Risper Wangari, LPC, MFT, MBA, Certified EFT Couples Therapist (ICEEFT)
Risper works exclusively with couples through private 2 and 3 day Couples Intensives
Specialties: Couples Therapy • Couples Intensives • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) • EFT Couples Therapy • Attachment-Based Therapy • Trauma-Informed Counseling • Affair & Betrayal Recovery • Sexual Intimacy & Desire Issues • Childhood Emotional Neglect • Relationship Trauma
Healing relationships changes lives. I know this because it changed mine.
Before becoming a therapist, I built a successful career in management consulting in Corporate America. From the outside, it looked like I was thriving. On the inside, my world was filled with pain, disconnection, and inner turmoil. Therapy became a turning point in my life. It was a deeply healing experience that transformed my inner world and ultimately led me to my life’s purpose.
Today, I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Certified EFT Couples Therapist (ICEEFT), and the Founder of The Love Seat Counseling & Life Coaching. I hold a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy as well as an MBA, and I have advanced training in the Gottman Method. Starting Love Seat Counseling & Life Coaching has been a dream in the making for many years.
I am deeply passionate about helping individuals and couples heal from complex trauma and distressed relationships. I was drawn to this work because it is both deeply personal and profoundly human. I know how isolating it can feel to be stuck in painful patterns, and I also know that healing, connection, and hope are possible with the right support.
Who I Work With
I currently work with couples exclusively through our intensive format.
I work best with individuals and couples who feel stuck in recurring relational patterns and carry the weight of trauma, attachment wounds, or emotional disconnection. Many of my clients appear to be managing well on the outside, while quietly struggling internally and longing for deeper connection, safety, and peace in their relationships. I also support couples navigating betrayal, infidelity, and the complex work of rebuilding trust after deep relational injury. For couples seeking deeper, more focused work, I offer couples intensives designed to help create meaningful shifts in a shorter period of time.
Why I Founded The Love Seat
I founded this group practice out of a passion for healing, community, and mentorship. From my own experience, I know how transformative therapy can be. Being able to bring together talented, compassionate clinicians to support individuals, couples, families, and even future generations is truly an honor. Creating a space where clinicians can learn from one another, grow professionally, and empower each other to provide exceptional care is something I consider a gift. I am deeply grateful to work alongside this team.
At the heart of my work is a deep love for relationships. As humans, we are wired for connection, belonging, and emotional safety, yet many relationships become stuck in painful cycles of disconnection, miscommunication, loss of trust, and unresolved hurt. I specialize in helping couples identify and shift these patterns, heal attachment injuries and individual trauma, understand one another more deeply, and build skills that foster lasting closeness. Together, we work toward rewriting your love story into one that feels secure, meaningful, and life giving.
Why I Practice EFT
Healing happens when people feel emotionally safe enough to slow down, explore what’s happening beneath the surface, and be met with clarity and care. I believe safety in therapy comes from attunement, honesty, and a willingness to engage in what is difficult. I work intentionally to create that kind of space, one that respects your story, your culture, and the emotional and relational patterns shaped by your experiences, while gently guiding the work toward meaningful and lasting change.
I chose Emotionally Focused Therapy because it mirrors how I understand healing and how I experienced it myself through being seen, emotionally understood, and safely connected. EFT addresses communication challenges while also helping us understand the emotional patterns underneath them. It focuses on repairing the emotional bonds that shape how we love, protect, and connect. When those bonds are restored, lasting change becomes possible, not just insight, but felt safety, closeness, and trust. I have seen firsthand how powerful this work can be, not only in the therapy room, but in real relationships, including my own.
As a Certified EFT Couples Therapist, I use an attachment based, evidence informed approach to help clients break negative cycles, repair attachment injuries, and deepen emotional connection. I show up authentically and prioritize truly knowing who you are, individually and within your relationships, and what you are hoping to gain from therapy. From that foundation of trust, I am honest, attuned, and intentional in guiding the work toward the changes you want to see in your life.
I believe everyone has a story, and every story deserves to be heard. I also believe each of us carries the inner resources needed to find peace of mind, joy, connection, purpose, and healing. When we tap into those strengths, we are able to show up in the world as our most authentic and wholehearted selves. I am honored to walk alongside you and be part of your journey.
Outside of clinical work, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, hiking, going to the gym, enjoying a good brunch, traveling, learning about different cultures, spending time in nature, and getting lost in a good book.
Now Accepting Couples Intensive Clients Only
Risper is currently working exclusively with couples in our 2-day and 3-day intensive format. She is not accepting new clients for weekly therapy at this time. Looking for weekly sessions? Take our Therapist Matching Quiz to find the right fit on our team.
Education + Licensure
- ICEEFT Emotionally Focused Therapist and Certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist (EFCT)
- Licensed Professional Counselor (Texas #83283)
- Gottman Method Level I and II
- Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy, MFT (The Kings University, Southlake, Texas)
- Master of Business Administration, MBA (Monterey Institute of International Studies)
Not sure where to start?
Take our free Find Your Therapist Quiz