior, in E. Prior & D. J. Williams (Eds.), Positive sexuality: A promising future for sex research, education, and practice. Routledge.

Lewis, A. (2024) Pp. 207-215, in K. Labriola (Author), Love in abundance: A counselor's advice on open relationships (2nd ed.). Greenery Press.

Lewis, A. (2024, November), The good (sex) life: Toward a fulfilling sexual well-being model, MAPP Magazine.