Dr. Iesha Gibbons, PhD, LMFT

Some things are hard to say out loud

Most of what I work with falls into that category. An affair that has just come to light, and two people trying to work out whether there’s a way through it. A couple who haven’t been able to talk about sex in years and don’t know how to start. Something that happened a long time ago and still sits there. Or something about race or identity you’ve never quite been able to bring to a therapist before.

If you’re here after an affair, you don’t have to know yet whether you’re staying. Not knowing yet is a normal place to begin. My job isn’t to steer you toward an answer. It’s to slow things down enough that you can both tell the truth and actually hear it, and then decide from there. I have specialized training in Systematic Affair Recovery Therapy, which gives the work a structure instead of leaving us circling the same argument.

Sex therapy is part of my work too. Almost nobody arrives comfortable with that conversation, which is fine. It isn’t awkward for me, and that usually helps it stop being quite so awkward for you.

I’m also a therapist you can talk to about race. I’m biracial and I grew up in a military family, and I’ve taught and lectured on racial and ethnic struggles. Our experiences and our relationships shape who we become, what we end up carrying, and what we have to heal with. If that’s part of your story, you won’t have to explain it from scratch here.

Outside the office it’s my husband, my son, my daughter and a very lovable cat. I also enjoy action movies, nail art, and any excuse to get to the beach.

You don’t need to have the words ready before you come. That’s part of what we’ll do together.

What working together looks like

Our first session is mostly me getting to know you: what brought you in, what you’ve already tried, and what you’d like to feel different. There’s no pressure to tell me everything up front, and you don’t have to be in crisis to come in.

If you’re coming as a couple after an affair, I’ll want to hear from both of you, and I’ll be clear from the start about how I work and what I won’t do. I’m not there to decide who was right. Early sessions are mostly about getting the ground steady enough to stand on.

And if what’s brought you in is something you’ve never said out loud to anyone, you can take your time getting to it. Nothing has to come out in the first hour.

Education and credentials

• PhD, Marriage & Family Therapy, Brigham Young University, 2021
• MS, Marriage & Family Therapy, Brigham Young University, 2017
• BS, Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, 2014
• Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT), State of Utah — License #10493287-3902
• Clinical Director, Redwood Family Therapy
• Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Level 1 certified
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Narrative Family Therapy
• Systematic Affair Recovery Therapy (SART), Level 1
• Teaching: has taught and lectured on racial and ethnic struggles, and taught adolescents and their parents about mental and emotional health

Focus areas and who I help

A focused set of areas I work in most.

What people say about Redwood

Questions people ask before reaching out

Do you take insurance?

Redwood doesn’t bill insurance directly. We’re an out-of-network provider, which keeps you free to choose the therapist who’s the right fit and keeps the cost clear and known up front. Many plans do reimburse part of out-of-network care, and Redwood partners with Mentaya so you can check whether yours does.

Who do you work with?

Adults and couples. I work with couples after an affair or another breach of trust, with couples and individuals around sex and intimacy, and with people carrying anxiety, depression or trauma. I also work with clients who want a therapist they can talk to about race and identity.

We just found out about an affair. Is it too soon to come in?

No. Early is often the most useful time, and you do not need to have decided anything yet. Not knowing whether you’re staying is a normal place to start from. My job isn’t to steer you toward an answer, it’s to slow things down enough that you can both tell the truth and actually hear it.

What is Systematic Affair Recovery Therapy?

It’s a structured approach built specifically for recovering from infidelity, rather than general couples therapy applied to an affair. I have Level 1 training in it. What it gives us is a sequence to work through, which matters a great deal when everything feels chaotic and it’s hard to know what to deal with first.

Can we actually talk about sex in therapy?

Yes, and almost nobody arrives comfortable doing it. Sex therapy is part of my training and part of my practice, so it isn’t awkward for me, which usually helps it stop being quite so awkward for you. We go at whatever pace makes it bearable.

What happens in a first session?

Mostly getting to know you: what brought you in, what you’ve already tried, and what you’d like to feel different. There’s no pressure to share more than you’re ready to, and you don’t need to be in crisis to come in.

Do you offer virtual sessions and evening appointments?

Yes to both. I see clients in person in Saratoga Springs and virtually across Utah, and Redwood is open until 9:00 PM Monday through Friday, so we can usually find a time that works around work and family.