What is couples & marriage counseling?
Couples therapy and marriage counseling, also known as relationship counseling, helps couples work through their specific relationship issues. Some examples of common focuses within couples therapy and marriage counseling include:
- Jealousy
- Trust issues
- Infidelity
- Opposing values
- Different visions for the future
- Disagreements in parenting
- Lack of trust
- Financial distress
- Sex issues
What type of therapy is used in couples therapy?
The types of therapy used in couples and marriage counseling include:
- The Gottman Method
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Emotionally-focused therapy (EFT)
- Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT)
- Strength-based therapy
What kind of therapist is best for couples?
At Thriveworks, Couples/marriage therapy is led by licensed professionals — often licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) — who are experts in their field and best-equipped to help couples.
What is the Gottman Method of couples therapy?
The Gottman Method of couples therapy is a research-supported approach designed to enhance relationships by bolstering the bond between partners, resolving conflicts, and fostering shared meaning in their relationship through comprehensive assessments and tailored interventions that improve communication, trust, and the overall health of the partnership.
How to tell if I need couples therapy?
If you’re facing persistent relationship problems, communication breakdowns, or unresolved conflicts that are impacting your emotional well-being and happiness, Couples/marriage therapy may be beneficial for you.
Should every couple go to couples therapy?
While marriage and couple’s counseling is typically recommended for couples who are experiencing persistent or severe relationship issues, any relationship can benefit from attending these sessions.
Is couples & marriage counseling conducted in person or online?
Marriage and couples counseling at Thriveworks is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you and your partner.
How long does couples & marriage counseling last?
On average, couples attend marriage and couples counseling for 12 weeks. However, couples & marriage counseling may last longer or shorter, dependent on the couples’ needs, the challenges they’d like to work through, and the pace of their progress.
How much does couples & marriage counseling cost?
At Thriveworks, we accept most major insurance plans, allowing many clients to pay as little as $0–$50 per session with their co-pay. We also offer self-pay options for those out-of-network or without insurance. Self-pay rates for talk therapy range from $160 to $240 for intake sessions and $135 to $195 for follow-ups, depending on your state. For psychiatry services, self-pay intake sessions are $255–$375, with follow-ups ranging from $175–$300, also varying by state. More information on current self-pay costs is available on our pricing page.
Need more help deciding?
The preferences, communication styles, and habits of people who love each can vary widely. This makes human love lives interesting, but it can also create static in intimate relationships.
Fortunately, couples therapy and marriage counseling at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA can help. Sometimes partners are too emotionally involved in a situation to see it clearly without the insights of an unbiased outsider. The licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) at Thriveworks can facilitate honest communication between spouses in a safe zone where different perspectives are heard and valued. Couples therapy can lead to deeper emotional bonds, fewer misunderstandings, and more resilience in the face of adversity. Reach out today to get started.
Can Couples Therapy Resolve Conflict?
Couples therapy and marriage counseling doesn’t eliminate conflicts, but it can teach couples how to argue better. For example, some couples find that they have the same conflict over and over without ever getting anywhere. In couples therapy at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA spouses have an open forum in which to explore the roots of the conflict and why they can’t advance their understanding. Couples therapy can also work on the following relationship elements:
- Communication skills
- Emotional management
- Addiction or substance abuse issues
- Sexual cycles
- Mutual support during difficult times, especially during serious life changes like marriage, illness, and aging
Do Marriage Counselors Take Sides?
Marriage counselors are highly trained to see issues from the perspective of each party. That means they don’t take sides or assign blame. Instead, they look for practical solutions and compromises. They also teach partners to see problems from the other person’s point of view. In relationship counseling, the therapist wants to help spouses achieve their goals. Clients may come to couples therapy at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA with any of these valuable objectives in mind:
- To feel more loved.
- To feel more appreciated.
- To model a healthier intimacy for children.
- To reconnect as friends.
- To reignite a spark.
- To reduce tension at home.
- To blend families after a second marriage.
- To stop repeating the same fight.
- To improve one’s sex life.
- To identify where a partner may need individual support (perhaps through therapy for a mental health condition like depression or anxiety).
- To learn how to create boundaries.
- To learn to express needs and desires
- To heal from an affair.
- To become unstuck.
- To cope with empty nest syndrome.
What Does Premarital Counseling Accomplish?
Premarital counseling at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA is a way for couples to work through issues that will inevitably come up in marriage. Talking about goals in advance can help prevent conflicts later on. For example, premarital counseling may cover the following topics:
- Where a couple’s core values overlap and where they differ
- The expectations for what roles each partner should play in the marriage
- Notions about children and parenting
- Financial objectives
- Communication styles
- Coping strategies
- Family backgrounds
- Family baggage
- Strengths and weaknesses
- Wedding stress
- Expectations for sex and quality time together
Reconnect with Your Spouse with Marriage Counseling at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA
Marriage counseling at Thriveworks in Berkeley, CA is a premium and affordable way to reconnect with your spouse. Our fully licensed, highly qualified, top-rated counselors use proven techniques to improve relationships.
When you call the Thriveworks office during extended business hours, you’ll reach a human being–not a voicemail–who can help match you to a marriage counselor. Most clients can meet with their provider within the same week of scheduling.
Don’t let your love grow stagnant. Contact Thriveworks today to get professional support from an exceptional marriage counselor.
