Marriage Counseling

Marriage counseling, also known as couples therapy or marriage therapy, focuses on helping couples improve their relationships. Marriage counselors are trained and certified to diagnose relationship problems and develop practical solutions.

Counseling provides a safe space for couples to openly discuss their feelings. Effective communication is essential for resolving marital issues, and marriage counseling—whether premarital or not—is an excellent way to enhance communication skills, reach mutual understandings, and decide how to move forward together or, if necessary, end the marriage amicably.

Types of marriage counseling

Similar to individual counseling, marriage therapy utilizes a variety of approaches and techniques. Understanding the different types of couples therapy can help you find the right counselor for your needs.

Gottman Method Couples Therapy: this method focuses on identifying and changing harmful behaviors that damage relationships, such as defensiveness, criticism, stonewalling, and contempt.
Discernment Counseling: This short-term therapy is for couples who are uncertain about ending their relationship. It helps them decide on the best next steps.
Solution-Focused Therapy: This approach helps couples identify and work toward solutions for specific problems or disputes by setting and pursuing relationship goals with the guidance of a therapist.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): EFT involves discussing specific, distressing events in the relationship to help couples understand the emotions and behaviors behind those events.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): While CBT is commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, it is also effective in couples therapy for improving communication and conflict resolution skills.

Does Marriage Counseling Work?

Over 98% of couples who attend marriage counseling rate their therapy sessions as “excellent” or “good.”
90% of couples report improvements in their emotional health after therapy.
Two-thirds of couples see enhancements in their physical health following counseling.

Many couples find marriage therapy effective, regardless of whether they have been together for 2 months or 20 years. Research suggests that communication issues, such as poor conflict management or a lack of positive communication, often lead to relationship problems. Counseling can help address these issues before they escalate into serious conflicts. Additionally, studies show that therapy can be beneficial even for couples facing serious challenges. For example, research comparing couples who sought therapy after infidelity to those who did not found that those who received professional help reported higher satisfaction in their relationships. Overall, marriage counseling can be highly effective when couples are dedicated to the process.

Marriage Counseling